Biodiversity Targeting Through Minerals Project

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is currently undertaking an exciting new project looking at the opportunities for creating new wildlife habitats across the Yorkshire & Humber Region.

Working on behalf of Yorkshire & Humber Biodiversity Forum (YHBF), we will be mapping all the current and potential mineral extraction sites across the Region (i.e. sand & gravel pits, clay pits, soft rock & hard rock quarries). We will then map the potential wildlife habitats that can be created through restoration of these sites, taking into account geology, hydrology, soils, landscape character and existing local habitats. Two case studies will be undertaken to demonstrate best practise for restoration of worked out extraction sites, and two in-depth habitat mapping studies to show how site restoration can best serve wildlife on a landscape scale.

Taken together, this research will allow us to identify the opportunities for re-creating significant areas of high-quality habitat. We will be working together with local planning authorities and mineral companies to agree targets for habitat restoration, and the outputs of the project will be drawn together with a one-day workshop at the end of March, bringing all interested parties together to discuss our findings.

This project has been funded by Natural England through Defra’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.

For further information about the project please contact Nabil Abbas on 01904 659570 or nabil.abbas@ywt.org.uk