There are huge opportunities to enhance biodiversity in operational and exhausted stone quarries, and across our wider landholdings.
Longcliffe is extremely proud to have created several nature reserves to date in and around its quarries, each representing a very different habitat. They include:
- the acclaimed butterfly reserve at Hoe Grange Quarry
- the habitat and wildlife rich reserve at Peak Quarry
Even the quarries themselves, together with the areas that surround them, provide valuable habitat for calcareous grassland and priority species that include peregrine falcons, sand martins and grey partridge.
At Longcliffe we endeavour at all stages to enhance the quarry areas with a view to encouraging biodiversity.
Generally speaking, a quarry is worked in a series of approximately 15m high benches. Below these, a ledge is left to both support the rock face above and to catch occasional fallen rocks from that face. Where the internal quarry faces are visible to the public (generally the higher benches), these ledges are often made deeper and filled with quarry waste and soils to form a ‘rollover’.
These rollovers may be grassed for grazing or planted with trees and at Longcliffe, we also cover the low angle cliff faces below with nutrient poor soils and seeds to help establish and sustain a wide variety of grasses and flowers.
Dry stone walls are often added to remain in keeping with the local Peak District landscape.