Lehigh Hanson announces 2018 Quarry Life Award winners

Launched in 2011, 50 quarries from 18 countries in Europe, Central Asia, and Africa participated in the first programme. For the 2018 award, however, Lehigh Hanson chose two quarries to participate: the New Windsor Quarry in Maryland in the US, and the Cadomin Quarry in Alberta, Canada.

Participants were challenged with submitting proposals within the research stream, with particular focus on increasing knowledge of mining ecology and leading to improved biodiversity, landscape, or water management. There were three available categories in the research stream: biodiversity management, habitat and species research, and beyond quarry borders.

The judging panel included Patrick James, Tom Chizmadia, Sophie Mullen, and Tim Matz from Lehigh Hanson, as well as Dr Sue Grayston, a professor from the University of British Colombia, and Margaret O’Gorman, President of the Wildlife Habitat Council. The panel chose the following winning proposals:

First place: ‘The co-existence of a threatened population of grizzly bears with quarry mining in Alberta (Cadomin Quarry),’ by Gordon Stenhouse, fRI Research, Research Scientist and Programme Leader, Grizzly Bear Programme; Anja Sorensen, fRI Research, Research Staff; and Isobel Pheobus, fRI Research, Research Staff.

Second place: ‘Ruling the roost: developing thermally optimal roosts to enhance microbat population biodiversity (Cadomin Quarry),’ by Dave Critchley, Programme Chair and Restoration Ecologist at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology; Jenna Hlewka, student at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology; and Ronnie Caron, student at the Northen Alberta Institute of Technology.

A celebration dinner was held to recognise the winners near the headquarters of Lehigh Hanson in Irving, Texas in early November. The dinner was attended by programme participants, jury members, and members of Lehigh Hanson and HeidelbergCement’s senior management team.

“On behalf of Lehigh Hanson and HeidelbergCement, I would like to congratulate the winners of the 2018 Quarry Life Award programme for North America,” said Tom Chizmadia, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Communications. “The winning proposals clearly demonstrate the spirit of the programme and its emphasis on managing biodiversity at our quarry sites. It was a pleasure working with this year’s participants.”

Lehigh Hanson is part of the HeidelbergCement Group, supplying cement, aggregates, ready mix concrete, asphalt, and other building materials to markets throughout North America.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/12112018/lehigh-hanson-announces-2018-quarry-life-award-winners/