Lehigh Hanson Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HeidelbergCement, is announced the 2014 Quarry Life Award winners for North America. The Quarry Life Award program is HeidelbergCement’s international research and education competition focusing on mining sites and the need to raise awareness about the biological value of mineral extraction sites worldwide.
The first Quarry Life Award program launched in September 2011 and included more than 50 participating quarries from 18 countries in Europe, Central Asia and Africa. For the 2014 Quarry Life Award program, Lehigh Hanson selected two quarries to open their doors for research projects. From the U.S., the company selected the Lincoln Quarry in Lincoln, Ill. In Canada, the Sechelt Mine in Sechelt, British Columbia, was chosen to participate.
Participants submitted proposals within the established categories of Raising Public Awareness, Promoting Biodiversity, Innovation & Biodiversity, Biodiversity & Education and Pupil & Student Projects. A jury consisting of Sophie Mullen and Gary O’Toole from Lehigh Hanson’s environmental management team along with Gwen Kolb, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dr. Judith Myers, professor emeritus, University of British Columbia and Bill Stoll, Applied Ecological Services, selected the winning proposals.
The 2014 Quarry Life Award North American winners are as follows:
- 1st Place: Florian Hopp, student from Germany. Designing a Geo-Ecology and Education Nature Trail (Sechelt).
- 2nd Place: Dr. DK Lee, University of Illinois. Biodiversity and Educational Trails on a Reclaimed Rock Quarry (Lincoln).
- 3rd Place: Dr. Sue Grayston and Emily Mason, University of British Columbia. Biodiversity in Reclamation Treatments at the Lehigh Hanson Sand and Gravel Quarry (Sechelt).
The winners were recognized at a celebration dinner near the company’s headquarters in Irving, Texas. Program participants, jury members and members of Lehigh Hanson’s senior management team were in attendance.
“On behalf of Lehigh Hanson and HeidelbergCement, I would like to congratulate the winners of the 2014 Quarry Life Award program,” said Tom Chizmadia, senior vice president of government affairs, public relations and sustainability. “The three winning proposals were clearly the result of outstanding research, quality time spent at the quarry sites and a deep understanding of biodiversity management. It was a pleasure working with this group of students and researchers to get a broader view of how we can incorporate biodiversity projects at our quarries now and in the future.”