Celebrating innovation in biodiversity: Heidelberg Materials recognises exceptional Quarry Life Award projects

• Seven teams awarded as part of Heidelberg Materials’ flagship biodiversity competition
• Grand Prize went to a project in Poland transforming post mining areas into a model for nature restoration and education.
• The sixth Quarry Life Award edition saw more than 50 project submissions from researchers, students, local communities, NGOs, and nature lovers

Yesterday, Heidelberg Materials and more than 100 guests celebrated the winners of the sixth edition of the Quarry Life Award in Heidelberg. The company’s international biodiversity competition, launched in 2012, has since been generating hundreds of innovative ideas to promote and protect biodiversity. This year, a team from Poland won the Grand Prize for a project combining hands-on biodiversity management with strong community engagement.

As part of the competition, the company opens its quarries and pits as “living laboratories,” enabling research into the wide variety of habitats and the numerous endangered and/or protected species found in quarries. The Quarry Life Award also aims to raise awareness and engage local communities on the importance of biodiversity and species protection.

Dr Katharina Beumelburg, Chief Sustainability & New Technologies Officer and member of the Managing Board at Heidelberg Materials, said: “Collaboration is the catalyst for change. When we come together, share ideas, and scale what works, we turn sustainability from strategy into reality. As a unique flagship initiative in our industry, the Quarry Life Award addresses biodiversity loss – one of today’s most pressing global challenges – and forms an integral part of our sustainability strategy.”

In the current edition, more than 130 teams from around the world – including researchers, students, local community and NGO representatives, and nature enthusiasts – submitted their ideas. From these, 56 teams were selected to implement their projects at the company’s quarries.

“The Quarry Life Award is all about empowering science and communities – enabling them to bring their valuable project ideas to life. I’m proud of the local impact our participants have created on a global scale since 2012: at around 170 of our sites worldwide, over 500 projects focusing on thousands of animal and plant species have been implemented, based on over 18,000 people contributing their ideas. A strong track record for nature!, ” said Dr Katharina Beumelburg.

The award also reflects Heidelberg Materials’ commitment to supporting the Global Goal for Nature and advancing a nature-positive future. As part of its broader sustainability approach, and in collaboration with partners such as BirdLife International, Heidelberg Materials works to raise awareness of the biodiversity linked to extraction sites and to promote the restoration of nature on a global scale.

• The Quarry Life Award categories and the respective winning projects:   
• The Grand Prize went to “Nature without Borders: Revitalizing Post-Mining Areas at KSM Ruda in Budzinska” (Poland). The project transformed a former quarry into a model site for habitat restoration and community involvement. It combines practical biodiversity management with education and outreach, showing how small post-mining areas can support the recovery of nature and raise local environmental awareness.   
• The Habitat & Species Research Award went to the team behind “Wild bees in the quarries of the Pays de la Loire” (France) for their comprehensive study on solitary wild bees. Their research contributes directly to the French National Pollinator Plan and offers valuable recommendations for managing quarries as habitats for pollinators.   
• The Biodiversity Management Award was presented to the project “Biodiversity in Action: Protecting the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Ait Baha Quarries” (Morocco), which developed hands-on biodiversity management to support local herpetofauna. The project also trained quarry staff, raising awareness about these often overlooked but ecologically important species.   
• The Beyond Quarry Borders Award went to the team studying “Population Status of the Hoosier Cavefish (Amblyopsis hoosieri) in Hamer Cave” (USA). Their research provides new insights into the health of Indiana’s karst groundwater systems and highlights how quarry operations can contribute to conservation beyond their physical boundaries.   
• The Biodiversity & Education Award was given to “Biodiversity Education through Birdwatching” (Indonesia), a creative initiative involving high school students in Palimanan. Through birdwatching activities, educational materials, and community engagement, the project inspired enthusiasm for nature among young people and quarry staff alike.   
• The Connecting Quarries and Local Communities Award went to “Enhancement of Rehabilitation Initiatives at Wazo Hill Quarry for City Eco-Tourism” (Tanzania). The project established practical links between the quarry and its surrounding community, creating a training centre built from recycled materials and fostering skills development for local people.   
• The Nature-Based Solutions Award was awarded to the project “Stuck in the Mud: Quarry Lake Sediments as Long-Term Pollution Traps for Their Catchments” (UK). This study demonstrated how quarry lakes can act as natural filters, improving water quality and contributing to carbon capture and flood prevention in surrounding ecosystems.   

• About Heidelberg Materials
• Heidelberg Materials is one of the world's largest integrated manufacturers of building materials and solutions with leading market positions in cement, aggregates, and ready-mixed concrete. We are represented in around 50 countries with around 51,000 employees at almost 3,000 locations. At the centre of our actions lies the responsibility for the environment. As the front runner on the path to carbon neutrality and circular economy in the building materials industry, we are working on sustainable building materials and solutions for the future. We enable new opportunities for our customers through digitalisation.