Quarry Life Award

Fifth edition of the contest promoting biodiversity

The “Quarry Life Award” targets innovative approaches to study and boost biodiversity at quarry sites and aims to raise awareness about mining ecology. 

Heidelberg Materials' Quarry Life Award, is targeted at scientists, university students, and non-governmental organisations as well as our neighbours in the communities where our facilities are located. All of these groups are invited to develop and – provided they qualify to participate in the competition – implement biodiversity-related projects focused on our company’s quarries worldwide.

In this way, we want to promote the evaluation of the quarries’ biological value and support the development of new methods that benefit scientists and government authorities as well as our company.

Since 2012, four Quarry Life Award competitions have already been held with great success. The fifth edition will start in May 2021 and will officially conclude with a major international ceremony in winter 2022.

Research stream

The “research” stream focuses on scientific projects that increase knowledge of mining ecology and lead to improved biodiversity, landscape, or water management. It is open to academics, scientists, experts and NGOs.

Community stream

The “community” stream focuses on engagement and outreach projects that help the quarry to better connect with its local stakeholders, raise awareness and help to educate about biodiversity in quarries. This stream is open to everyone - individuals, students, school classes, NGO’s and local communities.

More than 110 projects selected

To participate in the competition, students, graduates, researchers, NGO’s and local communities had to submit a project to one of the six available categories. From January until September 2018, Heidelberg Materials opened its quarries in the 26 participating countries for practical implementation of the projects.

For the Quarry Life Award 2018 more than 300 proposals have been received. The juries selected more than 110 projects that entered the Quarry Life Award either in the “research” or the “community” stream.

Variety of criteria for winner selection

The seven International Jury members followed clear criteria when deciding upon the six category winners, each receiving €10.000 prize money, and the Grand Prize winner, who was awarded with €30.000.

The Jury paid special attention to the innovation of a project idea, its transferability to other operation sites as well as benefits generated for Heidelberg Materials.