Green Quarry

Topic: 
Increase biodiversity knowledge in quarries
Quarry: 
The Tiende berg and Meerland
Researcher: 
Saja Erens
Contest: 
Benelux
Summary: 
Quarry the Tiendeberg is part of the Mount Saint Peter, a unique chain of hills, running across three regional borders (Flanders, Wallonia and the Netherlands) and internationally known for its favorable microclimate and high variety of (endangered) vegetation and species. Thanks to thousands of years of traditional farming, a unique landscape and vegetation could develop. The Tiendeberg has a high potential to revive these historical and biological values. A considerable part of the quarry is a domain of the CBR Group, a holding of the worldwide HeidelbergCementGroup. Due to the national nomination for the Quarry Life Award 2012, students and researchers of the nature organisation Natuurpunt are granted the opportunity to conduct further research and to develop a vision for the quarry. Quarry the Tiendeberg is a crucial chain in the overall biodiversity of the ridge “Mount Saint Peter”. The rehabilitation of this unique biodiversity hotspot has the potential to set an international standard for successful cooperation of partners in facilitating biodiversity rich quarries. Vote for Green Quarry Tiendeberg!
 
Quarry Tiendeberg

The Tiendeberg connects the Dutch and Wallonian part of the Mount Saint Peter and covers 9 hectares of the oldest and only remaining calcareous grasslands in Flanders. Its slopes were already used for sheep grazing during the Middle Ages and even probably widely before. The ancient small scale agriculture methods together with the unique soil conditions created a semi-natural area hosting one of the biggest biodiversity hotspots known in the region. In the course of history, old underground limestone quarries were dug to provide resources for housing. The underground network is now the ideal winter shelter for many species of bats.

Project description and objectives

The partners aim towards a nature rich quarry with a supplemental high landscape value. Over a period of a thousand years, the use of traditional farming methods created a balance between mankind and nature, resulting in a highly valuable and rich ecosystem (flora and fauna). This project will be the start of restoring that balance. The focus is on studying the steps that are needed for the conservation and restoration of the old agricultural systems and for further exploiting the existing biodiversity potential of the Tiendeberg quarry. Within the scope of this project, data will be collected, analysed, synthesised and a vision on what the next steps should be will be developed and described in a plan of conduct. Based on that plan, the first steps can be put in action on short-term. The process of the project Green Quarry Tiendeberg will be intensely communicated between partners. It is important that the project will enjoy wide support and can serve internationally as an example of a successful cooperation in establishing biodiversity rich quarries.

Approach

The plan consists of the following stages:

-Step 1: Inventory

-Step 2: Vision Development

-Step 3: Plan of Conduct

-Step 4: First Steps

During all steps: Communication and Collaboration

 

More information?

You can mail us on: greenquarrylife@gmail.com

You can also follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/greenquarry

 

Latest project news

Below you'll find the latest project news. Click the title to read the post.

  • Green quarry Tiendeberg Saja Erens Mount Saint Peter Short-Tailed Blue butterfly
    08/28/2012

    Cupid has his arrow pointed straight to the mount Saint Peter and is giving it special butterflies in its stomach. Not only is the Short-Tailed Blue butterfly (Cupido argiades) observed on the Flemish Mount Saint Peter, we also have the scoop for its reproduction in Flanders!

  • Green Quarry Tiendeberg Saja Erens Heidelberg Amy Wedel ponds amphibian
    08/15/2012

    Last Friday, we had the honour to welcome Amy Wedel (Sustainable Construction Manager at HeidelbergCement and global coordinator of the Quarry Life Award) to quarry Tiendeberg and to see our youth at work for our project Green Quarry Tiendeberg!

  • Green Quarry Tiendeberg Farmland birds Saja Erens Mount Saint Peter
    08/12/2012

    The second Farmland Bird Day, organised by the Flemish Land Agency, did take place in the Tiendeberg grotto. Part of the program was a small excursion to the top of quarry Tiendeberg. Since some years, a couple of farmers cooperate with the VLM to make the farmland parcels adjacent to the Tiendeberg more favourable to farmland birds.

  • Green Quarry Tiendeberg Mount Saint Peter grasshopper Saja Erens
    08/04/2012

    It is the height of the summer in quarry Tiendeberg! the slopes are buzzing of life, a real biodiversity party is going on. Like every year, the musicians of the grassland, the crickets, groundhoppers and grasshoppers, are gracing the feast.

  • Quarry Tiendeberg Saja Erens Mount Saint Peter cross border
    07/27/2012

    On top of the slopes of quarry Tiendeberg, it gives a spectacular view over the Jeker valley. You can easily observe that nature knows no borders here. However, when it comes down to cross border nature conservation, these legal borders turn out to be much more of a challenge.

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3 National contest Benelux - 3rd prize

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  • Green Quarry Tiendeberg
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