Quarry Life Award spotlight: post-mining restoration in Poland wins Grand Prize as Heidelberg Materials advances nature-positive goals

Quarry Life Award 2025 | Winners.
Heidelberg Materials

(IN BRIEF) Heidelberg Materials has announced winners of the sixth Quarry Life Award, recognising seven biodiversity projects from across the globe. With more than 130 submissions and 56 implemented field projects, the competition continues to drive scientific insight and on-site conservation in quarries used as open-air ecological laboratories. This year’s Grand Prize went to a Polish initiative restoring post-mining land while engaging local communities in ecological learning and stewardship. Other winning projects spanned pollinator research in France, amphibian protection in Morocco, cavefish population study in the USA, youth birdwatching education in Indonesia, eco-tourism rehabilitation in Tanzania, and quarry lake sediment filtration research in the UK. The programme aligns with Heidelberg Materials’ sustainability agenda and its goal of supporting a nature-positive future in partnership with organisations like BirdLife International.

(PRESS RELEASE) HEIDELBERG, 28-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Heidelberg Materials has awarded winners of the sixth global Quarry Life Award, recognising seven outstanding biodiversity projects from an international field of researchers, students, NGOs, community groups and nature advocates. More than 100 guests gathered in Heidelberg to celebrate the achievements, marking another milestone in the company’s commitment to ecological restoration and nature-positive mining practices. Launched in 2012, the flagship competition continues to generate practical, research-driven ideas that enhance biodiversity in and around extraction sites worldwide.

This year’s Grand Prize was awarded to a Polish team for Nature without Borders: Revitalizing Post-Mining Areas at KSM Ruda in Budzinska — a project that transformed a former quarry into a living example of ecological restoration paired with strong community outreach. The initiative demonstrates how even small post-mining environments can regenerate into valuable habitats when supported with active stewardship, education and local engagement.

The Quarry Life Award invites participants to use Heidelberg Materials quarries as active research sites, where countless species and diverse habitats can be documented, protected and restored. Beyond scientific insight, the programme builds a public appreciation for biodiversity, bringing local communities into conservation work that directly affects their surroundings.

Dr Katharina Beumelburg, Chief Sustainability & New Technologies Officer and member of the Managing Board, emphasised the shared responsibility of industry and science in reversing biodiversity loss. She noted that collaboration and knowledge exchange help transform sustainability from ambition into tangible outcomes, and highlighted the Award as a core element of the company’s broader environmental strategy.

More than 130 teams submitted proposals for this year’s competition, with 56 ultimately selected to implement their projects in Heidelberg Materials quarries around the world. Since launch, over 500 biodiversity projects have taken place across roughly 170 sites, involving more than 18,000 contributors — illustrating the competition’s measurable reach. These efforts align closely with global nature-restoration goals and advance Heidelberg Materials’ ambition to drive a nature-positive future in cooperation with partners such as BirdLife International.

2025 Quarry Life Award Category Winners

• Grand Prize – Poland
  Nature without Borders: Revitalizing Post-Mining Areas at KSM Ruda in Budzinska
  A restored site showcasing habitat recovery, local participation and biodiversity enhancement.
• Habitat & Species Research Award – France
  Wild Bees in the Quarries of the Pays de la Loire
  A comprehensive study of solitary bees that directly supports France’s National Pollinator Plan.
• Biodiversity Management Award – Morocco
  Protecting the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Ait Baha Quarries
  A hands-on conservation project focused on herpetofauna protection and quarry-staff awareness.
• Beyond Quarry Borders Award – USA
  Population Status of the Hoosier Cavefish in Hamer Cave
  Research expanding ecological understanding beyond extraction boundaries into groundwater ecosystems.
• Biodiversity & Education Award – Indonesia
  Biodiversity Education through Birdwatching
  A youth-focused birdwatching and environmental learning programme for students and quarry teams.
• Connecting Quarries & Local Communities Award – Tanzania
  Enhancement of Rehabilitation Initiatives at Wazo Hill Quarry for City Eco-Tourism
  A community-driven eco-tourism model featuring a recycled-material training centre.
• Nature-Based Solutions Award – United Kingdom
  Stuck in the Mud: Quarry Lake Sediments as Long-Term Pollution Traps
  Research highlighting quarry lake sediments as natural water filters, contributing to carbon capture and flood mitigation.

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.

Media Contact:

Christoph Beumelburg
Director Group Communication & Investor Relations
Tel: +49 6221 48113-249
info@heidelbergmaterials.com

SOURCE: Heidelberg Materials