More than a dozen representatives from the UK’s National Parks have visited Tarmac’s Swinden Quarry in North Yorkshire, England, to learn more about the importance of quarrying in the Yorkshire Dales.
The visit was part of this year's National Park’s biennial conference, which was sponsored by lead partner, Tarmac, the UK’s leading sustainable building materials and construction solutions company.
The day included an introduction to the company and the history of the site, and delegates were kitted out in PPE clothing before being driven down into the quarry to see the extraction process first-hand.
Emma Chaplow, Tarmac quarry manager at Swinden said: “It was great to be able to host the delegates here and to show them around the site. We are very proud to be part of the National Park here in Yorkshire – and equally to have sponsored this year’s National Parks conference. The event and the site visit were a great opportunity to showcase what we do, as well as to learn more about the challenges faced by National Parks around the country.”
After the initial quarry tour, the visitors – all representatives from the UK’s National Parks – were treated to a Yorkshire-themed buffet before gathering on the viewing platform to watch one of the quarry’s routine blasts.
After the blast, delegates had the opportunity to speak to explosive experts about how they mitigate the impact of the explosions, before being taken to view the site’s railhead and restoration areas.
Mineral extraction is essential to the UK’s infrastructure pipeline, and Tarmac is committed to careful planning both before and after quarrying operations to ensure sites are managed responsibly and sustainably to conserve and enhance natural habitats, wildlife and cultural heritage. The company contributes to the economic and social well-being of local communities within National Parks and other operations across the UK.
The conference, held between 17-19 September, was staged at a venue in the Yorkshire Dales and attracted 100 delegates, including National Park Chairs and CEOs, representatives from Government and other agencies.
