In a joint effort between the Biodiversity Team in EHM and the Environmental Team at Heathrow, 2019 saw the collection of an additional award to the conservation efforts at Heathrow Airport.
The Biodiversity Interest Group (BIG) of CIRIA (Construction Industry Research and Information Association) has hosted the BIG Biodiversity Challenge award since 2013, encouraging collaboration between construction bodies and local communities, and an increased awareness for biodiversity including the importance of its protection and enhancement.
As a combined team, we submitted 2 among over 75 entries to the 2019 awards, focussing on the journey of two of Heathrow’s Biodiversity Sites through project work and the return of disused land to a nature reserve. We were thrilled to learn that both entries were shortlisted. Not only this but Heathrow proudly sponsored the category of Pollinator Award.
Securing two shortlisted entries for the awards, under two categories, we attained the honour of attending the award ceremony in London, where the proud winner of the Pollinator Award was a Devonshire project by Kier, ATM and Highways England transforming over 5 hectares of roadside verges into wildflower corridors. You can read more about the entry here.
We were lucky enough for one of our entries to win its category, though we were all proud of our submission for the Medium/large Scale Project of the Year, focussing on a water quality improvement project at Causeway Nature Reserve. You can read more about this exciting development here.
The icing on the cake was being able to take home the Legacy Award for our efforts in giving this near 60 hectare site back to nature, as one of the largest sites under Heathrow’s Biodiversity Management Plan. Implementing many of the changes to the site management required not just the unwavering support of Heathrow and the Biodiversity Team, but the enourmously enthusiastic help of local communities and charity volunteers.
You can read more about our winning entry here.