The need to maintain and improve physical surroundings drives the requirement for aggregates. The same need also demands, rightly, that these aggregates are extracted and transported with as little disturbance to the environment as possible. Winstone Aggregates recognises its responsibilities in this key area. Great care is taken to minimise the effects of our activities on our surroundings, and afterwards to restore our sites to conditions at least as good as, and if at all possible better than they were before operations began.
Case Study: Hunua Auckland Green Gecko Relocation Project
During FY11, one specific sustainability initiative at Hunua Quarry was to develop, implement and monitor a programme to ensure the survival of a rare and at risk species, the Auckland Green gecko (Naultinus e. elegans), which is found at the site of the proposed Symonds Hill pit at the Quarry. Although specific in nature, this initiative is key to addressing a potentially significant environmental effect of our operation that has brought together a community, local Iwi, local Council and Winstone Aggregates in a collaborative project.
Auckland Green geckos (AGG) are a taonga species to local Iwi, in particular Ngati te Ata and Ngati Tamaoho, both of which were represented on the Papakura Kaitiaki Group, a group representing Iwi that have interests in the Hunua Quarry site. In addition to this, the local Council, Department of Conservation, and residents of the surrounding area see the geckos as an important part of the area. They view the geckos as an important part of the local ecosystem that has existed for generations and as such, it would be unacceptable to have them negatively affected by the development of the quarry.
As part of a wider ecological mitigation and enhancement programme, Winstone Aggregates is undertaking a range of restoration initiatives to compensate for habitat which will be lost through works associated with the development of the new Symonds Hill pit. These include planting indigenous forest (over 39.9ha of retired pasture in the Hay paddock and Friedman blocks), and the control of mammalian browsing and predatory pests over an area of 100ha of surrounding regenerating forest adjoining the proposed pit.
The programme has involved intensive pest control in areas where the geckos have been released, focusing on rats, possums, stoats and feral cats. These species are widely implicated in the decline of lizard populations on the mainland including arboreal geckos such as AGG. Pest control has increased the abundance of invertebrates (some of which may be prey for lizards) and native birds; and increased the availability of fruits and seeds (which may also be eaten by lizards).
Adding to the importance of sustainably ensuring the survival of the AGG at Hunua Quarry, is the fact that no green geckos were found in the immediate area outside the proposed Symonds Hill pit area despite some search effort.
The project was highly detailed, with involvement from the wider local community, local Iwi, and saw Winstone Aggregates going the extra mile beyond compliance. This project ensured a key aspect of the local environment was sustainably managed and enhanced, for the benefit of the business, local ecosystem, as well as both the local and national community. At the same time, these components were finely balanced with the need to ensure the continued operational excellence of the Hunua Quarry for the foreseeable future.
How do Winstone Aggregates minimise their
Environmental Impact?
As a company, Winstone Aggregates strives to manage operations to achieve sustainable economic development while avoiding, remedying and mitigating adverse effects on the environment. While operations are taking place, Winstone Aggregates goes to great lengths to minimise our environmental impact. We have:
A robust Environmental Management System (EMS). This EMS provides Winstone Aggregates with a flexible tool that ensures accountability for environmental performance, providing a management framework that encourages openness and environmental improvement at all operational sites.
A comprehensive Environment Policy gives direction to the companies EMS and includes commitments by senior management for continual improvement and pollution prevention to effect enhanced core business operations and improved environmental performance.
All consents are stored in the CS VUE proprietary database and consent management system – this facilitates the allocation of responsibilities, setting of objectives, compliance analysis and mandatory reporting. Our system also undergoes regular audits and assessments to ensure regulations are met or exceeded.
Winstone Aggregates operations are undertaken in a way to minimise the adverse effects of quarrying upon the environment. For example, each site has developed solutions to minimise dust emissions. Employees are trained and expected to consider how their work impacts the surroundings and how they can do better, such as calling in the water truck when roads get dusty or slowing down when driving around homes – simple, common-sense ideas that make a big difference.
Regular inspections and environmental monitoring are undertaken to verify the impacts and success of mitigation measures.
Winstone Aggregates is committed to continual improvement in the environmental management of our operations. This is a vital part of the drive towards even higher levels of care and key element of the continual improvement cycle.
Sustainability
VISION: “Market Leadership for the next 50 years through sustainable practices”
In a world of diminishing resources, it is increasingly important for industry to recognise, and act on, the concept of sustainability, so that the needs of the present are met without the compromising the future. Within this context, Winstone Aggregates recognises that it is vitally important that aggregates are extracted, processed and transported as efficiently, economically and unobtrusively as possible.
Leaving a Lighter Footprint
Quarrying is essentially a temporary use of land, although with rock quarries such use may span the working life of a generation. Nonetheless, sooner or later mineral extraction will be concluded at any particular site, which will then either be restored to its former use or converted to support some other activity which best meets the needs of locals. At Winstone Aggregates both thought and investment are put into ensuring that this restoration is carried out to the highest possible standards.
Each site has an extensive land management plan in place which includes things like replanting native bush, re-shaping the land or backfilling it to create ponds and pasture. As a business with large land holdings, we are able to make a net positive contribution to the environment – fencing, pest and weed control, and a Biodiversity Action Plan, as key parts of this initiative. With the right sort of encouragement, trees, birds, bees and aquatic life can be sustained, and we can improve our human footprint.
