BIG Biodiversity Champion 2019
Andrew Gladwin, Willmott Dixon
Project nominated for: Cotton End Forest School
Nominated by: Stephanie Hensman, Willmott Dixon
Find out more about Andrew Gladwin our BIG Biodiversity Champion 2019!
Overall winner 2019 prize sponsored by
Cormac Solutions Ltd for Cornwall Council
Green Infrastructure for Growth
Cornwall Council’s 2015 Environmental Growth Strategy identified that protection of the environment is no longer enough and that it needs to be invested in and grown. Green Infrastructure for Growth has led the way in environmental net gain and worked with local communities to re-think areas of our green space.
Client Award sponsored by
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
Caithness Moray HVDC Biodiversity
A collection of biodiversity initiatives undertaken by the developer, SSEN on both Caithness-Moray HVDC convertor stations. At Spittal substation a combination of wildflower seeding, tree and scrub planting, and a newly created wetland ecosystem with enhanced SUDS channel. Blackhillock focussed on a small area implementing a range of habitat features.
Find out more about this project
Community Engagement Award sponsored by
Thames Water/Ambitious about Autism and TreeHouse School, Arcadis and others
Project Saplings
Thames Water granted (on a peppercorn lease in 2014) a plot of land to TreeHouse School (operated by the charity Ambitious about Autism (AAA)). Project Saplings, created a safe space for people with autism aged 4 to 25 to learn and practice horticulture and benefit from ecotherapy while managing and enhancing the biodiversity of the plot.
Project of the Year - medium/large scale Award sponsored by
Cormac Solutions Ltd for Cornwall Council
Green Infrastructure For Growth (GI4G)
Public urban spaces within 7 towns have been improved so that they are of greater benefit to people and wildlife. Improvements have included planting wildflower meadows, trees, orchards, pollinator friendly flower beds and pond creation. The target was to enhance 35Ha of public urban spaces, however 40Ha has been realised. The project has provided opportunities for community engagement and education across the towns.
Project of the Year - small scale Award
Redrow Homes
White Lion Nature Reserve
Redrow’s Heritage Park development comprises of 55 high-quality family homes and a popular 0.8 hectare Nature Reserve, maintained by the Amphibian and Reptile Trust with nature and people in mind. The development was shaped by the surrounding natural environment, and carefully landscaped and cultivated to preserve wildlife habitats and enhance biodiversity.
Innovation Award sponsored by
Bournemouth University for Scarborough Borough Council
Runswick Bay Ecological Enhancement & Coastal Defence Scheme
The scheme included the placement of 9,500 tonnes of granite rock armour to protect 250 m of frontage & 113 properties. Collaboration between ecologists, engineers and coastal managers created 70 artificial rock pools in the granite armour stone and a further 20 natural pools were created through informed positioning of boulders.
Biodiversity Legacy Award
Heathrow Airport Ltd
Princes Lakes
The project was implemented via an existing biodiversity management system that Heathrow has invested in over the years. Heathrow Airport created water quality improvement infrastructure on site. The team improved the site for local wildlife creating a large area of ecologically diverse habitats and developed a holistic approach to biodiversity management. This project involved an on-going programme of biodiversity enhancement implemented by a dedicated and qualified team.
Pollinator Award sponsored by
Kier, ATM and Highways England
Turning A Roads into Bee Routes
Species rich grassland creation. Based on targeted sites surveys, detailed habitat connectivity modelling, practicality and value for money, an area of 5.9 hectares of roadside verges were selected and enhanced by the planting of bespoke wildflower seed mixes in along the A38 in Devon. The project aimed to increase habitat connectivity by linking species rich grasslands, sustain and increase pollinator populations and other invertebrates and increase resilience of terrestrial wildlife for the long term.
Construction Phase Award
Siemens Mobility Ltd, Rail Electrification & Network Rail
Sussex Power Supply Upgrade
Siemens was awarded a contract by Network Rail to renew and upgrade an electrical substation at Whyteleafe South in Surrey. The site was surrounded by mature woodland habitat on three sides and the railway on the fourth. The remit involved constructing a heavy access road through the neighbouring environmentally sensitive woodland.
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