This report has been prepared under contract to the Minerals and Nature Conservation Forum. Founded in 1994, the Forum, comprises representatives of aggregate and silica sand producers, through their trade associations, and English Nature. It works to raise awareness and promote action for biodiversity and geodiversity in Englands minerals industry.
This report was commissioned by the Forum in recognition of a need to develop a methodology that could be used to assess the overall impact of aggregate/silica sand extraction in any given area. This product would be useful primarily at a strategic planning level, but also in directing more local decisions on quarry location and restoration schemes.