English Nature and Hanson join forces at Ribblehead

Hanson have handed over their Ribblehead Quarry in the Yorkshire Dales National Park to English Nature to create a nature reserve.

Last year Hanson became the first quarrying company to sign an agreement with English Nature to improve communication and understanding. As part of the deal, Hanson will incorporate agreed conservation objectives within the restoration of their quarries in England.

Andrew Dougal, chief executive of Hanson plc, commented: 'The gift of Ribblehead is one of a number of initiatives which reinforces our determination to treat the environment in a responsible manner. That responsibility has been brought into sharper focus with the publication of our first environment report and the recent acquisition of two further sites in the national park at Giggleswick and Horton-in-Ribblesdale.'

Hanson surrended their right to extract 23 million tonnes of high-quality limestone at Ribblehead in 1998 as part of a package of concessions relating to dormant sites in the national parks. The site was last worked in the 1960s.