Positive Biodiversity by 2030 – Winstone Aggregates, the first quarrying company in Australasia to commit to a Positive Biodiversity Programme
Winstone Aggregates is committed to kaitiakitanga – being excellent custodians of the planet – both now and for generations to come. As a leader in sustainability, over the past few years it has rehabilitated 110ha of land, planting approx. 115,000 trees per year, translocated wildlife to new habitats, has more than 100ha under active pest control, and reduced its carbon emissions by 19%. The company has bold ambitions to keep building on the work it has already doing to rehabilitate the environments and ecosystems it works in, which is why it has launched a Positive Biodiversity Programme. This involves supporting local people and communities, and constantly resetting the standard for sustainability that others will aspire to.
Its goal is to impact the environment in a positive manner, through restoring its existing forest ecosystems around Aotearoa. To do this it has developed a framework with the company Nature Positive, that is consistent with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Biodiversity Indicator and Reporting System (BIRS). It’s also working with Mana Whenua to weave in Mātauranga Māori frameworks, which will further strengthen the strategy. This will enable the company to reach positive biodiversity by 2030.
Winstone Aggregates will undertake 270ha of voluntary, long term pest control and develop four biodiversity management plans at its Otaika, Whitehall, Hunua and Belmont quarries. These management plans will set out the baseline and detail how biodiversity values will be enhanced, tracked and managed. Alongside this, it will be funding initiatives to help support the recovery of the Yellow Crowned Kākāriki, a beautiful parrot that has been declining at an alarming rate across Aotearoa.