More and more people are concerned about the extinction of species. Public pressure is also increasing on raw materials companies, as they are changing ecosystems by mining or extracting building materials such as sand and gypsum. However, extraction sites - which exist throughout Germany - can create important new habitats for rare species in particular. In order to better develop these potential habitats, researchers have developed a concept for holistic biodiversity management in dialogue with the building materials industry. With funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the project "Holistic Biodiversity Management in the Building Materials Industry" (GiBBS) created a handbookIt supports raw materials companies in planning, implementing and evaluating species protection measures.
There is still a high demand for building materials in Germany. For a more sustainable construction industry, it is crucial to fully utilise the potential of recycling, renewable raw materials and efficient construction techniques. Another cornerstone is biodiversity management in extraction sites, because: Even in the future, we cannot completely do without primary raw materials.
Valuable habitats for hundreds of species
"When extracting sand, gravel, limestone or gypsum, companies encroach on the landscape. Something is always lost in the process, but it can still be a gain for biodiversity: New, barren habitats are created that are essential for the survival of so-called pioneer species," says Prof Dr Christoph Scherber, Deputy Director General of the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB) in Bonn.
Species such as the little ringed plover and the blue-winged grasshopper live in these pioneer habitats. Ponds form in excavation holes where natterjack and green toads spawn. Birds such as sand martins nest in quarry edges. Suitable habitats for such species are becoming increasingly rare in Germany. For this reason, the building materials industry can play an important role in their protection.
Researchers from the LIB and the University of Münster have analysed the diversity of species in twelve different extraction sites. Their findings: they were able to document more than 1,200 species of plants, birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles at the participating sites.
Promoting biodiversity instead of preventing it
"Some companies are already very committed and are actively creating habitats for rare species. Others, on the other hand, are reluctant to do so because they fear that it could jeopardise their operations or cause conflicts with nature conservation authorities. In some cases, they therefore try to prevent endangered species from becoming established," explains Anneli Heinrich. She is an industrial engineer and led the GiBBS project at the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW). "We brought companies, industry and nature conservation organisations and nature conservation authorities together to find constructive solutions. At the same time, the IÖW researched the obstacles and strategies that work in seven companies."
The team developed practicable solutions to enable companies of all sizes to promote biodiversity during ongoing operations. This involves voluntary measures with which companies can position themselves as responsible players - in the eyes of the public, nature conservation authorities and business partners.
A task for the entire company
The GiBBS handbook takes all levels of the company into account - from management to excavator operators. "The construction materials industry has been committed to protecting species at extraction sites for many years. What's new is that the handbook offers concrete advice and tips on how biodiversity-promoting measures can be integrated into company processes in an efficient and cost-oriented manner," emphasises Ivonne Arenz from the Federal Association of Mineral Raw Materials (MIRO).
In concrete terms, this means that the protection and promotion of biodiversity should become part of the corporate strategy. Both the international corporation and the small family business can clearly formulate what they want to achieve for species conservation. The focus should be on the company's own land, so that external compensation only plays a minor role. The handbook suggests committees and formats for coordinating activities at company and site level.
"Measures to protect biodiversity do not have to restrict active operations and do not necessarily have to be expensive," adds economist Patrick Schöpflin from the IÖW. "The important thing is to preserve or create as many different relevant habitats as
Monitoring: long-term observation of rare species
Reliable information on the occurrence of animal and plant species is only possible through regular monitoring. "For cost-benefit-efficient implementation, the handbook helps to select suitable target species and recording methods so that the results are meaningful and the effort is still limited," says Katharina Schwesig from the Institute of Landscape Ecology at the University of Münster. The presence of natterjack and green toads, for example, can be efficiently detected using DNA analyses of water samples, while traditional on-site surveys are still the most reliable method for dragonflies.
"In addition to our own specialist staff and external service providers, committed citizens can also support monitoring," adds Elena Kortmann, Species Conservation Coordinator at NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union Germany). A total of 30 volunteers took part in the GiBBS project. NABU coordinated the assignments and developed an e-learning courseto increase the species knowledge of volunteers and enable them to participate in such citizen science projects at extraction sites. "It's a great opportunity for nature enthusiasts to experience rare species in special habitats and learn more about them. In return, companies can demonstrate their commitment to biodiversity."
About the project
The project "Holistic biodiversity management in the building materials industry (GiBBS)" developed a concept for species conservation in small, medium-sized and large raw materials companies. The Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW), the Institute for Landscape Ecology at the University of Münster, the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB) and NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union Germany) e.V. were involved as practice partners: the Federal Association of Building Materials - Stones and Soils e.V. (bbs), the Federal Association of Mineral Raw Materials e.V. (MIRO) and the Federal Association of the Gypsum Industry e.V. as well as seven companies in the industry. Other companies, nature conservation authorities and environmental associations also took part in dialogue events. The project was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the Research Initiative for the Conservation of Biodiversity (FEdA) and the Social-Ecological Research (SÖF) funding programme.
Specialist contacts
Patrick Schöpflin
Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW)
Tel.: 030 884 594 20
patrick.schoepflin@ioew.de
Prof. Dr Christoph Scherber
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB)
Tel.: 0228 9122 450
c.scherber@leibniz-lib.de
Katharina Schwesig
Institute for Landscape Ecology / University of Münster
Tel.: 0251 83332128
katharina.schwesig@uni-muenster.de
Elena Kortmann
NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland) e.V.
Tel.: 0152 26372156
elena.kortmann@nabu.de
Press contact:
Richard Harnisch
Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW)
Tel.: 030 - 884 594-16
kommunikation@ioew.de
More information:
Contact person
Prof. Dr. Christoph Scherber
- Head of Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring (zbm)
Phone: +49 228 9122 450
E-Mail: c.scherber@leibniz-lib.de