The Mineral Products Association (MPA) and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT) have re-affirmed their commitment to work together through renewing their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU, originally signed at the end of 2012. 

The MoU aims to ensure the good work of both organisations continues and develops, including facilitating access to quarry sites for monitoring, advising and educating quarry staff on measures that help bees, including creation of suitable habitat and training quarry staff to recognise and survey their sites for bees. 

Nigel Jackson, Chief Executive MPA, said: “I’m delighted with our work together to date and look forward to continuing this into the future. Bees are under threat and we want to do what we can to support them and the vital role they play in maintaining ecosystems services. Active and restored industry sites can provide homes for bees and, as an industry, we are keen to use our unique position as managers and restorers of land to help contribute to biodiversity enhancement. We have a long legacy of high quality restoration and we look forward to productive collaboration with the BBCT.”

Gill Perkins, Conservation Manager BBCT, said, “Bumblebees are a crucial part of the UK's ecosystem and our natural heritage so it's alarming to see how numbers have been declining in recent years.

“The partnership with MPA means we will be able to continue our work with quarries, ensuring that the UK's bumblebees have the habitat they need in order to survive. By working with MPA members to increase the availability of habitat for bumblebees, BBCT hopes to begin a reversal in the recent fortunes of these important insects.”