STB Materiaux

Objective

Saving and creating new biotopes for the conservation of rare species of flora growing on sandy soils and rare Hymenoptera using silt and sand berms as reproduction substrates.

Context

STB MATERIAUX is authorised to extract sand and to backfill the quarry excavation with chemically inert materials, and then densely reforest. This site is about 180,000 m² wide. The exploitation works have created sandy and silty substrates (berms) favourable to the reproduction of rare Hymenoptera.

Actions

Creation of new similar areas for the spreading of species on the rehabilitated areas To adapt the rehabilitation works (slopes of the benches and berms, properties of sand, no vegetation on the slope, etc.) to the nesting preferences of the Hymenoptera.

Topographic modeling works, the abandonment of a portion of mineable sand, the use of sand for land recovering and the acquiring of scientific data concerning the implementation of new Hymenoptera onto the newly created sandy substrates.

Result

Conservation of the habitats of the local and rare species found on the site.

Preservation of exploitation entities (berms, slopes, benches, etc.).

The new plan will allow to organise rehabilitation works in order to guide the public nearby but not within nidification zones.

Information panels will warn the public about the interest of this type of natural site and about the ecology of hymenopteran present on the site.

Partners

Espaces Naturels Sensibles du Département du Nord, Nord Department, the Entomological Society of North of France, School teachers of Hamel city, La Gorge Bleue, the local representation of the Movement for the environment (Sensée), the local hunting society and Nicolas Vereecken from the ULB.