Back to nature

DOOM-mongers have long pointed to disused quarries as a symbol of Britain's industrial decline. Now they have a reason to cheer up, however, as the pits could become an emblem of the nation's economic re-birth.

By The Newsroom

Published 11th Apr 2010, 22:35 BST

With Britain in the awkward position of having thousands of acres of old quarries on its hands, and not knowing what to do with them, the RSPB's suggestion that they be turned into nature reserves should be considered.

As developers put pressure on our remaining green space, re-using land for environmentally friendly initiatives will become more and more common. The RSPB believes there are nearly 56,000 suitable hectares of active mineral sites in England alone and restoring some of these places to provide a home for threatened species would be one of the best ways of getting value from them.

To make it happen, however, Ministers need to cut the amount of red tape which threatens to strangle conservationists, while local authorities need to show some imagination. It's time to get back to nature.