The Biodiversity Alliance Visits Quarzwerke Frechen
Bright sunshine and many interested guests: Together with the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Alliance for Biodiversity, Quarzwerke demonstrated at its Frechen site how economics and ecology can work together in very concrete ways. Not as a theoretical concept, but in a way that could be seen, heard, and experienced firsthand on site.
The excursion took us about six kilometers deep into the extraction sites—and just as deep into a central question of our time: How can industrial use and nature coexist?
Biodiversity in the midst of ongoing operations
What the participants witnessed was impressive: ponds serving as habitats for amphibians, protected areas for sand martins, and refuges for bats—and all of this not just after mining operations had ended, but while raw materials were still being extracted.
This is precisely where the key difference lies: at Quarzwerke, biodiversity is not an afterthought, but is taken into account from the very beginning. Measures are integrated into planning and operations—as part of our responsibility toward the site and the region.
“Today, you could see, hear, and feel biodiversity,” says host Britta Franzheim, a biologist at Quarzwerke. “Between the flying sand martins, who know exactly where they’re going, and our bat cave, which has been used as a winter roost for years, it becomes clear what biodiversity conservation can mean at an industrial site.”
Nature on a Temporary Basis – and the Desire for Reliable Conditions
A key topic of discussion was the concept of “temporary nature.” Many companies would like to promote biodiversity but are constrained by regulatory limits. When temporary ecological measures lead to permanent restrictions on land use, this creates planning uncertainty.
What is needed here are bold and practical policies that allow nature to thrive without hindering economic development. Networks such as the Alliance for Biodiversity play a particularly important role in this regard: through dialogue among equals, shared learning, and highlighting best practices.
Biodiversity as a mindset
The field trip made it clear: At Quarzwerke, biodiversity is not just a fig leaf or a “nice bonus.” It is a stance. It is responsibility. And it is a clear commitment.
Because biodiversity is the foundation: – for functioning ecosystems
– for
acceptance in the region – and for the sustainability of businesses
Or, as one participant put it: The future takes shape precisely where economics and ecology are understood not as opposites, but as a shared opportunity.
Quarzwerke would like to thank all participants in the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Alliance for Biodiversity for the open dialogue, the insightful questions, and the lively discussions—and looks forward to continuing this journey together.
