Limestone pavement is
an attractive stone that has been used for building and landscaping
for centuries. It comprises a rare and endangered habitat, the safeguarding
of which is accorded priority status under the European Union Habitats
Directive (1992) In the 1980s legal measures were put in place to
protect this landscape in the UK. This led to an almost complete
cessation of the quarrying of limestone pavement in the UK. However,
the stone is still in demand as a rockery and landscaping material.
This market research was undertaken by the Countryside Agency (now known as Natural England), on
behalf of the Limestone Pavement Biodiversity Habitat Action Plan
steering group. Garden centres and stone merchants were surveyed
to ascertain the extent of the sale of water-worn limestone in the
UK including levels of consumer demand. The results indicate that
there is a strong and increasing demand for limestone pavement in
the UK.
Many of the retailers surveyed indicated that they bought their
stone from UK quarries.
Retailers generally had
little knowledge of environmental issues surrounding the exploitation
of limestone pavement. Those that were environmentally aware did
not usually sell water-worn limestone on the basis of this information. |
