Environment

Caring for the Environment- It's the Boxley Way.

Boxley’s Natural Resource Management Activities

From land reclamation and conservation to recycling and wildlife habitat planning, one of Boxley’s biggest responsibilities is to effectively protect our natural environment and its resources not only for the long-term viability of our business, but for the communities we serve today and in the future.

While our industry is among the most heavily regulated for environmental functions by federal, state, and local governments, Boxley frequently undertakes projects to promote habitat and environmental enhancement that go well beyond governmental compliance.

We partner with universities and environmental agencies and interest groups to develop wildlife habitats on our properties and to study aspects of our sites such as stream quality and tree growth. We employ professionals with expertise in natural resource management and geology to ensure we are making responsible and effective decisions about our operations at each site that protect the environment.

Our natural resource management activities

Wildlife Habitat

We typically use less than 50% of the acreage we have permitted in our quarry operations to create a significant buffer between our operations and our neighbors. This large buffer is typically used for wildlife habitat.

We conducted baseline habitat inventories and created conceptual plans for habitat enhancement and environmental education at four of our operations. These studies guide our reclamation practices and are used to educate classes from preschool to graduate level on our business, the Earth, and the environment.

Reforestation and Timber Management

Our reforestation initiative isn’t just about planting seedlings, but nurturing healthy forests. Proper timber management is also essential for healthy wildlife habitat, soil conservation, and fire prevention which benefit property owners and their neighbors. To better manage our wooded properties we enlist the assistance of professional foresters to conduct the occasional thinning required to promote growth and reduce insect infestation.

In 2006-07, Boxley planted nearly 50,000 trees on our properties.

Water and Air

Our operations are managed to be protective of the environment. We use air and water monitoring systems at each operation to help ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. We employ a variety of protective systems from washing vehicle wheels to spraying our roads with recycled water to keep dust from our operations to a minimum. We also use special self contained systems to recycle water for production processing and dust control.

Recycling

In 2006, Boxley recyled approximately 400 tons of metal and thousands of gallons of oil as part of its daily operations.