The increasing spread of excellent earthworks in the Waikato region has been recognised at an awards ceremony today by the regional council with a series of new special awards for great practices.

Poor earthworks practices can result in erosion, damage to productive land and contamination of waterways.

As part of its work with the earthworks industry to ensure environmentally friendly practices, the council has in recent years handed out annual awards for the best sites.

But council chairperson Paula Southgate, who attended the ceremony, said standards had been rising so much that the council introduced the new “special recognition” awards.

“It’s great to see such strong buy in from the industry to lifting their performance bar. The council really appreciates the efforts being made.

“So we’re not only recognising those companies that strive to achieve great results on larger projects. We’re also highlighting those companies that are consistently striving to achieve great outcomes generally.”

The special recognition award winners include Schick Construction and Cartage, Transfield Services Limited and Sam Pemberton Civil Limited. These companies have consistently strived to improve compliance with rules, have great communication with the council and are continually training up staff in erosion and sediment controls. Fulton Hogan Limited also gained special recognition for the works they put into environmental monitoring on a roadside job that identified a new mudfish habitat.

The best medium-sized site is Cambridge Construction Company Limited for a very well managed site at the intersection of state highways 2 and 25, and a consistent approach on all their works sites.  Downer Construction Limited (at the Kiwirail site in Taupiri) and Transfield Services Limited (for their exceptional approach to their works along the Waikato River constructing the Te Awa walkway in Ngaruawahia) were also recognised.

The best large site award went jointly to Fletcher Construction Company Limited and HEB Construction Limited for their exceptional works on the Rangiriri and Cambridge sections of the Waikato Expressway.

Three forestry sites have also been recognised this year, showing an improved awareness in erosion and stabilization in this sector. They include Wood Marketing Services Limited, Hancock Forest Management and Ernslaw One. The latter operation took out the main award for contributing a large amount of labour and resource over the past five years into research and development of fertiliser and grass seed blends, and work methods, to stabilise and maintain ground cover on nutrient-limited soils in the Whangapoua Forest.