The nuclear industry is often thought of as being all about generating energy and dealing with the waste that results. But in countries with a legacy of nuclear research it's also about restoring industrial land to benefit local people and the environment.
Dounreay in Scotland is one of the sites leading the process of restoration for the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Quintessa has been supporting various restoration projects at the nuclear site for more than a decade. During work to understand the geology at Dounreay one of our associates helped to draw attention to colonies of the delicate Scottish Primrose in the low cliffs that border the site. As reported in an article in the Press and Journal, Dounreay has been working hard to protect this rare flower and its natural habitat. Along with other work Dounreay has done to encourage wildlife, it's a small but important reminder of a key aim of nuclear decommissioning.