DFT response to Natural England’s review of HS2 Ltd’s ‘no net loss in biodiversity’ metric: ancient woodland recommendations
Published 9 November 2016
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We thank Natural England for its review of HS2 Ltd’s ‘no net loss in biodiversity’ metric.
The Department for Transport has noted the report and its recommendations and HS2 Ltd will respond in detail to those recommendations shortly. Natural England’s main recommendations cover how ancient woodland losses should be compensated for; including a suggested ratio of new to ancient woodland where new woodland planting is used to compensate for the loss of ancient woodland. However, given the evidential basis is lacking, this part of the report should be seen as a stimulus for debate.
The report notes that HS2 Ltd’s existing commitments in relation to ancient woodland compensation are as much, if not more, than what has ever been done before. HS2 Ltd has looked in the first instance to avoid ancient woodland losses, for example, extending the Chilterns tunnel to avoid 9.2 hectares of ancient woodland. For the ancient woodland that will be lost, HS2 has already committed to planting over 150 hectares of new woodland, in addition to enhancing existing ancient woodlands. However, Natural England proposes that HS2 Ltd should go further in order to compensate for the loss of irreplaceable ancient woodland. In response to this, HS2 Ltd will:
- seek to maximise woodland planting on land bought in relation to HS2 – initial estimates suggest that this will be up to 50 hectares
- establish a £5 million fund to support third party woodland planting projects to provide woodland enhancement beyond what is required under standing advice from Natural England and the Forestry Commission
Recognising that the government’s and HS2’s ambition is that ours will be the first generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state that we found it, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs is developing an approach that will consider how better to mitigate and compensate for unavoidable losses to our natural capital, taking account of the services it provides us, and how best to restore or build-up our environmental assets in response.
In this regard the government will:
- publish its ‘25 year plan for the environment’
- use this engagement to consider how best to compensate for losses to our irreplaceable ancient woodland and other habitats, drawing on this natural capital approach