As part of preparations for Britain’s new high speed railway, HS2 Ltd is creating its first new wildlife habitats along the line of route.
Work at the Finham Brook site in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, starts this month and includes the creation of six new ponds as well as new woodlands featuring over 6,200 trees and shrubs. It’s expected to be completed by the end of the year.
However, HS2 has drawn severe criticism from environment and wildlife groups. The Woodland Trust points out the Envrionmental Statement for HS2's Phase 2a (from West Midlands to Crewe) shows that:
- there will be direct loss to 10 ancient, irreplaceable woods, totalling at least 10.5 hectares.
- there will be damage (due to noise, dust, lighting etc.) to a further 4 ancient woods.
- 27 ancient or veteran trees will also be lost.
It claims this is a significant increase, as previous route announcements suggested two ancient woods were to be lost (6.5 hectares). This is on top of the 63 woodlands that will be impacted by Phase 1, and at least another 17 woods along the proposed Phase 2b (East and West) routes.
The new habitats announced by the Government will support local wildlife species ranging from birds to great crested newts. They are part of an unprecedented conservation project, which will see a green corridor of connected wildlife habitats created alongside the railway, including up to 7 million new trees and shrubs, as well as wetland, ponds, heathland and meadow.
Anthony Coumbe, High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd’s Head of Environment for this region said: "The new habitats at Finham Brook will be the first of many to come between London and the West Midlands. They will help us to care for the local environment and serve as a new home to wildlife affected by the future development of the railway.
"At Finham Brook, we’re creating a bigger and better habitat than local species such as great crested newts currently have. We’ll relocate newts to the habitat next year, once it has become properly established, while other wildlife will start to use the area naturally over time.
"Ultimately, we’re aiming to create a railway that works for nature as well as passengers, with a green corridor of connected habitats running through the spine of the country."
Various preparatory works for the first phase of HS2, from London to the West Midlands, are currently underway. These range from nature conservation activity to archaeology investigations. Main construction work is set to start in 2018/19 following detailed design work.
But the Woodland Trust said with the current number of woodlands suffering direct loss or some damage already standing at 94 and likely to rise further as the ancient woodland inventory is updated and more route details are confirmed, it is stepping up its Enough is Enough campaign is fighting to ensure planning laws are changed.
Woodland Trust ecologist Luci Ryan, said: “Ancient woods are irreplaceable, evolving over centuries, yet here we are again facing their destruction to save a few minutes on a train journey.
"Sustainable, green transport should be welcomed, yet this route announcement confirms the likely damage to at least 94 ancient woods - and is only cause for a wake.”
This comes just six months after the Government’s response to the House of Lords High Speed Rail Select Committee report detailed how it will no longer include ancient woodland in its biodiversity offsetting calculations – essentially admitting that HS2 Ltd could never have ensured no net loss of biodiversity, when irreplaceable ancient woodland was being destroyed.
