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Title: High Impact On Yorkshire’s Natural Heritage Subtitle: HS2 Route Author: Yorkshire Wildlife Trust  ID & Publication: 20130211015 ~ The-Villager.co.uk  Area: Yorkshire  Subject: Environment

Following the Government’s announcement of its preferred route for the second phase of High Speed Rail 2, The Wildlife Trusts’ initial analysis shows that more than 200 important wildlife sites lie within a one kilometre corridor centered on the proposed route and could suffer as a result. Of these, at least 65 are at direct risk of impact from the line itself.

Among the special wild places that stand to be affected, several have high-level statutory protection including a National Nature Reserve and numerous nationally and internationally important sites. Ten Wildlife Trust reserves are amongst the areas that could be badly affected.

Dr Rob Stoneman, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said:

‘Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is committed to sustainable development and is extremely concerned that, if poorly planned and designed, HS2 could create a very expensive swathe of concrete and steel through the beautiful countryside of Yorkshire, fragmenting our diminishing wildlife yet further.

The proposed route slices through the middle of one of our nature reserves that we manage in partnership with Leeds City Council and we are very concerned about damage to our reserves and other wildlife sites along the route, especially in South Sheffield at Woodhouse Washlands Nature Reserve, through the Southern Washlands near Wakefield and in the Lower Aire Valley, Leeds. We are therefore very keen to work with HS2 to ensure the new railway enhances rather than destroys wildlife. It is essential that HS2 mitigates against any unavoidable damage and also designs in wildlife.

We would like to see a very small part of the massive HS2 budget put aside to improve wildlife habitats around the line so that HS2 allows both people and wildlife to move through Yorkshire.’

The Wildlife Trusts will campaign to ensure excessive damage on the natural environment is avoided.

The Wildlife Trusts are pressing HS2 Ltd to make decisions based on the best available environmental evidence and to put forward a scheme which is in line with the Natural Environment White Paper’s ambition to restore our natural environment.

Stephanie Hilborne OBE, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said:

‘The Government is committed to continuing HS2 northwards whilst still awaiting the outcome of five Judicial Reviews being held into HS2 Phase One. Any scheme that goes ahead must avoid further erosion of England’s much depleted natural capital. This scheme is being driven forward in the name of progress, but what kind of progress is it that goes backwards on the protection and restoration of the natural environment on which we all depend?’

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