Protecting the natural environment
As we build Britain’s new zero carbon, high-speed railway, we’re striving to leave an overall positive legacy for people, places and nature. There are three key ways we’re working towards this and our commitment of no net loss of biodiversity: conserve, create, compensate.
Conservation of pre-existing habitats and protected species
Having no negative impact on the landscape and wildlife is always our preferred option. But to meet the challenge of decarbonising the UK’s transport system, this means unavoidable disruption to nature in the short-term to build the new infrastructure needed for zero carbon travel.
We have done as much as possible to conserve the natural environment within the design and build of HS2. For example, more than half of the first phase of HS2 is in tunnels and cuttings, preserving important wildlife habitats including Sites of Special Scientific Interest such as Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire. These mitigations to protect the natural environment are setting new standards for other megaprojects to follow.
Our mitigations
Protected animal species
Conserving important and protected wildlife species is as important as safeguarding their habitats. We have carried out extensive surveys to understand how our works will impact these species and implemented mitigations to protect wildlife including bats, birds and amphibians. To date, this includes the installation of over 2,000 bat boxes and 167 barn owl boxes, and the creation of hundreds of ponds for great crested newts.
Ancient woodlands
In line with conservation bodies, we recognise the importance of ancient woodlands and have designed the railway to avoid these habitats wherever possible. Ancient woodlands are areas that have been continuously wooded since at least 1600AD, and have developed complex, irreplaceable ecosystems over hundreds of years.
Creation of a new Green Corridor
We’re creating a new ‘Green Corridor’ running alongside the railway that includes seven million new native trees and shrubs, which is more ambitious than any other single infrastructure project in the UK. We will leave behind over 30% more habitats than what existed before construction started and we will create new habitats stretching over an area equal to 23 Hyde Parks. We’re committed to making these habitats thrive and will be looking after them for decades to come.
Woodland Over 245 football fields of woodland created to date
Hedgerows We're creating bigger, better, more joined up habitats
Ponds Doubling the number of ponds for great crested newts
Badgers New setts created away from the route but within ranges
Owls Working with landowners to install barn owl boxes for nesting
Bats Installing bat boxes for new and alternative roost locations
Compensation for unavoidable losses
Where we cannot avoid the loss of habitats, we are compensating by creating new, bigger, better-connected, wildlife-rich habitats. We’ve already created over 120 new wildlife habitats, stretching over an area equal to 650 football pitches. Creation is just the first step however, as these habitats will all be monitored and managed in the long-term to ensure they reach the condition required to play a part in the wider ecosystem.
Where losses of ancient woodland are expected, a range of compensatory measures are being put in place. We are translocating, or reusing, soils from ancient woodlands and utilising this material to create woodland habitats at new sites. This approach helps us to preserve the special value of soils which have developed over hundreds of years. We will manage and monitor the new locations of these soils for at least 50 years – collecting valuable information to inform the wider understanding of this unique habitat.
Nature recovery
Community based environmental funds
We provide funding for environmental projects in both community and business sectors, known as the Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy (BLEF) Funds. These Funds are provided to benefit communities (CEF) and local economies (BLEF) disrupted by the construction of HS2 with £40 million allocated for the route between London and the West Midlands and £5 million for the route between the West Midlands and Crewe. The funds can support environmental projects.
To date, we have awarded 54 environmental projects, totalling £3.16m through CEF.
HS2 Woodland Fund
In addition to our core compensation measures for woodlands which are delivering hundreds of hectares of new woodland planting, we also provide funds to landowners to restore existing ancient woodlands and to create new native woodlands that connect or extend existing woodlands along the route between the West Midlands and London (£5 million). These funds are available for schemes within 25 miles of the railway and applications are open until summer 2024.
To date, the fund has already created over 135 hectares (equal to 240 football pitches) of new woodland and restored 70 hectares (equal to 120 football pitches) of existing ancient woodlands, amounting to over 350,000 new trees planted.
How we're managing construction impacts on the environment
Air quality
HS2 will cut emissions, improve air quality and support a net-zero carbon economy.
Construction noise and vibration
We take all reasonable steps to minimise effects of sound, noise and vibration.
Water supply and management
Protection of the water environment is one of our fundamental commitments.