I have written about the ecological tragedy that is Trump's US-Mexico border wall (read my article here), and like many of us, I hope the election results on 3rd November will bring good news and relief for borderland wildlife and ecosystems (read about Biden's plans here). But yet another ambitious construction project is threatening biodiversity, this one much closer to home. HS2, the high speed train line which will connect London to the Midlands, the North, and up to Scotland will have similar destructive effects on wildlife as the US border wall. Ironically, the planned low carbon transport network will destroy the very ecosystems which provide natural solutions to our warming climate. The UK Wildlife Trusts, the National Trust, and the RSPB have called on the government to rethink the project and its cost to some of Britain's most precious habitats and wildlife.
HS2 has been branded as the UK's solution for more sustainable, low carbon transport. A journey on HS2 will emit seventeen times less carbon than the equivalent domestic flight, and seven times less than the equivalent car journey. At first glance, it's the perfect answer to our ever-increasing carbon footprint, connecting 30 million people in 10 of the largest cities in the country. Formal construction of 'Phase One' linking London to Birmingham has begun in the city centre stations, with the service projected to be running by 2033. 130 million tonnes of earth will be excavated from a total of 200 construction sites before HS2 is completed, but the benefits arguably outweigh the damage by providing a long-term solution for green travel.
According to the website, "HS2 is protecting and enhancing woodlands, habitats and wildlife" by planting 7 million trees and shrubs along the Phase One railway. This so-called Green Corridor aims to replace the habitats cleared for construction, while some species directly endangered by the project will be translocated to them. All of this sounds grand, but a closer look at the budget and some ecological insight reveal major flaws.
Indeed, a report by the Wildlife Trusts found that the number of wildlife sites affected by the train line is far from "only a few" outlined in the HS2 launch document. While HS2 found "no net loss of biodiversity" along its tracks, wildlife organisations have pointed out that it will cut through habitats qualified by Natural England as irreplaceable. Amongst these habitats are 108 ancient woodlands (continuously wooded since at least 1600), wood pastures and old meadows teeming with rare birds and bats. With only 308,000 hectares of ancient woodland left in Britain, clearing the last scraps sets a precedent for developers. We might find our land devoid of ancient trees and the species that depend on them for survival before we know it. Not only are these habitats national treasures in themselves, they are also protected by UK law and in some cases by international law.
The Woodland Trust has identified 63 ancient woodlands impacted directly and/or indirectly by HS2 Phase One.
The Wildlife Trusts have warned that HS2 will bisect 33 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs; the designation highlights an area’s special interest by virtue of its fauna and/or flora and/or geological features), 5 internationally protected wildlife sites and no less than 693 local wildlife sites. It will also cut through 4 Nature Improvement Areas, the preservation of which the British public have payed £1.7 million for. HS2's own figures are 14 SSSIs, 62 ancient woodlands, and 204 local wildlife sites – not taking into account the 500m belt either side of the line where wildlife will suffer noise pollution and infrastructural damage. As with Trump’s border wall, the HS2 line will create a physical barrier preventing the movement of birds, mammals and insects. Most at risk are low flying bats and barn owls, and we may see local extinction of species such as the dingy skipper butterfly (pictured below).
With all this in mind, the promised Green Corridor solution hardly seems adequate to the scale of loss. Translocating endangered species to newly created habitats will not remedy the fragmentation of long-established ecosystems, and the mere proposition underlines a lack of ecological understanding. It is also noteworthy that the proportion of HS2 budget allocated to woodland creation and restoration is a tiny 0.007% (£7 million) of the £106 billion total. "HS2 say they are only taking a fragment of ancient woodland,” says Luci Ryan from the Woodland Trust. "If I went into the National Gallery and cut off the corner of every painting, I would be accused of gross cultural vandalism." With so few ancient wildlife areas still intact, it is crucial that we protect those that remain like we would other national treasures. Wildlife organisations are urging the government to retrace the path of HS2 to preserve veteran trees and rare habitats supporting the UK’s dwindling biodiversity.
