Policy paper

HS2 Ancient Woodland Reports

How HS2 will compensate and mitigate the loss of ancient woodland habitat where it cannot be reasonably avoided as a result of essential works.

Documents

HS2 Phase One Ancient Woodland Strategy

Ancient Woodland Summary Report (November 2024)

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Ancient Woodland Summary Report (November 2023)

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Ancient Woodland Summary Report (November 2022)

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

Our Ancient Woodland Strategies for HS2 (available for Phases One, 2a and 2b Western Leg) provides an area based comparison between the losses of ancient woodland habitat that will occur as a consequence of the scheme and the associated package of compensation measures to be provided in response to those losses that cannot be reasonably avoided.

Our Ancient Woodland Summary Reports provide information on how HS2 has reduced impacts to ancient woodlands on Phase One since the publication of the Environment Statement and Ancient Woodland Strategy in 2017.

Ancient woodland is an irreplaceable resource. Where effects on ancient woodland cannot be reasonably avoided then HS2 Ltd has committed to provide a range of compensation measures in response to these losses.

During detailed design and construction, efforts will continue to be made to seek to avoid or further reduce the impacts of the scheme. As a consequence the ancient woodland losses currently reported should be considered a worst case figure which may be improved upon during the detailed design of the scheme.

In England, ancient woodlands are areas that have been continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD.

Updates to this page

Published 5 December 2017
Last updated 15 November 2024 + show all updates
  1. Ancient Woodland Summary Report (November 2024) - file attachment created

  2. Added Ancient Woodland Summary Report (November 2023)

  3. Added Ancient Woodland Summary Report (November 2022)

  4. First published.

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