Confusion over 'ancient woodland' in HS2 route

May 2 2012 by Lawrence Poole, Buckinghamshire Advertiser

ANTI-HS2 campaigners have been left bemused after a letter from the transport secretary suggested 'preserving' ancient woodland in the path of the route by moving it to another site.

In a letter sent by Justine Greening to Chesham and Amersham MP Cheryl Gillan she set out her intentions to protect the precious land in the Chilterns by 'transplanting it to an adjacent site'.

Protesters have hit back dismissing the possibility of doing this.

Ms Greening has not confirmed the exact woodland she is talking about, but Sibley's Coppice in South Heath and Mantles Wood near Little Missenden would be at risk if the £33bn rail link does go ahead.

CCB spokesperson Claire Forrest said: "The Government haven't confirmed the specific woodland, but Sibley's Coppice is going to destroyed by the green tunnel cutting through there and Mantles Wood is going to be badly hit by the bore tunnel.

"There's absolutely no way they can be moved - I don't understand why they are even considering it."

HS2 Action Alliance director Hilary Wharf said: "It's absurd, it's just another example of the Government trying to defend the indefensible.

"It's not possible to do this, I'm not an expert in ancient woodland, but the experts tell me that to consider this is ridiculous - it's like when they said they'd plant two millions trees.

"That's all well and good, but it's not going to replace all the hedges and thickets we are going to lose because of this line."

The current policy document from the Woodland Trust states 'the very act of disturbing such a complex ecosystem will compromise its biodiversity and thus its stability. The idea that such a intricate delicate habitat can be moved from one place to another in working order and that all of the thousands of interactions between plants and animals can resume as if nothing had happened is simplistic at best and arrogant at worst'.

HS2 Ltd have confirmed Ms Greening's comments were about ancient woodland in general and no specific woodland in the Chilterns has been identified.

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