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| Wood at Farnley Tyas - Liz Rainer |
Ancient woodland in Yorkshire and
the Humber could be sacrificed to building under proposals which open a new
front in the battle to protect our environment.
Environment Secretary Owen
Paterson has suggested that developers could encroach upon ancient woodland if
that was "offset" by planting new trees elsewhere.
But this is more than about
numbers. Ancient woodland, by definition, has been in existence since at least
1600. New planting could not replicate the rich biodiversity which has grown up
over centuries in places such as Smithy Wood, Sheffield, Bowden Housteads at Handsworth, nor the sites threatened
by HS2, Water Haigh Woodland Park near Leeds and Woodhouse Washlands, near
Sheffield.
Andrew Cooper, lead candidate for
the Green Party in Yorkshire and the Humber at this year's Euro elections said:
"The Government obsession
with HS2 and with woodland selloffs cannot be permitted to destroy nature's
surviving crown jewels. Ministers are working in Brussels to weaken EU
conservation laws; at home, they have slashed the budgets of official
conservation bodies and are now looking for ways to smooth the path for
development, even in special areas.
"The Conservatives have lost
their one-time calling as conservers of our natural and cultural heritage. Here
in Britain we shouldn’t be leaving it to the EU to be the force for good in
nature conservation. It means preserving, not destroying, our remaining ancient
woodlands."
The Government sees biodiversity
offsetting as a means to make the planning system more efficient. The Greens
see ancient woodland as being like a person: it isn't replaceable, it's a
unique organism and old ones contain a depth and complexity that only long
undisturbed stretches of time can create.
ENDS
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