Lessons from the Green Transport Corridors Project

1. Lessons from the Green Transport Corridors Project Dr Nick White– Senior Advisor – Net Gain & Green Infrastructure

2. Green Transport Corridors Project • Background to GTCP • GTCP – Phase 1 • GTCP – Phase 2 • Project Outcomes • Legacy

3. Transport Corridors & Wildlife?

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6. Where are the Biodiversity Features in this Landscape?

7. Transport Networks & Lawton? More, Bigger, Better and Joined-Up

8. An Over-Looked Opportunity? Highways England + Network Rail Estate in England • Estimated 200,000 ha • 700 species • 87 s41 (most threatened) species • Network Rail = 200 SSSIs • Highways England = 20m trees

9. An Operational Challenge

10. GTCP - Intro 2011 Natural Environment White Paper Commitment 32 ‘The Government will work with its transport agencies and key delivery partners to contribute to the creation of coherent and resilient ecological networks …’ • Tested in 2 Nature Improvement Areas (NIAs) • North Lancashire & South Cumbria • South Yorkshire & Humberside

11. Phase 1: 2012-Dec 2014 Key Aims 1) EU Literature review focussed on ecology and ecosystems services as well as transport resilience. 2) Identify potential land management options 3) Undertake a Multi-Criteria Analysis of these land management options to identify preferred approaches 4) Develop opportunity maps for the two NIAs, informed by ecological connectivity, ecosystem service provision and network resilience

12. Partnership Project Humberhead Levels NIA Partnership Morecambe Bay Limestones & Wetlands NIA Partnership

13. Literature Review Key Findings Biodiversity & Connectivity • Transport networks can provide connectivity for less sensitive species that are resilient to transport impacts but can pose risks for the more sensitive species. • Surrounding habitats can significantly influence the biodiversity value of the soft estate.    • Out of all species groups, the literature most strongly supports the use of verges for pollinators. 

14. Key Findings Cont’d Ecosystem Services & Infrastructure Resilience • Transport soft estate management can: • help to mitigate transport impacts on communities and the wider natural environment. • assist in the operations of the transport network itself and increase it’s resilience to climate change • The benefits and challenges vary across the range of ecosystems services. 

17. Phase 1 Opportunity Maps Datasets • NIA boundaries (NE) • Road and rail infrastructure (OS open data) • Ecological designations including SACs, SPAs, Ramsar, SSSIs and NNRs (NE) • Priority habitats and ancient woodland sites • Flood warning areas (EA) • Water Framework Directive river ecological status (EA) • Higher Level Stewardship boundaries and options (NE): • Ecosystem services potential using Land Cover Map 2007 (CEH) • Highways Agency EnvIS data (HA) • Network Rail leaf fall tree survey data (NR)

18. Draft Opportunity Maps • Identified all priority habitats and ecosystem services habitats within 200m buffer • Each 100m section of road or track was scored according to whether priority habitat, designated site or ecosystem services habitat fell within the 200m buffer. • Total scores are then calculated for biodiversity (0-8), ecosystem services (0-4), network resilience (0-1) and the grand total (0-13) for each 100m stretch of line. • The higher the score the more significant the opportunity for managing the soft estate management in a way that connects with and enhances nearby habitats/ecosystem services or increases infrastructure resilience. • Highest ranked 100m sections chosen as opportunity areas

19. Draft Opportunity Maps x 2 Maps per NIA – Network Rail + Highways England

20. Estate Management Options

21. Opportunity Map Testing NIA workshops – conservation organisation reps Highway + Rail webinars - Engineers + contractors

22. GTCP Phase 2: 2015 - 2017 2 p/t Project Officers + Steering Group

24. Phase 2 Cont’d Aims • Survey & trial management in opportunity areas in each NIA to ground-truth opportunity map information • Shape & refine decision-making and management tools for transport soft estate staff • Inform roll-out of the approach across the wider transport soft estate network

25. Cumbria A590 Example • Over five years enhance and restore 13.5ha of roadside vegetation • Enhanced connectivity to 400ha of SSSI on Foulshaw and Meathop Mosses and 1200ha on Whitbarrow and Nichols Moss. • Create or restore species rich grassland/pollinator habitat • Restructure trees and woodlands • Plant new hedgerows • Create reptile hibernacula

26. Humberside M180 Example 10km Pollinator Corridor

27. Project Specific Successes • Investment of £72k leveraged £1.8m capital investment in environmental outcomes • Potential for transport network to enhance ecological connectivity • Forecast biodiversity unit uplifts (e.g. A590 = 123% increase) • Demonstrated win-wins between biodiversity and transport resilience • Value of partnership and collaboration • First ever use of volunteers on transport estate • Won industry awards + BBC Gardeners Question Time • Early trial of an Ecometric approach ‘We do like working on the roadside, as every time we pass the site we can see what an improvement we have made.’ BCT Volunteer

28. Project Specific Learning • It takes time to establish effective partnership working • Involve estate maintenance contractors from the outset • Organisational structures and cultures are complex • Health & safety concerns and limitations • Access to the soft estate can be costly and is easiest from the rear • Landscape-scale delivery is a challenge • Rural vs Urban – did not have an opportunity to test in urban areas • Access to infrastructure resilience data • Link to existing maintenance cycles • Challenges of securing maintenance vs capital funding • Policy drivers are still useful

29. Linear Infrastructure Network

31. Roads Investment Strategy RIS 1 2015-2020 • £300m Environmental Designated Fund (£30m specifically for biodiversity) RIS 2 2020-2025 • Continued capital investment in the environment

32. Green Bridges

33. Net Gain Biodiversity Net Gain • Testing, application and learning from use of (2012) Defra Biodiversity Metric Natural Capital Net Gain • Early testing of biodiversity-led Ecometric approach

34. Thank You Nick.White@Naturalengland.org.uk