Natural England

The wildlife and landscapes in the New Forest National Park will benefit from a pioneering new agreement between Natural England and Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water (BWHW). The two organisations have agreed ways of working together that will protect the local environment by ensuring projects and maintenance are sensitive to the exceptional wildlife and habitats found within the National Park.

The agreement-signing took place in The New Forest on Friday 13 July and was attended by Natural England’s South East Regional Director Alan Law and BWHW’s Technical Director, Roger Harrington. Natural England and BWHW have drawn up ‘best practice’ guidelines with the aim of protecting sensitive habitats, enhancing biodiversity and reducing the time it takes to get permission to carry out vital maintenance in the area. It is hoped that others will follow this example and form similar agreements across England.

The protocol is one of many initiatives that Natural England is working on as part of the South East Rural Pathfinder, which aims to devise smoother ways working with its partners, in order to aid conservation, free up staff time and increase value for money.

Rachel Green, of Natural England in Hampshire, said:
“This model agreement will help utility companies take a new forward-looking and responsible approach to nature conservation within sensitive areas. It enables them to fulfil their statutory duties and protect and enhance wildlife while saving staff time and tax payers’ money.”

The New Forest is a National Park, and has designations as Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and Ramsar site. It is unique for its areas of lowland heath, ancient pasture woodland, mire and the range of species that these habitats support. These areas do not occur in combination on such a large scale anywhere else in Europe. Through this protocol, operations staff and contractors will be trained to better protect vulnerable species and habitats while they carry out their work.

Through their work with BWHW, Natural England has created a model agreement that could be used by other utility companies carrying out work on sensitive sites. The main aspects of the agreement include agreeing methodologies for routine maintenance; setting out expectations and information for emergency procedures and describing how the partners should interact over large schemes.

The protocol has been nominated for the ‘Green Apple’ awards for recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice: the winners will collect their awards at the House of Parliament in November this year.

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Notes to Editors

1. Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings. We increase opportunities to make the natural environment an enriching part of people's everyday lives, and improve its long-term security by contributing to the sustainable management of our natural resources.

2. There are over 4,000 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in England, covering around 7% of the country's land area. SSSIs are the country's very best wildlife and geological sites and they include some of the most spectacular and beautiful habitats. It is essential to preserve the remaining natural heritage for future generations. The New Forest has also been a National Park since April 2006.

3. SSSIs are protected from harm by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. A utility company shall give notice before carrying out, in the excise of their functions, operations likely to damage any of the flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features by which the site was designated for, even if the operations would not take place on land included in the designated site. Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 states: "Every public authority must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity". In addition PPS 9 sets out the National Planning Policy as development “should aim to maintain and enhance, restore and add to biodiversity.”

4. Natura 2000 sites comprise an ecological network of protected areas designated for their important European habitats and species, through the European Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora 92/43/EEC ('Habitats Directive') and the Conservation of Wild Birds79/409/EEC ('Birds Directive'). These are Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs), respectively. The Conservation (Natural Habitats, & c.) Regulations 1994 transpose the Habitats Directive into UK law, and also apply to SPAs. Under Regulation 33 (2) of the 'Habitats Directive', relevant authorities are expected to meet conservation objectives for the Natura 2000 sites through local management plans. The Regulations place a legal obligation on the UK government and its agencies

5. Bournemouth & West Hampshire Water provides water to about half a million people in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and surrounding areas. The company supplies approximately 180,000 households and 15,000 businesses through a system of eight major treatment works and a network of 2,750 kilometres of pipes. It is investing a total of £50 million in capital projects between 2005 and 2010.

6. The Hampshire Rural Pathfinder has been working since October 2004 on a number of initiatives exploring how Government support for countryside issues can be made more effective. For more details contact SARETTE MARTIN Communications Officer (Environment), Hampshire County Council on 01962 870500.

6. The Green Apple Environment Awards 2007, the annual international campaign to recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice around the world. As usual, all of the winners in each category will be presented with handsome Green Apple trophies. All of the winners will be invited to collect their awards at the Houses of Parliament in early November, 2007 The awards are now in their thirteenth year and well established as one of the major environmental recognition schemes, both in the UK and internationally. For more information go to http://www.thegreenorganisation.info/

Issued on behalf of Natural England by the Government News Network South East. For more information please contact Katherine Ellery on 01483 882888 or Katherine.Ellery@gnn.gsi.gov.uk