Government defines areas excluded from fracking - and doesn't include ancient woodland
Areas to be excluded from underground fracking activities have been set out by the Government today, through draft regulations that define the protected areas in which fracking will be prohibited.
With this, the Government has, yet again, ignored the need to better protect ancient woodland by refusing to name it as part of ‘protected areas’ where fracking will not be allowed to take place.
Beccy Speight, Woodland Trust CEO, responded:
“Our database is swollen with information relating to 600 ancient woods currently threatened by planning applications, so it’s clear existing planning legislation is just not sufficient to protect this rare and irreplaceable habitat.
Drilling and exploratory test wells for fracking, along with the associated infrastructure that may be needed to access and transport shale gas and oil would all cause irreparable damage to ancient woodland if allowed to take place there.
This must be addressed if the Government is to ensure protection for ancient woodland in line with its own previously stated intentions.”
Read more about our latest campaigns and other threats to ancient woodland.
