(Image: National Grid)
New habitats are set to be created as part of a major energy project in North Yorkshire.
National Grid has appointed Escrick Park Estate, located between York and Selby, to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) as part of the Yorkshire GREEN energy infrastructure scheme.
The partnership will support the launch of the estate’s Skipwith Connected initiative through the purchase of around 300 biodiversity units, with the aim of restoring and enhancing habitats across the landscape.
Mark Hewitt, conservation lead at Escrick Park Estate, said: “We are extremely excited to have partnered with National Grid to deliver the offsite BNG on the project.
“Restoring and reconnecting habitats at a landscape scale around Skipwith Common National Nature Reserve will help protect this precious site for generations to come.
“Escrick Park Estate will connect more than 450 hectares of habitat, while respecting public access and engaging with local communities through education and volunteering.
“We are committed to ensuring that this landscape remains a place for people to connect with nature for generations to come.”
Skipwith Connected is a nature recovery project located about 12 miles from the Yorkshire GREEN scheme.
It aims to create 160 hectares of new habitat, expanding the protected area around Skipwith Common SSSI to more than 420 hectares of species-rich landscape.
Plans include restoring a variety of habitats such as lowland fen, ponds, reedbeds, wet woodland, and heathland.
The work will be secured through a Conservation Covenant requiring at least 30 years of management and monitoring.
Yorkshire GREEN will deliver 10 per cent BNG through a mix of offsite work with Escrick Park and enhancements around Overton and Monk Fryston substations.
Bo Li, senior project manager at National Grid, said: “Yorkshire GREEN shows how essential energy infrastructure can do more than connect clean power, it can drive major investment in nature recovery, restoring connected habitats and securing lasting benefits for biodiversity and local communities.
“Through our partnership with Escrick Park Estate, we are helping to restore connected habitats at scale and secure long-term biodiversity benefits alongside this critical network upgrade.”
Measures planned as part of the project include strengthening hedgerows with native species, planting trees and wildflower meadows on former agricultural land, and creating new aquatic habitats.
The project will also protect existing trees and hedgerows through designated root protection zones and replace any unavoidable canopy loss.
Escrick Park will engage the public through education and volunteering as part of the scheme.
Skipwith Common remains one of the last examples of northern lowland heath in the Vale of York, with 97 per cent lost over the past 250 years.
For more information about Yorkshire GREEN, visit National Grid’s project website.