Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR)

Lessons Learnt from Biodiversity Offsetting
for a Large Infrastructure Project in Scotland
Aberdeen Western
Peripheral Route (AWPR)
Dr Peter Gilchrist CIEEM C Env
peter.gilchrist@jacobs.com
This presentation will use the AWPR /B-T as a
case study for the process of developing a
biodiversity offsetting strategy and
implementation for a project and conclude with
lessons learned from the project.
• The Aberdeen Western Peripheral
Route is a 46 km dual carriageway
new road and Balmedie – Tipperty is
a 9 km upgrade from single to dual
carriageway
• As part of the AWPR’s consenting
process under the Road Scotland Act
1984 (as amended) an EIA was
undertaken which identified the
potential for significant negative
residual effects on biodiversity from
the project
Principles and Objectives
A Scheme Mitigation Vision Statement was
developed which acknowledged the need for
larger-scale mitigation in recognition of the
potential regional context of some adverse
impacts.
Key stakeholders signed up to the vision
statement including statutory environmental
protection bodies.
Offset Mitigation development
• Vision Statement gave the framework for the
Scheme’s offset mitigation strategy to fulfil the
Scheme’s objectives and to augment the mitigation
set out in the AWPR Environmental Statement.
Offset Mitigation development
The Vision Statement had specific objectives to
identify:
•
potential additional measures which could
further ameliorate direct impacts of the
scheme; or
•
the opportunities that existed to enhance
the environmental value of the wider area
to meet the scheme objectives.
Strategic Approach
The initiative also acknowledges and
addresses the wider-area impacts for which
a more strategic ‘offset’ mitigation approach
may be particularly effective.
Principles and Objectives
The principles and
objectives for mitigation
have been developed in
discussion with
stakeholders:
• SNH
• SEPA
• Transport Scotland
• Aberdeenshire Council
• Aberdeen City Council.
Residual Impacts
Residual impacts from the
Scheme were identified:
• Environmental statement
(Jacobs 2007)
• Cumbria University red
squirrel extinction analysis
• Forest Research landscape
connectivity research
Focus Areas
Project selection was guided by mitigation objectives
focussing on:
• Water vole (loss of habitat and connectivity)
• Red squirrel (loss of habitat and connectivity)
• Habitat loss and fragmentation
• Watercourses (particularly the loss of geomorphological
diversity)
• Non-motorised user (NMU) access
• FWAG were commissioned by Jacobs to
identify projects in the Aberdeen region that
could fulfil the objectives
• More than 90 projects identified.
Project Selection
• A Workshop was held in May 2007 more
than 90 projects from various stakeholders
were evaluated
• 35 projects selected as potentially suitable
for achieving the offset mitigation
objectives
• After further evaluation identified 8
projects as being the most suitable for
providing the offset mitigation
The Offset Mitigation Projects
Name of Project
Mitigation Purpose
Water Vole
NE Scotland LBAP Community Based Water Vole
Conservation
Aberdeen Red Squirrel Conservation
Red Squirrel

Habitat Loss


Water-courses



Craibstone Woodlands and Four Hills Walks
Forestry Commission for Scotland Grey Squirrel
Control


Red Moss of Netherley Nature Reserve


River Dee Invasive Plant Control and Habitat Creation


River Don Invasive Plant Control


Non-Motorised User Access Development
NMU Access

Contractual Obligations
Contractually obliged as part of the funding
agreement to:
• Deliver Mitigation Objectives
• Provide Evidence of Delivery
Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation information to be
provided to enable monitoring of the success
of the projects in delivering the Offset
Mitigation Benefits.
Monitoring and Evaluation
• Watching Brief on behalf of AWPR Project
Partners (Jacobs)
• Site Visits to suit – early visit during
mobilisation
• Evidence of success (survey results, reports
etc.)
NE Scotland LBAP Community Based
Water Vole Conservation Project
WP1: Maintain network of mink detection raft by
volunteers in the lower reaches of the river
catchments to detect and remove recolonising
mink.
WP2: to enhance the environmental value and
accelerating the recovery of water voles through
targeted translocation
Aberdeen Red Squirrel Project
Project outcomes/objectives
• Part of the larger Saving Scotland’s Red
Squirrel Project in partnership with
Forestry Commission Scotland
• Control of grey squirrel colonisation near
AWPR corridor
• Elimination of grey squirrels in these
woodlands and the whole of NE Scotland.
• Monitoring of red and grey squirrels
• Community involvement with trap loans
and squirrel monitoring
Red Moss of Netherley Wildlife
Reserve Project
Scottish Wildlife Trust
• To improve and increase
peat bog habitat
• To improve watercourses
habitat
• To provide suitable
habitat for water voles
• To return designated
feature of the SSSI to a
minimum of “Favourable
Recovering” as
designated by SNH
Lower Dee invasive plant
control
AIM: eradicate invasive plant species from
the banks of the lower River Dee over the
next three years
• Establish volunteer network
• Training (ID and pesticides)
• Control programme
• Monitoring (delivery and impact)
• Habitat restoration
• Raising awareness
• Promotion of project and achievements
River Don Invasive Plant Control
River Don Trust and Don DSFB
• Enhance the value and
connectivity of
environment of the River
Don catchment by
promoting the
rehabilitation of in stream
and riparian habitats.
NMU Access Development Projects Aberdeen
City Council & Scottish Agricultural College
(SAC)
Provide safe access to pedestrians and
cyclists around AWPR proposed route
corridors and address Non-motorised
user (NMU) fragmentation
Lessons learned
• Buy in to the approach from the client and
project team is essential to the success of a
biodiversity offsetting strategy
• Statutory bodies and stakeholders need to be
consulted and are part of the process in
developing the biodiversity offsetting strategy
• Using independent and objective research to
identify both key residual impacts and projects
gives credibility to the strategy
• When supporting the consent process it is a
useful tool as it gives confidence to the
consenting authority
• For large infrastructure projects it does not
replace the required specific mitigation to
address localised impacts from a project
• There can be wider benefits outwith the
specific projects as a result of implementation
and regional biodiversity funding
• Delays in project mobilisation can influence
the biodiversity offsetting projects
• Flexibility in the biodiversity offsetting delivery
needs to be based on delivering the objectives
and not focussed on individual organisations
or projects
Any Questions?
For more information about the Aberdeen Western Peripheral B-T Route visit:
www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/projects/awprbt
or contact the AWPR Managing Agent, Aberdeen Business
Centre, Willowbank House, Willowbank Road, Aberdeen AB11 6YG
Tel: 01224 332 322 | Fax: 01224 332 361 | Email: enquiries@awpr.co.uk