§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are taken by his Department to encourage, preserve and monitor wild life on motorway verges.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTree and shrub planting is the major landscape activity of the Department. Over 32 million have been planted in 25 years. This creates an invaluable wildlife habitat.
The selection of native species, mainly broadleaves, form linear woodlands of significant conservation value, especially in the case of motorways where there is no human disturbance.
The major tree and shrub species used are:
- oak supports 284 insect species
- hawthorne supports 149 insect species
- willow supports 266 insect species
- birch supports 229 insect species
- pine supports 91 insect species
- alder supports 90 insect species
- hazel supports 73 insect species
- beech supports 64 insect species
- ash supports 41 insect species
The extensive grasslands encompassed by our motorway boundaries are not regularly cut and no overall herbicide treatments are used. Wild flowers are increasingly colonising these verges/slopes, and we are using, on an experimental basis, wild flower seed mixtures on new road schemes in different parts of the country.
These linear woodlands are managed by our agent foresters to provide a natural and structural diversity of vegetation offering nesting opportunities for birds and protection to many small animals and insects including butterflies.
Animals that would be at risk from motorway traffic, notably badgers and deer, are kept from the verges by special fencing and diverted to crossings: tunnels for badgers, bridges and underpasses for deer.
The Department's horticultural officers and Forestry Commission foresters monitor wild life on the verges of our roads as part of their routine inspections.