The SEA HSL has achieved its environmental offsetting targets!

19 January 2021 - Sustainability - France

The Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional prefecture has approved the final offsetting measures put in place along the entire SEA HSL by LISEA (VINCI Railways/VINCI Concessions).

These measures involve creating, restoring and managing the natural habitats of 223 protected species near the railway line. To carry out the programme across almost 350 sites spanning 3,800 hectares, LISEA has engaged in long‑term collaboration with wildlife groups, scientists, chambers of agriculture and landowners. 

The next step is managing offsetting sites and assessing how effective these measures are by carrying out regular monitoring, supervised by the French state. That responsibility will apply until the end of the concession contract in 2061. Initial monitoring is already showing promising results with, for example, an increase in the number of species of grassland birds – such as the little bustard, Eurasian skylark, harrier and warbler.