We now have biodiversity action plans (BAPs) in place at many of our sites, which support the UK's national goals to achieve a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss while supporting global action. The UK biodiversity action plan has developed 391 Species Action Plans, 45 Habitat Action Plans and 162 Local Biodiversity Action Plans with targeted actions for the protection of these biological resources.

In 2004, we issued a formal Biodiversity policy statement, which commits us to a range of actions including carrying out biodiversity surveys at our sites, protecting and enhancing their ecological value where possible, and educating our employees and contractors about the importance of this issue. We consult with local and national conservation bodies and support their work in various ways - not least through the enthusiasm of our employees who volunteer for specific projects.

Several of our sites now have full BAPs in place, including Kingsnorth, Ratcliffe and Ironbridge power stations. We are currently considering the benefits of having our BAPs assessed against the Wildlife Trusts' Biodiversity Benchmark. Those over 50 hectares in area will be assessed on their current impact on biodiversity. Where a site has significant potential impact, or could improve biodiversity by positive actions, a BAP will be developed.

Our Central Networks business manages biodiversity as part of its day-to-day operations to maintain and improve the distribution network. Where the network is close to environmentally sensitive sites, we aim to ensure that our employees and contractors are aware and can ensure that our activities do not cause any damage.

Our Biodiversity policy states:

"We recognise our operations may have the potential to impact on biodiversity, directly and indirectly.

We aim to support the UK Biodiversity Action Plan by:

• increasing the ecological value of our landholdings, by undertaking conservation initiatives at location level, including support for outside bodies
• minimising any risks to biodiversity from our operations through compliance with our legal obligations and careful site management.

To meet these aims we will:

• carry out site surveys and maintain records of biodiversity assets
• protect, and where possible enhance, the ecological value of our sites, in particular the habitats and species identified as priorities in the UK BAP
• implement site-specific Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) on our larger sites and ensure they are regularly reviewed
• consult with local and national conservation agencies
• educate our employees and contractors in the importance of protecting and enhancing biodiversity
• contribute to the work of external conservation bodies, for example through providing employee volunteers, giving support to projects and contributing biological information of particular importance."

We conducted an internal audit on biodiversity in 2006 to help improve our knowledge and understanding of the biodiversity issues relating to our businesses and how well we are managing them.

All areas of the business, however, must ensure that any significant risk to biodiversity from business and related activities is controlled through their environmental management system. All sites over 50 hectares are required to be considered for a BAP, regardless of risk level.

Business Services provides vital support services to all of E.ON UK and is responsible for the day-to-day running of most of our offices and non-operational land between the Real Estate and Facilities functions. While the individual managed areas in themselves may not cover an area greater than 50 hectares and therefore do not qualify as large sites under the policy, the total managed area does, so Real Estate and Facilities have been tasked with developing biodiversity objectives and targets in 2007. The largest office land holding is at Wherstead Park near Ipswich, covering roughly 7.1 hectares. The next largest is at Westwood Business Park in Coventry and this has a landscaped exterior to support a small wetland area and wildflower meadow. Real Estate also owns a significant area of land adjacent to Connah's Quay power station. Our Retail and Energy Services businesses have no significant land holdings, however.

Central Networks operates over a wide geographical area and while single land holdings may not exceed the 50 hectares large site criteria, the overall operation clearly does. Central Networks is currently developing a strategic biodiversity action plan, which is due to be issued during the first half of 2007.

Ratcliffe-On-Soar, Ironbridge, Kingsnorth and Connah's Quay power stations all operate on sites considered large enough to require BAPs under the policy.

We issued a BAP for Ratcliffe in September 2006 following fieldwork carried out the previous year. The site does not directly border any designated protected areas; however, the site covers 280ha in total - 89ha of which is electricity generation, 120ha agricultural, and 71ha incorporates landscaped areas laid down for conservation and screening. There are no designated protected areas on site. Lockington Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) lies approximately 1.1km from the main stack. Air quality and other monitoring suggest that the habitats are not adversely affected by our operations. An area of around 4ha at the Winking Hill landfill site is designated as 'restored'. We believe the water vole is the only UKBAP species affected by the presence of the station. No IUCN Redlist species are affected. Water sources and related habitats affected by withdrawal or water, discharges of water and run-off are limited to the River Trent and its banks. Emergency discharges into the River Soar occur only very infrequently and with little biodiversity impact.

Ironbridge has an established EMS and BAP. The site is next to Benthall Edge and Tick Wood, and the most significant risk to biodiversity is the potential for dust to blow across. Some 100 acres of land have been restored at Devils Dingle ash disposal site to woodland/grassland. UKBAP listed species with habitats affected by discharges of water and run-off are the water vole, European otter and great crested newt. There are no IUCN Red List species with habitats significantly affected by discharges of water and run-off. Water sources and related habitats affected by withdrawal of water, discharges of water and run-off are limited to the River Severn and its banks.

We've begun to develop a BAP for Connah's Quay while ongoing conservation activities on site continue. On the east side of the site, 155,000 m² is adjacent to the Dee Estuary SSSI and SPA. We've been unable to identify any significant impacts on our owned and managed areas. We need to establish the effects of water abstraction on the adjacent protected areas, although both retain high levels of biodiversity value. The area protected or restored covers 210,000 m² including 10ha of brackish lagoon "bunded pools area" and 11ha (110,000m²) wetland mitigation area. The number of identified UKBAP species with habitats affected by discharges of water and run-off include the black-tailed godwit, pintail, teal, migratory salmon and sea trout. There are no known IUCN Red List species with habitats significantly affected by discharges of water and run-off. Water sources and related habitats significantly affected by withdrawal of water, discharges of water and run-off are the Dee Estuary, mudflats and salt marsh.

Kingsnorth sits near the mouth of the River Medway, a short distance from our oil-fired station at the Isle of Grain, and has an established EMS. Both the allis shad, Alosa alosa, and the twaite shad, Alosa falax, inhabit waters affected by discharges or water and run-off from the stations, and are listed species in the IUCN Red List. It is believed that both species are in decline. The station uses water direct from the River Medway with discharges and run-off to the same source.

Renewables

We produce an environmental statement for all prospective wind farm sites that includes biodiversity, although the impact on biodiversity from wind farms is generally low. While there have been recorded incidences of birds being struck by turbine blades, this is very infrequent. In fact, the areas immediately surrounding wind turbines often serve to act as wildlife havens and grazing areas since more intensive activities are restricted. Rheidol hydroelectric power station and its surrounding land covers an area of approximately 150 square kilometres near Snowdon, and withdraws and discharges water into and out of the River Rheidol. The water remains unmodified and presents no threat to biodiversity. As with any hydroelectric scheme, there is the potential for fish and other aquatic life to be taken in with river water. Staff at the station take care to monitor fish populations and manage E.ON UK's only fish farm.

Further details of the environmental performance of each of our sites are available here and detailed environmental trend data going back to 1990 is available here.

The largest area of land we own surrounds the Rheidol hydroelectric power station. While not currently covered by a BAP, the land surrounding the plant is largely left to nature. Rheidol power station is certified with the International Standards Organisation's environmental management (ISO 14001) standard for Environmental Management and supports local conservation through the E.ON UK Environment Fund and the Royal Society for Nature Conservation. We have constructed a fish ladder to reduce the impact of the station on migratory fish. With its 14 pools, the fish ladder allows species such as brown and rainbow trout to climb six metres, bypassing the power station to reach to their spawning grounds. More information about Rheidol can be found here.

A separate section of our website is dedicated to biodiversity at E.ON UK, with information on our sites and activities with known biodiversity impacts.