Minister digs in to replace ancient woods lost to HS2 Michael Fabricant, the MP for Lichfield, Staffs, warned: "We cannot credibly lecture other countries on deforestation whilst taking a cavalier approach to loss of our own equivalent of the rainforest," he said. Cheryl Gillan, the MP for Chesham and Amersham, Bucks, said woodlands that are centuries old will be lost. "It has taken millennia to create these ancient woodlands," said Miss Gillan. Mr Burns told the MPs that some woodland will be lost, but promised to offset the harm by "transplanting" woodland elsewhere. But I think it is a very good second-best option. HS2 Ltd, the Government company that will build the line, later said that while the trees from ancient woods will not be moved, soil and seeds from the affected areas will be. The company said it will "relocate the soil to allow the new area to regenerate naturally into new woodland from the seed bank held within those soils. This helps to ensure that the genetic stock of local trees is maintained. The soil plan came to light as ministers sought to defend HS2. Lord Mandelson, the former Labour business secretary, announced he now has grave doubts about the project, having previously supported it. Norman Baker, a Lib Dem transport minister, responded: "HS2 will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, be a major boost to our economy, especially in the north of England, and will help us shift to the clean, green economy of the future." He said the increasing numbers using the rail network needed more capacity, adding that "unlike Peter Mandelson we can't all hop on a private jet."