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In the course of development, habitat loss is inevitable but may, according to habitat type, potentially be compensated with qualification. This compensation may be carried out via habitat creation according to certain criteria termed ‘trading rules’, referring to the conditions by which replacing a lost habitat with another of at least an equivalent HBU or higher worth may be performed. The rules by which the loss of a particular habitat may be compensated is governed primarily by habitat distinctiveness (see table below).
The table above indicates that, in general, habitats lost can be either traded or compensated with another of either the same or higher distinctiveness. This, of course, does not apply to trading rules such as ‘irreplaceable’, and is definitely not mandatory for ‘not required’.
While trading rules are governed primarily by habitat distinctiveness in the SGBA, habitat condition also plays a role, as exemplified by the tables of permissible habitat trading presented below.
Table: Trading rules according to habitat distinctiveness and condition 1 for terrestrial habitats in the SGBA.
Table: Trading rules according to habitat distinctiveness and condition 1 for freshwater habitats in the SGBA.
As demonstrated by the tables above, while trading rules are governed primarily by habitat distinctiveness, habitat condition plays a secondary role. This is illustrated when trading upwards (i.e., from lower to higher distinctiveness) for the vast majority of cases, whereby the maximum habitat condition achievable is the lowest habitat condition (i.e., ‘poor’) of the higher distinctiveness habitat. For instance, abandoned land forest must be at least in ‘good’ condition for it to be enhanced to native dominated secondary forest of ‘poor’ condition at the most.
Some exceptions remain as to the maximum habitat condition achievable for the targeted enhancement, especially if they possess similar vegetation. Specifically, any habitat condition of turf and a golf course, of ‘extremely low’ and ‘low’ distinctiveness, respectively, may be enhanced to scrubland/ grassland of any habitat condition (see figure below). As stated earlier, the time taken to enhance an existing or compensate for a lost habitat is recorded in the SGBA without HBU counted. As found in the SGBA, varying time-to-target durations (years) are projected according to the magnitude of change intended. For instance, to enhance from a ‘poor’ habitat (e.g., turf/ golf course) condition to the same one of a higher distinctiveness (e.g., scrubland/ grassland), a minimum of 5 years are projected (see figure below).
Another instance would be enhancing from a ‘poor’ condition of a lower distinctiveness habitat to that of a ‘good’ condition of a higher one, where 15 years are expected (see figure below).
To access the above, click on the relevant SGBA sheet(s) as shown below (see Resources to access the SGBA metric):
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