Biodiversity & Habitats

Natural capital is becoming a common phrase, but what does it mean? In summary, it relates to measuring, quantifying and monetising natural assets, for example woodland, farmland and rivers. To generate income, change in management is usually required; a baseline assessment calculates a current value and changed management leads to a new value that can be monetised; This might include enhancing the biodiversity of woodland, or creating species rich grassland from arable land. This creates units that can be sold, for example when developers need to offset habitats that they have removed. Incomes are very real, often eclipsing other, more traditional options.

For landowners looking to enhance biodiversity, securing an income from natural capital is a viable option that should be considered. It works hand in hand with productive farming and forestry, and can be seen as a method of diversifying, enhancing and introducing resilience to traditional methods.

The right approach to natural capital for any one site is very individual. It's not suitable for everyone, but it might be the very best thing for you. Please get in touch and we'll happily talk it through with you:

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a legal requirement in England mandating that new developments leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than before. It requires a minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity value, calculated using a statutory metric, and secured for at least 30 years through habitat creation or enhancement.

We help you as landowners assess opportunities for creating BNG units, through habitat creation or enhancement, which can be sold to offset losses caused by development. It is a very real, often generous  income opportunity that should not be ignored. BNG schemes can work seamlessly with farming and can be an alternative woodland income option too.

It starts with a BNG baseline survey to calculate the starting point. This is followed by a management plan, and a conservation covenant to legally protect the project. Get in touch we'll happily explain in more detail:

Creating new habitats and enhancing existing habitats is the part of the job we most love. We have decades of experience in managing special places for biodiversity, conservation and heritage. Rarely is any site or project them same and it is creativity, skill and experience that finds unique solutions.

We can help you by managing a project and giving guidance to any level; we can simply give guidance, we can act as project managers, or we can provide the contract team that get the task done.

If you have a project in mind, please get in touch:

We can take you through the application process for a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) scheme. You may have a very clear idea of what you want to achieve, in which case we help with the application itself. If you need guidance, then we work with you to establish the right objectives for your land, we work with Natural England and the Forestry Commission plus any other relevant stakeholders, and then make the application.

Please get in touch for help and advice:

Perhaps you have a project that requires an ecology survey and report. This may be for development, for trackways and access or habitat creation. We can help you by arranging a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal (PEA), impact assessments and any specialist surveys that may be required.

Please get in touch to find out more: