Biodiversity Net Gain: a year of progress
As England marks the first anniversary of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) legislation becoming mandatory, significant progress has been made on the ground. We speak to landowners about why they decided to pursue BNG
Bog Hall Habitat Bank
The Castle Howard Estate in North Yorkshire has embarked on a restoration and rewilding project on 440 acres of low-yielding agricultural land. Set in the Howardian Hills National Landscape, the Bog Hall Habitat Bank was selected for its biodiversity uplift potential, with part of the area already designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.
“The primary driver was Victoria and Nick Howard’s passion for the environment and wanting to do something about the climate crisis,” says Jasper Hasell, Estate Chief Executive at Castle Howard. “They’re fortunate that they have a large area to contribute to this kind of project.
“However, like any business decision, you don’t invest in things that will lose you money, and we had been investing something that had been losing us money for quite some time because the land in question didn’t want to be farmed. It wanted to be boggy and it was struggling to break even, let alone make a profit.
“So, it was an easy decision once we had identified that parcel of land. The project is financially and environmentally viable and sustainable.”
Emma Toovey, Chief Land & Nature Officer at Environment Bank, says the first step was identifying what the land already had in abundance. “We have some existing areas of woodland, but they are interspersed with plantation woodland that has low biodiversity value. We have amazing hedgerows that thread through the site, but they sit within poor biodiversity fields. And there are three river channels that cut through the site, but they’re fairly constrained.
“What we’re looking to do is return land that has been heavily farmed to species-rich grassland. We will let the water move through the land in the way it naturally would and allow the hedgerows to spread out.
“The existing woodland will be opened up and managed, and we will plant new woodland and shrubs to expand them.” The project, launched in November 2024, is expected to generate nearly 200% biodiversity uplift and sequester more than 30,000 CO2e (tonnes) during the 30-year agreement.
Grazing with cattle is expected to increase flowering plant diversity by 60%, which will lead to a 140% rise in bees and butterflies. Bat numbers will increase by 250% as the number of insects increases, and introducing pigs will increase floral diversity by 54%.
“It’s been really helpful to work with the Environment Bank because we are farmers, foresters and land managers – we don’t have ecologists and landscape designers on our team, so we needed that expertise,” says Jasper.
“The 30-year commitment is a long time, and it certainly spans generations, so it had to be an intergenerational decision. We’re used to signing longterm agreements and we’re confident the use of that land won’t change, so for us it was the right thing to do.”
This project is very special. We believe that, as well as following the ecological framework of BNG, it is the kind of project that could unlock and stimulate wider nature markets
Emberton Habitat Bank
The Emberton Habitat Bank, located on Wood Farm in Milton Keynes, is one of the first BNG projects to be added to Natural England’s biodiversity gain sites register.
Owner Joseph Soul was interested in BNG for a long time before committing. Disillusioned with farming’s increasing volatility and concerned about the amount of inputs necessary to produce viable crops, he looked for alternatives.
“We looked at carbon offsetting or creating a solar farm,” he says. “Then I spoke to a number of other entities about BNG, but they weren’t looking at it from the same perspective that I was.
“Most didn’t have ecologists on board, so they didn’t really know what was required, whereas the Environment Bank’s expert did the necessary research to ensure the best possible future for my land.
“A bespoke habitat management plan was put together within the scope of the statutory biodiversity metric to design the new habitats.”
For 100 years, Joseph’s family business has focused on increasing yields and producing better crops, so the project provides an opportunity to look at the farm with fresh eyes.
Work has already begun to transform the 100-acre site into a meadow, with different grasslands and new hedges.
“We’ve also planted new scrub, which is interesting in itself, as that’s normally something we try and remove,” Joseph adds.
Transforming the site has an amenity value, creating an attractive landscape for the farm’s camping business.
“I hope there will be significant environmental benefits, too,” Joseph says. “I would love for the farm to be purely philanthropic but it has to be a balancing act between doing things because they’re the right thing to do, and also sustaining the business and keep it afloat.
“My dad wouldn’t have taken the decision on his own because he is so plugged into the philosophy of food production, but the cost of inputs and the amount needed to produce a crop have become unsustainable.”
Joseph encountered issues as policy caught up with the new scheme – for instance, whether it affected land classification and succession planning. However, 36% of the units created by the project have already been sold.
“The benefits reaped from protecting nature will be abundant, but a partnership with an organisation like Environment Bank also guarantees us an income for the next 30 years – a welcome bonus during the cost of living crisis.
My main piece of advice for landowners and farmers looking at BNG would be to take the plunge
