What is Biodiversity Net Gain?
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a planning policy operated by Natural England, which aims to ensure that the overall biodiversity of an area is improved as a result of development. It is a way of making sure that the loss of biodiversity caused by development is offset by the creation or enhancement of new habitats. BNG can be achieved through a variety of measures, such as:
- Creating new habitats, such as woodlands, wetlands, and meadows
- Enhancing existing habitats, such as by planting trees or restoring wildflower meadows
- Restoring degraded habitats, such as by clearing invasive species
BNG is a relatively new policy, but it has the potential to make a significant contribution to the recovery of biodiversity. It is a key part of the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, which aims to create a more sustainable and resilient environment for future generations.
With our BNG Tools, users can quickly assess the unit potential of their land using our mapping platform. By creating a baseline habitat map, and a future plan, the Land App can quickly assess unit impact both for habitat creation and enhancement.
Habitats going into BNG are expected to be managed for nature for a minimum of 30 years.
You could receive market-rate funding from potential buyers to restore or create habitats that benefit the surrounding environment
Who should apply for BNG?
Both landowners and managers and site developers can use BNG in England.
Whether you’re trying to diversify your business selling BNG Units, or trying to understand your requirements for purchasing BNG Credits, the Land App BNG Tool can help.
To learn more about the Biodiversity Net Gain, or to register land for BNG, please visit the BNG guidance page.
What are the benefits?
Assessing whether Biodiversity Net Gain is the right option for your land can be tricky, especially when faced with many potential funding options. Nonetheless, BNG can offer many benefits, both to people and the surrounding environment.
Alternative Source of Funding
Represents an opportunity to access private funding to restore biodiversity where public funding schemes may fall short.
Create Enhanced Ecosystems
BNG funding will ensure that you are properly paid to restore or create habitat across your land – helping to enhance the surrounding ecosystems.
Blended Funding Options
Biodiversity Net Gain can represent one of many different funding options on your land, meaning you can trade biodiversity credits alongside other ecosystems services, such as for nutrients.
Land App provides unique and essential tools to help land managers to prepare for ecological and financial resilience
Our bespoke BNG 4.0 Tool in Land App revolutionises the application process: combining the latest environmental and spatial data with our intuitive mapping platform to empower farmers and landowners to easily see how they could integrate Biodiversity Units into their land and where they’d benefit financially.
Proudly partnering with UKHab, the official data classification for Biodiversity Net Gain, Land App maps can be produced in the UK Habitat Classification format.
Combined with our cutting edge Biodiversity Unit calculator – using Natural England’s biodiversity metric 4.0 – areas of land from individual fields to entire landscape projects can be mapped, baselined, planned and analysed ready for a Biodiverisity Net Gain project.
To register your land for Biodiversity Net Gain, you need:
- The boundary of the land
- Consent from the landowner (if you are not the landowner)
- Proof of ownership of the land
- A completed Biodiversity Metric 4.0 for the land
- A habitat management and monitoring plan
- A legal agreement securing the habitat enhancements for 30 years
To learn more visit the government website here.
How to find your BNG funding
To assess the BNG potential of your site, follow these steps:
- Create a Site Boundary
Use either an RPA Field Boundary download or HM Registry Data to create a boundary of your area of interest.
2. Create a Baseline Habitat Assessment
For quick assessments, purchase a “UKHabitat Best Guess Baseline”, which produces an automated, highly accurate land-use baseline map of your area in the BNG-ready language of the UKHAB classification. Your baseline map can then be edited, confirmed and amended.
3. Create your Land Management Plan
Using your Baseline Habitat field parcels, create your land management plan using our custom template to design where habitats can either be created (new habitats) or enhanced (increasing condition of existing habitats). Collaborate on this vision with professionals where needed.
4. See your proposed unit impact
Once ready, all published baseline maps and land management plans will be visible on your Reports Dashboard, which offers cutting edge insight and analysis on biodiversity units, land use and natural capital.