Delivering Biodiversity Net Gain

Digital Ecology: bringing efficiency to the Biodiversity Net Gain process through the development of digital tools.

What is Biodiversity Net Gain?

From 12th February 2024 it will be mandatory for all development projects in England to deliver a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain. For developers, the first practical step is to avoid losses of existing habitats and ecosystems. Where this is impracticable, they are required to mitigate and, as a last resort, compensate for damage resulting from building developments. An essential part of any development, therefore, is to get a baseline assessment carried out on site by a qualified ecologist. Using these data an assessment of post-development requirements is needed to establish the extent of habitat loss and the amount of habitat required to deliver net gains for biodiversity.

For more read this helpful blog from Natural England

The report writing stage of this process can be time consuming, but it need not be. At Digital Ecology we are continually developing digital tools to streamline and automate the presentation of survey data, thereby enabling ecologists to focus on what they do best: surveying and providing advice to clients.

Digital Tools designed to improve efficiency in delivering BNG:

  • streamlined and automated in-house mapping
  • automated desk study reports
  • automated design stage or gain plan reports
  • automated metric calculations using data pulled directly from field surveys

Other BNG Services:

As well as providing digital tools to other ecological consultancies, Digital Ecology has its own in-house ecologists and can, therefore, manage entire BNG projects from start to finish or contribute to discrete components.

We offer a high-quality survey and reporting service to ascertain the quality of land before development begins. Experts in using the Biodiversity metric, a habitat-based tool developed by Natural England, we then assess the extent to which a natural habitat has been damaged due to development, and can support with the process of mitigation or off-site compensation.

Additionally, we support landowners, land managers and ecologists wishing to sell BNG units to developers and local authorities. Our team are specialists at reporting on all stages of the Biodiversity Net Gain process, from feasibility studies to Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans.

We are continually developing digital technologies to make data more accessible, dynamic and interactive at every stage of the BNG process.

Finally, we offer training on the use of the Biodiversity Metric.

Overview of Biodiversity Net Gain Services

  • Development of dynamic digital products in place of static survey reports
  • Ecological sampling and surveying
  • Training and consultancy on the use of the Biodiversity Metric

The future of Biodiversity Monitoring

Digital Ecology’s most recent enterprise is Integrated Biodiversity Monitoring (IBM), which enhances the delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain. For more information, please visit our IBM page.