#277: Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

This has been featured on BBC's Countryfile a few times.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) relates to new housing developments which are of a particular size.

The policy is now live, and Natural England and DEFRA have produced a tool to help developers work out their obligations.

This Guardian article outlines more about the scheme.

This is claimed to help with Nature Recovery.

From the GOV.UK website.

BNG is a way of creating and improving natural habitats. BNG makes sure development has a measurably positive impact (‘net gain’) on biodiversity, compared to what was there before development.

In England, BNG is becoming mandatory under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as inserted by Schedule 14 of the Environment Act 2021).

Developers must deliver a BNG of 10%. This means a development will result in more or better quality natural habitat than there was before development (allegedly)

Image: Housing being built on the edge of Cambridge - image shared under CC license by Alan Parkinson

#242: MAGiC Map - a free resource for GIS work

MAGiC is an interactive map. It is produced by DEFRA with a range of other organisations.

The GI stands for Geography Information - it's a GIS.

There are a series of layers of information which can be added to the base map.

Here's a map made by turning on the Habitats > Coastal > Saltmarshes layer, for example. This is very easy to do and students could be asked to explore the map themselves or be given a step by step guide. It would make sense

This map shows the locations of saltmarshes around the Wash.

Similar maps can be created for a whole range of habitats by changing the overlays.

A general guide to the map is available here.

#221: Making Space for Sand

Making Space for Sand is a project I was made aware of recently. Sand Dunes are an important habitat, but they face a number of threats.

The ‘Building Community Resilience on a Dynamic Coastline by Making Space for Sand’ project (also known as Making Space for Sand or MS4S) is one of 25 national projects funded by DEFRA as part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programme (FCRIP). 

The programme will drive innovation in flood and coastal resilience and adaptation to a changing climate.

The project website has an excellent section outlining the formation of Sand Dunes, particularly within the located context of Cornwall.

Sand Dunes are an important part of the coastal defences in the locations where they are found. I am particularly familiar with the dunes on the North Norfolk Coast at places like Holkham. 

I've previously carried out fieldwork on those dunes with both GCSE and 'A' level students, and also 

Atkins has provided GIS support and created some visualisations of future landscapes.

#29: King's Series of National Nature Reserves

DEFRA and Natural England are combining to develop a series of new Nature Reserves.

Natural England will leave a lasting public legacy for people and nature by creating of a King’s Series of National Nature Reserves to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.

As Prince of Wales, His Majesty expressed a deep love and concern for England’s wildlife, natural and rural places, frequently reflecting on his love of walking and its role in promoting a healthy mind and body.

The plans will see the creation of a new ‘King’s Series of National Nature Reserves’, with five major National Nature Reserves named every year for the next five years - 25 in total.

The first - the Lincolnshire Coronation Coast National Nature Reserve - will be declared by Natural England this summer. 

Over 12 square miles in area, it contains a wonderful variety of sand dunes, saltmarsh, mudflats and freshwater marshes, which support many breeding and wintering birds, natterjack toads, special plants and insects.

The remaining four National Nature Reserves for 2023-2024 will be confirmed at a later date, but are likely to include the Mendip Hills in Somerset, Moccas Park in Herefordshire, Ingleborough in North Yorkshire and Lullington in East Sussex.

It would be good for schools in these areas to connect with these national nature reserves and get involved in the creation of educational resources.

Image: Alan Parkinson, shared under CC license

Update

The King visited the reserve when it was opened. It featured in a documentary shown on Christmas Day.

#17: Hedging their bets

More news of mistakes by government recently, this time referring to hedgerow planting as part of the new plans for supporting wildlife in the countryside. 

Hedgerows are an important habitat for a wide range of species, and are really important for biodiversity. Some are hundreds of years old - those in Devon which are an important feature of the landscape are over 800 years old.

There was apparently a typo in the document that was previously published...

CPRE is 'the Countryside Charity' and has a particular focus on hedgerows.

Their hedgerows campaign is calling for #40by50. 

But what does this mean?

From the CPRE website:

The government loves talking about tree planting and peatland restoration, but it seems to have forgotten our hedgerows. 

We’re campaigning for them to commit to a target for planting and restoring thousands of miles of hedgerows across the country.

'We need a 40% increase by 2050 at the latest.'

40: We want to see the hedgerow network increase by 40%. This number was recommended by the independent Climate Change Committee and is equivalent to about 120,000 miles in Britain – half way to the moon!

50: This is the time frame. We need a 40% increase by 2050 at the latest. This requires adding over 4,000 miles of new and restored hedgerows per year, starting now.

For those in need of a definition of hedges, here's a useful one:

A hedge or hedgerow is a line of closely spaced shrubs and sometimes trees, planted and trained to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area, such as between neighbouring properties.

Top image: Alan Parkinson - shared under CC license - a hedge in Norfolk - love your local hedges...