Natural environment

Like net zero, biodiversity net gain is about adding more into nature then what we consume. It is officially defined as contributing to the recovery of nature while developing land, ensuring that the habitat for wildlife is in a better state than it was before development.

For example, if we were developing houses in a field, we would be responsible for ensuring the houses developed embed biodiversity to encourage more species of animals and plants to the area. Small changes like planting more trees in the development, using bird and bee nesting bricks and hedgehog friendly fences all contribute to ensuring the land is better than it was before the development and encourages biodiversity to thrive. This ensures our society interconnects with biodiversity and finds a balance between the two.

Biodiversity does amazing things for us every day, without us even realising. By protecting, restoring or creating thriving natural habitats such as native woodlands, peatlands and by bringing more green spaces into our towns and cities and embedding biodiversity into everything we develop like houses, it can play a part in fighting the climate crisis as well as benefitting, people and our wildlife.

Learn more

You can find out more about biodiversity net gain on the Gov.UK web site.

Watch this short video by Natural England to learn more about biodiversity net gain.