Funding your nature recovery project
Land managers have various options to finance a nature recovery project. Two of them are presented below.
Scout Moor Habitat Enhancement Fund
This Fund was set up through a unilateral undertaking between United Utilities, Peel Investments and Jeremy Dearden in 2005. The Fund can pay for the restoration of blanket bogs, upland areas and/or for the delivery of favourable conditions for upland breeding birds in Rossendale and neighbouring authorities (Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton, Burnley, Bury, Calderdale, Chorley, Hyndburn and Rochdale). Landowners and tenants can apply to small (up to £5,000) or medium grants (over £5,000) by downloading and completing the forms available at: Scout Moor Habitat Enhancement Fund (gmlrc.org) and emailing them to scoutmoorhef@gmwildlife.org.uk. Applications are assessed by a Panel which meets three to four times a year.
Biodiversity Net Gain
Land managers can now sell off-site biodiversity units to developers to fund nature recovery work. The natural habitats created or enhanced must be maintained for at least 30 years and this is secured via a legal agreement that runs with the land. More information about the process is available on the Government’s webpage: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sell-biodiversity-units-as-a-land-manager.
Lancashire County Council is preparing the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Lancashire. Once published, any habitats that are enhanced or created in alignment with the strategy can generate 15% additional biodiversity units.