What is the opportunity?
The Bristol Avon Catchment Market is a new opportunity for farmers and landholders to earn money by creating new woodlands, wetlands and grasslands.
These long-term nature-based projects will deliver valuable environmental services - such as Biodiversity Gain, carbon sequestration, natural flood risk management and nutrient mitigation.
The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust will work with
landholders so that projects are developed in the right locations, and designed using local knowledge and scientific expertise to maximise environmental benefits.
By participating in the Market, landholders can benefit from:
- A secure, long-term income stream
- Access to expert advice to develop projects that meet accredited standards
- A straight-forward way to benefit from the growing market for environmental services
- An opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to nature’s recovery in the Bristol Avon Catchment
There are no scale penalties in the market, and it is accessible to large and small-scale landholders.
What projects are eligible?
We are looking for farmers and landholders to work with us to develop long-term woodland, wetland and grassland projects within the Bristol Avon Catchment. These projects will need to be maintained for at least 30 years.
Eligible projects include:
- Grassland: reverting whole or part fields to species-rich or low-input grassland
- Scrub: creation or natural regeneration of scrub habitat
- Woodland: creation of new or enhancement of existing woodland in either whole or part fields
- Hedgerows: creation of new native, species rich hedgerows
- Ponds: creation of new ponds to support biodiversity
- Wetlands:
creation of constructed wetlands to deliver the water treatment properties of natural wetlands or wetland to support biodiversity
More detailed Project Development Guidance for the different types of Project is available.
What are additionality tests?
A single Nature-based Project can deliver multiple environmental services.
Through the Bristol Avon Catchment Market, the payments to landholders will reflect the value of the environmental services sold through the market.
It is critical for the integrity of the market that the projects deliver real environmental improvements.
That is why the market includes 'additionality tests' to make sure that:
- a Nature-based Project results in positive physical change in one or more environmental services;
- and that the landholder didn't already have a legal obligation to deliver a project in that location.
What consents may be needed?
Nature-based Projects eligible in this market may require consents or permissions. These would need to be in place before project establishment can occur. It is your responsibility, as the landholder, to get any necessary consents in place for your project. The Bristol Avon Catchment Market team will be available to give guidance and support and land advisors may be able to help, so do ask for advice.
Important organisations and consents to consider, may include;
- Planning permission from your local planning authority
- Environmental Impact Assessments: Natural England, Forestry Commission
- Environment Agency: discharge, spoil, ground water permits
Note - this is not a complete list.
Hear from a landholder
We have interviewed Richard Allan one of the landholders that has participated in the Bristol Avon Catchment Market. He shares his experience of his involvement, including project development and market participation.
How can I get involved?
If you are a landholder with an idea for a nature-based project in a priority area, then please complete the Expression of Interest form,
More information about the process for landholders to participate in the market is available here.
If you have any questions then please check out our Frequently Asked Questions.