Daisy Huxter is now a Project Ecologist with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust after participating in the traineeship programme. In this blog we learn more about her experience and aspirations.

Jane Kinney is Project Ecologist with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust 

The government has announced that Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) will become a mandatory requirement in England in January. Further details on the implementation timetable have also been announced Developers, nature-based project suppliers and local planning authorities have been preparing for BNG and many are already meeting the commitment to 10% BNG voluntarily. The Bristol Avon Catchment Market provides a straightforward way for organisations to buy verified Biodiversity Gain Units from local nature recovery projects to meet mandatory BNG requirements, and other voluntary commitments. On the buyer side, we are working with organisations already leading the way in setting and meeting their environmental goals, investors committed to supporting nature’s recovery and developers planning ahead for the introduction of Biodiversity Net Gain. We are also continuing to work with Project Suppliers to ensure there is a pipeline of accredited nature-based projects ahead of the second Market Round that will open for bids and offers early next year. If you are looking for a Biodiversity Gain solution to meet mandatory BNG requirements, or to meet a voluntary commitment, please submit an Expression of Interest 

We are hosting a unique Trainee Ecology Placement here at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust as part of the ground-breaking Bristol Avon Catchment Market . Last year we successfully hosted this same traineeship with post graduate students from the University of the West of England, helping to develop their skills and experience to increase their chances of employment within the sector. We also identified the need to help prepare the ecology sector for the changes being seen with the introduction of natural capital, green finance, and environmental service markets. Our trainees were able to learn and develop skills in ecological surveying and legislation, Biodiversity Net Gain, the Biodiversity Metric 3.1/4.0, ecological report writing, data collection, GIS mapping and even habitat design, creation, and management. You can read more about the success of this traineeship on our website. All six of our previous trainees immediately found work as Assistant Ecologists. We are now looking to host a similar traineeship again this summer for three applicants. Closing date for applications: 9 AM Monday 24th July 2023

Esther Frizell-Artmitage is a Bristol Avon Catchment Market Project Ecologist

Caitlin Coombs is a Bristol Avon Catchment Market Delivery Manager.

Did you manage attend our recent Landholder Webinar on the 5 th October? The purpose of this webinar was to help landholders understand the next step in the market: Market Registration Recap of the Bristol Avon Catchment Market The Bristol Avon Catchment Market is being delivered through a collaboration between Avon Wildlife trust, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and EnTrade, who are working together to create a market that delivers local, high-impact and verified projects to restore nature and deliver a range of environmental services. There are two sides to the Market; buyers of credits, and sellers of projects. The Market Operator, in this case EnTrade, sits in the middle to operate and match the needs of both sides. Through the market, farmers and land managers are incentivised to deliver and maintain Nature-based Projects in the Bristol Avon Catchment that deliver a range of Environmental Services. We are working together to create a market that delivers local, high-impact and verified projects to restore nature and deliver a range of environmental services such as increased biodiversity, carbon reduction and natural flood management. Key next steps for landholders participating in the Catchment Market Market registration There are two parts to Market Registration, as set out below: Participant registration: Landholders (or their authorised agent) register as a Market Participant on an online platform which will be accessible via the Bristol Avon Catchment Market website . Registering as a Market Participant does not commit an individual to supply a Nature-based Project. To register, the landholder will need to enter their contact details and evidence of authority to enter into a contract to deliver Nature-based projects at the planned locations for a minimum 30-year period. Entrade will then need to confirm that the landholder has the authority to enter into a contract to deliver the project for the required duration. Project registration: Landholders will then need to register each project formally through the EnTrade platform. Registering a project commits a landholder to making an offer to supply that Project to the Bristol Avon Catchment Market. The landholder will need to upload a Project Specification and Establishment Plan and Management Plan. Once registered, the Project will be reviewed by EnTrade and the landholder will be notified directly if the project has been accepted. If accepted, the landholder will be provided with further information about participating in the Market Round. Timeline overview Participant and project registration: Targeted to open towards the end of this year for a two week period. Pre-market review: completed by the project team and the supply ahead of the Market Round Market Round: targeted to open in January 2023 Contracting of projects: targeted for early 2023 If you have any further questions, please get in touch or visit the Bristol Avon Catchment Market website .

This month’s guest blog features a Q&A with Richard Allan, an organic livestock farmer from the Avon vale. Richard has farmed his beef and dairy herd for 15 years on a mixture of traditional pasture and woodland, adjoining Semington Brook and the River Avon. He has always had a keen interest in creating a more sustainable farming system and has planted over 30,000 trees and hedge plants to create a hedged pasture system that he uses for rotational grazing.

Environmental markets have a key role to play in unlocking the investment needed to reverse the decline of nature in the UK.