Biodiversity and Your Project

A Guide and how Beechwood can help

Biodiversity is simply the variety of life in a place, everything from trees and shrubs to fungi, insects, birds, mammals and the microbes in the soil. It shows up at three levels:

• Genetic diversity – differences within a species (e.g., varieties of oak).

• Species diversity – how many different species live in a habitat.

• Ecosystem diversity – the mix of habitats across an area (woodland, grassland, rivers, urban streets).

Why it matters? Healthy, diverse ecosystems quietly provide the “free services” we all depend on: clean water, fertile soils, pollination, flood regulation and even raw materials for medicines.

When we chip away at biodiversity, through piecemeal losses of habitats or species, those services become less reliable and more expensive to replace.

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG): what developers need to know

BNG is the legal requirement in England for most developments to leave nature in a measurably better state than before works start. In practice that means:

• Establishing a baseline of existing habitats.

• Designing your scheme to avoid, minimise and then compensate impacts (the mitigation hierarchy).

• Delivering a minimum 10% net gain in biodiversity units, secured and maintained for at least 30 years.

How it’s measured

DEFRA’s Biodiversity Metric converts habitats into biodiversity units based on type, area, condition and strategic significance. You’ll use those units to compare “before” and “after”, and to plan enhancements (on-site or off-site) to hit the +10% requirement.

Local tools and policy

Some authorities add local tools and expectations, for example, Warwickshire’s Biodiversity Impact Assessment (BIA) process. Their ecologist reviews your baseline and post-development score and may recommend further actions to improve outcomes. (We work with this frequently.)

Practical ways to build biodiversity into your scheme

Design & planning

• Retain existing high-value trees and habitats wherever possible; protect with BS 5837-compliant root protection areas and construction methodologies.

• Plant the right trees in the right places (locally appropriate species, structural diversity, long-term management plan).

• Create connected habitats: hedgerows, green corridors, native scrub, species-rich grassland, rain gardens/SuDS and ponds.

• Integrate pollinator-friendly features: diverse flowering plants, reduced mowing regimes, and timing of works to avoid nesting/breeding seasons.

Delivery

• Time-sensitive works: avoid core bird nesting season; use ecologist checks where needed (bats, nesting birds, protected species).

• Soil is a living asset: strip, store and reinstate soils carefully to protect structure and microbiology; avoid compaction.

• Aftercare is half the battle: watering, staking/tying, formative pruning, weed control and monitoring, especially in the first 3–5 years.

If on-site delivery is limited

• Explore off-site units with trusted landholders or habitat banks.

• Consider long-term management agreements to maintain the uplift.

Risks of “doing nothing”

• Planning risk: refusal, conditions, or costly delays if biodiversity is not evidenced and secured properly.

• Compliance risk: BNG is enforceable, shortfalls can trigger re-work, fees or enforcement action.

• Operational risk: unmanaged trees/habitats raise safety, flood and maintenance liabilities.

• Reputation risk: residents and customers rightly expect greener, healthier places.

How Beechwood supports you end-to-end

We make biodiversity practical, costed and buildable, alongside your programme.

Survey & baseline

• BS 5837 tree surveys, constraints and protection plans.

• Habitat baseline data collection with our ecology partners; DEFRA Metric/BIA inputs.

Design support

• Tree retention/mitigation strategies, planting designs and species palettes geared for BNG uplift.

• Green corridors, species-rich grassland and SuDS planting that work with maintenance realities.

Construction

• BS 5837 Tree Protection Plans, method statements and on-site monitoring.

• Sensitive timing and supervision (ecologist checks, arborist supervision).

• Specialist operations: pruning, removals, translocations, soil remediation.

BNG delivery and aftercare

• On-site creation of habitats (woodland, scrub, hedgerow, grassland, ponds).

• Measurable management plans (targets for condition and monitoring).

• Off-site options via trusted partners where needed.

• Long-term maintenance: watering regimes, inspections, adaptive management.

Quick wins for clients and landowners

• Start early: commission tree/ecology baselines before layout is fixed.

• Protect what you’ve got: retention and good protection can save big on replacement units.

• Think connectivity: small links (hedgerows, verge meadows) add big ecological value.

• Plan the aftercare: budget for establishment years, this is where gains succeed or fail.

Ready to make BNG straightforward?

Whether you’re scoping a feasibility study or need delivery support on a live site, we can help you evidence, deliver and maintain biodiversity outcomes without derailing programme and cost.

• Talk to our arboricultural team about BS 5837 surveys and tree protection.

• Ask about BNG delivery plans and aftercare packages tailored to your site.

• Working in Warwickshire? We can guide you through the BIA process from baseline to sign-off.

We can help turn biodiversity into a project strength, not a planning headache.

Contact Beechwood Trees & Landscapes Ltd: 0800 328 7988 • office@beechwoodtrees.co.uk