Chaired by Teresa Dent, this session presents five case studies showcasing ongoing initiatives that deliver a diverse range of natural capital benefits. It aims to inform Groundswell attendees about the opportunities available and to demystify the concept of Natural Capital for those grappling with its meaning and application. The session will be followed by a Natural Capital ‘Speed Dating’ session for providers and prospective suppliers of natural capital opportunities.

Featuring 8 minute presentations from:

Alex Robinson, Zulu Ecosystems: A Catchment Based Approach – Identifying and prioritising high impact areas for habitat creation and quantifying their hydrological benefit.  Zulu Ecosystems have collaborated with Severn Trent Water across the Idle catchment in the Midlands, and with the Environmental Farmers Group across 3 catchments in the South of England. These projects have moved from landscape scale analysis, to sourcing private finance, and to on farm delivery.

Chloe Palmer: Collaboration for positive environmental outcomes in the uplands – Three farmer groups in the northern Peak District are a blueprint for how collaboration and positive environmental action in the uplands can help to deliver nature recovery and landscape enhancement at scale. This presentation will review the key steps and mechanisms for achieving the desired outcomes and will set out a vision for the future of farmer group activity in the Peak District.

Jon Dearsley, Savills: Integrating nature markets within tenancies and contract farming agreements. We will explore, through case studies, how to share the additional income that can be generated through soil carbon, biodiversity offsetting, natural flood management and public grants such as SFI in a way that fairly reflects the skills and assets of both parties whilst encouraging collaboration and long term profitability.

Doug Wanstall, UK Carbon Code of Conduct CIC: High Integrity Carbon Credits – An Ecosystem. The UK Carbon Code of Conduct will discuss how high integrity carbon credits are created and describe the system that lies behind it. Using a live example and demonstrating the project development process, Doug will show how it leads to carbon credits being created, issued onto a registry and placed with a long term off take partner, in this instance the UK Met Office.

Tom Curtis, Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs): Stacking public and private finance to build landscape resilience. Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) builds networks across the UK and Europe between ag and water companies, grain merchants and farmers, with the common goal of implementing resilience into our supply chains, water catchments and farm businesses. Following the 2025 trade, LENs will have directed over £30 million into regenerative practices.  Tom will explain how through simple commercial trades between stakeholders in the landscape, LENs gives farmers the opportunity to do good for their soils and their businesses.