Working to deliver sustainable landscape solutions, Germinal Amenity is ideally positioned to advise on the most effective Biodiversity Net Gain examples worth considering.
What is Biodiversity Net Gain?
By government definition, biodiversity net gain (BNG) is a development approach requiring that wildlife habitats are left in a measurably better state after completion. The minimum accepted BNG is 10% and is measured in biodiversity units, accounting for size, quality, location, and type.
There is a specific biodiversity metric tool that qualified ecologists can use to measure the value of an existing habitat before development. The ecologist can then advise on enhancement and calculate the impact when the development is completed.
Planning permission now requires a BNG plan
Biodiversity benefits must be sustainable over the long term, ensuring that gains persist well beyond the lifespan of the development project.
Before receiving planning permission, developers must create a BNG plan laying out how a 10% improvement will be achieved and then maintained over 30 years. Environmental protection is now a fundamental driver of development.
Biodiversity mitigation hierarchy
This is a sequential approach from the government to ensure BNG is accounted for in planning applications:
- Avoid – developers first try to avoid impacting biodiversity at all.
- Minimise – the plan is modified to minimise impact when avoidance is not possible.
- Mitigate – the developer must improve an existing habitat or create a new habitat for a 10% BNG on-site.
- Offset – this is a last resort after the three previous stages in the biodiversity mitigation hierarchy have failed to achieve BNG. Developers can offset through BNG on off-site habitats, covering owned land or paying for off-site biodiversity units or statutory credits from the government.
Biodiversity Net Gain examples: Climate smart actions
At Germinal, we continue to improve our climate smart solutions for landscape architects and planners. Covering grasses, clovers, wildflowers, and fertilisers, Germinal can provide aesthetically pleasing solutions that can also help your project achieve BNG.
1. Combining grass and clover
A low maintenance grass seed mixture should now include clover to fix free clean nitrogen and minimise the need for fertiliser applications. Clovers in public spaces can also support BNG by mitigating the decline of bees and pollinators.
The ideal option is DoubleRoot, a world-first hybrid clover combining Caucasian and white clovers. Bred by Germinal Horizon, DoubleRoot uniquely grows above and below ground to help it withstand temperature extremes of -30°C up to +30°C.
2. Restoring lost habitats with wildflowers
Formulating the best wildflower mixture for your landscape project depends on assessing the lost habitat and the recommendation of the ecological survey.
When ready, you can choose the right option from Germinal’s UK native wildflower mixtures – many of these are ideal for enhancing BNG.
With over 50 years of experience formulating wildflower mixtures, Germinal is the trusted partner for your landscape project. You can also request bespoke mixtures tailored to your BNG requirements.
3. Switch to a more sustainable fertiliser
A fundamental issue with quick-release fertilisers is they release nitrous oxide (Nâ‚‚O), which is 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚).
In response, slow-release fertilisers such as GSR Tri-phase can be used instead of standard compound fertilisers on existing sports pitches and surfaces in projects. This is another example of utilising eco-friendly technology to mitigate environmental harm.
Ask Germinal for BNG solutions
Contact our experts today and you can discuss BNG-friendly grasses, clovers, wildflowers, and fertilisers for your project.