Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach to development that aims to leave nature in a measurably better state than before. This is achieved through embedding the mitigation hierarchy into development design through the use of a biodiversity metric, highlighting impacts on, and opportunities for nature.
This virtual event brought together professionals from a range of sectors to discuss their experiences and lessons learned from working with BNG. The event featured 4 speakers :
- Biodiversity Net Gain: March 2024 Update from Natural England with Dr Nick White (Natural England)
- Biodiversity Net Gain: The Warwickshire Way with David Lowe (Warwickshire County Council)
- Local Innovation: How LERC Services Are Shaping Up with Mandy Rudd (Association of Local Environmental Record Centres)
- Habitat Condition Assessment Methods for BNG with Dr Dan Carpenter (Digital Ecology)
The Biodiversity Net Gain 2026 Virtual Symposium is now open for bookings. The event will take place on Wed 18 Mar 2026.
Biodiversity Net Gain: March 2024 Update from Natural England
Dr Nick White (Natural England)
An update on the implementation of mandatory BNG for major developments under the Town and Country Planning Act and the latest about the extension of BNG to minor (small sites) developments.
Biodiversity Net Gain: The Warwickshire Way
David Lowe (Warwickshire County Council)
Warwickshire was one of the pilots of Biodiversity Net Gain and has been the first local authority to successfully implement it in practice. Warwickshire’s metric has been used to form the approved metric for national use. Bold claims indeed! So how has Warwickshire achieved BNG so far and what else is there left to do?
Local Innovation: How LERC Services Are Shaping Up
Mandy Rudd (Association of Local Environmental Record Centres)
For the past few years, the Association of Local Environmental Records Centres (ALERC) and its members have been advocating for the use of local data services to inform the design, delivery and ongoing monitoring of biodiversity net gain in England. This talk will provide an update on key developments at a national level and will provide examples of innovation at a local level.
Habitat Condition Assessment Methods for BNG
Dr Dan Carpenter (Digital Ecology)
Habitat condition is a key component of the data required to calculate BNG units in the DEFRA metric. Criteria for habitat condition are provided with the metric, but no method for condition assessments accompanies these criteria. How then do we collect robust data to support condition assessments to ensure regulators have confidence in our condition assessments? Dan will introduce an emerging method for condition assessments that takes a standardised approach to data collection to ensure condition assessments are underpinned by robust data and evidence.
Event Partner
This event was delivered jointly by the Biological Recording Company and Digital Ecology.
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