How to sell biodiversity units
Biodiversity Units (not to be confused with biodiversity credits) are a scheme that allows anyone to register either private or public land on the national registry that is run by Natural England.
The value of these units will depend on a number of key factors including habitat size, habitat distinctiveness, habitat condition and strategic importance.
The exact value of each BNG unit has yet to be precisely valued, however early estimates suggest that it will be in the region of £20,000 – £25,000. As a requirement all BNG units need to remain for 30 years to ensure that the long-term benefits of this scheme are realised.
For example, if you had a hectare of standard grassland that you transformed into a lowland meadow this would, on an estimate of around 8.5 units which, when you turned into a financial incentive of approximately £170,000.
Gigas
How are biodiversity units valued?
The value for all biodiversity units is calculated using the Biodiversity Net Gain Metric which takes all the various factors and provides a robust and measurable value against it. In order for a BNG unit to be sold it needs to be registered on the formal Natural England registry, and for it to be registered it needs to be formally valued by an independent expert, such as an environment consultant or surveyor.
If you are interested in getting your land valued, please see an approved list of Gaia environmental surveyors at the bottom of this page.
What are Habitat Banks?
If you have multiple plots of land, or in charge of various different habitats, you have the option of creating a habitat bank. This is an ideal option for local councils or investment companies as, not only does it support the environment and various corporate or public goals that are looking to be met, they also provide a strong financial return making it an ideal
A habitat bank is a portfolio of different BNGs that can be monitored like any other portfolio. Gaia’s intuitive platform allows you to fully manage your portfolio to buy BNG units, sell, trade, manage and edit at the click of the button.
If any of this sounds like something you might be interested in, please do reach out below and you can receive early access to the platform as well as a product demo to show you exactly how Gaia can fulfil your goals.