Ecological and Natural Capital Enhancements
Our Ecological and Natural Capital Enhancements work helps existing property owners, investors and investment managers in the UK to take positive action on existing ‘natural assets’ to increase natural capital with both ESG and financial-return objectives, whilst improving ecological function to create wilder landscapes.
The United Kingdom is in the midst of an historic shortage of wild spaces. Intensive agriculture, development in the green belt, and a focus on purely commercial forestry have left the countryside empty of its natural habitats. Those native habitats that are left provide a home for a huge range of wildlife as well as storing carbon, improving air quality, providing opportunities for recreation, and a host of other ‘ecosystem services’.
In recognition of their importance, the UK Government has committed to creating or restoring 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside the protected site network, but it’s not clear who is going pay. At the same time, there is growing interest from the public and from private companies in ‘green investments’ – where funds are invested in opportunities that support or provide environmentally friendly products and practices.
Given these issues, the Lifescape Project is working with experts from Clifford Chance and AECOM to design investment opportunities to restore and protect natural ecosystems. This includes working with existing investors, landowners and fund managers to advise on positive action which can be taken to enhance the ecology of sites, with the objective of measurably increasing the natural capital of those sites. This can support both ESG objectives and increased financial returns, while delivering wilder landscapes for the benefit of all.
We have recently advised on ecological enhancements at three sites in Scotland. An initial natural capital assessment directed research and proposals for ecological enhancements including beaver reintroduction and restoring rare habitats such as temperate rainforest and montane scrub.
The project is led by Adam Eagle, the Lifescape Project’s Chief Executive Officer. If you want to learn more about this exciting project you can get in touch with Adam.
