Video profiles

Meet the teams behind some of the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF)’s Round 3 projects. Following the success of the first two rounds of NEIRF projects, the third round is aimed specifically at farms wanting to explore nature markets and private finance for nature.

Videos were filmed in March 2025. Produced by Ecosystems Knowledge Network in support of the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund.

Farming East Devon & West Dorset Green Finance Group

Rachel Lasko (Ecosystems Knowledge Network) speaks with Tim Youngs (Blackdown Hills National Landscape) and Dr Sam Bridgewater (Clinton Devon Estates) about the Farming East Devon & West Dorset Green Finance Group, a collaboration of nature-based solution delivery partners working across six contiguous catchments covering 1,290 sq km. The group supports a farmer-led consortium of eight farm clusters and is developing a scaled-up, integrated offer designed to attract corporate investment.

Boundary Boost

Rachel Lasko (Ecosystems Knowledge Network) and Hazel Kendall (Dartmoor Hill Farm Project) are in conversation with Russ Ashford, a farmer at Bowden Farm in Dartmoor, which is part of the Boundary Boost NEIRF project. The project is working to develop a model that provides meaningful incentives for farmers and landowners across the Dartmoor landscape through nature markets, creating an additional income stream that rewards the provision of natural capital and supports the long-term maintenance and enhancement of field boundary networks.

The Wey to Investment Readiness 

Ben Habgood (Surrey Wildlife Trust) is in conversation with Molly Biddell (Hampton Estate), Simon Stoate (South East Rivers Trust, SERT), and Ben Crane (Finance Earth) on their joint collaboration and coordination on the Wey to investment readiness NEIRF project.

The Surrey Wildlife Trust is working with Hampton Estate, SERT, and Finance Earth to focus on Natural Flood Management (NFM) interventions that can be delivered at scale across river catchments. The Surrey Wildlife Trust is working with seven farms located between Tilford and Guildford on the River Wey to investigate the potential to secure private investment into delivering NFM interventions, this video highlights the experience of their project so far at one of their project farms, Hampton Estate.

Ecosystems Services Project

Kate Russell (Tellus Natural Capital) and Jemma Wilson (Lune Rivers Trust and Orton Fells Farm Cluster facilitator) are in conversation with farmers involved in the Orton Fells Ecosystem Services Project, Cumbria. This group is preparing options for involvement in nature markets.

Creating a scalable BNG business model for farms bordering nature reserves

David Hutchinson, in conversation with Stephanie Walker, explains how participation in nature markets forms part of the business of a medium-sized family farm in lowland England.

Voluntary Biodiversity Credits (VBCs): A new nature market in the South Downs

The Iford Estate’s pioneering project in the South Downs National Park shows how voluntary biodiversity credits can be delivered for the benefit of forward-thinking businesses who want to play their part in supporting high-quality nature recovery. Bruce Howard is in discussion with Ben Taylor, Managing Director of the Iford Estate, Sarah Westbrook, Nature-based Solutions officer, South Downs national park Authority and Oliver Bolton, CEO & Co-founder of Earthly.

Preparing for nature markets in the Arkengarthdale Valley

In this 11-minute video portrait, Liz Sutcliffe of Heggs Farm explains how she and farmers in this North Yorkshire Valley are taking steps towards participation in nature markets. Liz explains challenges and opportunities from the perspective of small rural businesses. She was in conversation with Bruce Howard, Director of EKN.

The North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster CIC is working with Network Rail, Thames Water, and Great Yellow to develop and test a market model for farm revenues from nature-based solutions protecting utilities and infrastructure from water related risks, exploring potential for farm-level solutions to replace hard engineering approaches.