Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust (SRWT) is developing a market for biodiversity net gain (BNG) units in South Yorkshire. The initiative involves five pilot sites to sell BNG units to developers, alongside offering consultancy services, training, and site assessments. These sites aim to restore habitats, particularly woodlands and grasslands, in response to habitat loss and declining biodiversity.

The model generates revenue from BNG units and consultancy work, contributing to both conservation efforts and financial sustainability.

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As in much of the UK, Sheffield, Rotherham and the rest of South Yorkshire have seen an ongoing decline in the ecological condition of important habitats as well as the loss of once thriving species.

In particular:

• Loss of ancient / broadleaf woodland due to development, intensification, lack of management.
• Loss of semi-natural grassland to intensification, development. • Peat bogs and moorland due to intensive management.
• Rivers and streams due to diffuse pollution and modifications.

The Trust will engage with developers and bring forward a pipeline of BNG sites in particular woodlands and grasslands to help reverse the losses from development. Potential Biodiversity Unit sites will be targeted for maximum benefits using the 2021 South Yorkshire Natural Capital and Biodiversity maps and the SY Local Nature Recovery Strategy as it develops. We will use all available species information to ensure that ‘threatened species’ (some of which we are developing action plans for) are brought into site management plans where appropriate. Our initial BU site, Greno Woods is an ancient woodland that will be restored from intensive conifer plantation to a native broad leaf woodland, supporting a diversity of species such as nightjar, rare shining guest ants and bluebells.