The River Thame Conservation Trust, in collaboration with the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment and Thame Valley Farm Cluster member, Eddie Rixon of Lopemede Farm, has played a pivotal role in bringing about one of Buckinghamshire Council's very first Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) projects.

What is Biodiversity Net Gain?

Biodiversity Net Gain, commonly referred to as BNG, is a policy framework in England aimed at offsetting biodiversity loss through development and elevating the quality of the natural environment. It revolves around the central tenet that specified developments (e.g. housing and infrastructure) should yield a net positive effect on the surrounding ecology, surpassing the pre-development state. BNG became a legal requirement this year, with the Environment Act requiring the majority of planning consent in England to demonstrate a 10% uplift in biodiversity (compared to pre-development).  

Local Planning Authorities, like Buckinghamshire Council, play a central role in BNG which sits alongside a strengthened legal duty for public bodies to conserve and enhance biodiversity, new biodiversity reporting requirements for local authorities and mandatory spatial strategies for nature: Local Nature Recovery Strategies or ‘LNRS’.

Pioneering a Vision for Nature Recovery

Buckinghamshire Council has emerged as a pioneer in the BNG process by developing this project ahead of the legal requirement to deliver at least 10% biodiversity net gain, which came into force on 12 February 2024.

Gareth Williams, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “This project is an important step towards delivering nature recovery through the Biodiversity Net Gain process. It provides the first legally secured local option for biodiversity units to be purchased by local developers as part of their requirement to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain through the local plan process.”

This endeavour has been made possible through the collaborative efforts of the River Thame Conservation Trust, Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (TOE), and Buckinghamshire Council’s team led by Louise Mapstone. RTCT has taken on a central role as the main Delivery Partner, responsible for designing the restoration work, writing a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan in partnership with TOE,  coordinating with the landowner, Eddie Rixon, and overseeing the initial construction phase.

Making Freshwater Habitats a Priority

Within the framework of this scheme, the River Thame Conservation Trust recognises an opportunity to shape the practical implementation of BNG on the ground, with a particular focus on delivering maximum benefits to the environment. Notably, this focus extends to freshwater environments, which are often underrepresented in conservation efforts.

According to Natural England, wetlands, and freshwater habitats make up only around 3% of the total land area in the UK, but they support approximately 11% of all UK species. Source: Natural England. (2015)

Floodplain meadows are both culturally and environmentally rich habitats, which provide an array of benefits including carbon and water storage, wildlife havens, and a valued component of the farming landscape.

Ensuring Ecological Soundness

While BNG offers promising opportunities for financing nature recovery across the UK, its effectiveness hinges on ecologically sound execution. Trusted and knowledgeable organisations play an essential role in this regard. The River Thame Conservation Trust is firmly committed to serving as an advisor to local authorities within our catchment, functioning as a Trusted Delivery Partner to ensure that BNG initiatives are executed with the utmost ecological integrity and are consistent with restoring nature at a landscape and catchment scale.

About the Project Site

The project is being delivered across four permanent grassland fields adjacent to the River Thame. Two of the fields are extensively flooded for several months in winter every year, impacting grazing for Eddie’s cattle, while another (severed from connectivity with the river by the Thame bypass) is drier and only partially floods. All fields have some remnant ridge and furrow features present, indicating a long history of farming in a wet landscape. The site is important for a growing community of over-wintering and breeding wading birds, including a small population of breeding curlew.

Before the project started, the grassland in these fields had a low variety of grasses and herbs, meaning there was a lot of potential to increase biodiversity. The project will restore over 16 hectares of Floodplain Wetland Mosaic habitat by creating wetland areas and spreading ‘green hay’ from a local nature reserve. The seeds from the green hay will introduce new plant species and increase the variety of plants in the fields. Additionally, 10 hectares of permanent grassland will be improved by adding seeds of native species. This will include the semi-parasitic yellow rattle, which helps control the growth of the coarser grasses, to increase plant diversity. A 1.5-hectare area of scrubland with scattered trees will also be developed using a mix of natural regeneration and planting native species. This will help connect different parts of the site and link it to the surrounding landscape.

Restoring the Floodplain Wetland Mosaic

At the heart of this visionary project is the commitment by Eddie to change the model of his farm to a more sustainable one, working along agro-ecological principles to create a healthy, thriving business, at the heart of the local community, for many generations to come. A key aspect of this vision is working with rather than against nature to achieve a farm that benefits from healthy soils, clean water, healthy livestock, bountiful pollinators and ample pest controllers (grass snakes, birds, bats and many other species). RTCT have been able to support this vision, bringing our knowledge and expertise to help restore natural habitats and ecosystems on the farm, in particular the Floodplain Wetland Mosaic bordering the River Thame.

The key components of the project are:

Wetland Scrape creation: We've created a mosaic of scrapes of varying depths that provide additional water-holding capacity, draining from surrounding fields as well as the river. The shallow water and exposed mud at the edges of the scrapes are particularly important for wildlife, not just for aquatic plants and animals but many pollinator species, reptiles and amphibians, birds and small mammals. Birds use mud for nest building (barn swallows and house martins) and waders such as snipe, redshank and lapwing need damp soil to provide insect food for their chicks.

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Green Hay Spreading: We will use plant-rich green hay from Leaches Farm, a BBOWT reserve, to bring native meadow plants to the area. This will transform the current low-diversity grassland into a more diverse meadow habitat, creating a home for insects (including pollinators), small mammals, and birds. The meadow species being introduced have deep roots that help the grassland recover well after floods and stay productive during droughts, making it more sustainable and resilient.

Protecting Wildlife: To safeguard the wildlife on site, which includes rare ground-nesting birds such as curlew and lapwing, Eddie is fencing the public footpath running through the field to try to minimise disruption from dogs. Dogs can disturb ground-nesting birds, as the nests are hidden in the grass and are easily trampled, potentially destroying the eggs. Disturbance can also cause the nesting adults to abandon their nest resulting in chicks perishing.

Creating Shelter Belts: Native trees and shrubs will be used to create a wide shelter belt, providing nesting and foraging habitats for a variety of wildlife. This shelter belt will also improve connectivity across the farm to the surrounding landscape, which is important for species to disperse and expand their ranges, especially in the face of climate change. Additionally, the scrub belt will protect livestock during inclement weather, improving the health of Eddie’s livestock herd that will graze the fields as part of the habitat management plan.

Management & Monitoring: The new habitats will be managed to create a more diverse sward, which means a dense layer of grass and plants of varying heights and species. This will particularly benefit invertebrates and bird species that are declining locally and nationally. The habitats will be regularly monitored, and the survey findings will be used to adjust the management plan to ensure the habitats develop as intended.

Eddie Rixon: A Pioneer in Sustainable Farming

This ambitious project would not have been possible without the dedication and enthusiasm of Eddie Rixon, a fourth-generation farmer and an active member of the Thame Catchment Farm Cluster. Eddie has developed a comprehensive 30-year strategy to make his farm both environmentally sustainable and economically viable. His vision encompasses:

•Transitioning the landscape from a monoculture of rye grass to species-rich grassland.

•Implementing agroforestry and shelter belts for the benefit of nature, livestock, and his farm's profitability.

•Managing floodplain meadows in an environmentally friendly manner, allowing the river to use its natural floodplain.

In addition to these efforts, Eddie has installed barn owl and kestrel boxes on the farm in partnership with the Bucks Owl and Raptor Group (BORG). The boxes have been fitted with cameras to livestream the activity of the owl pairs and their chicks.

Eddie Rixon has said the following about the project: "After two years in the making, it's exciting to finally get started on the wetland creation at Lopemede Farm, which is more important than ever as we hope to help contribute significantly to nature recovery and the biodiversity crisis, whilst achieving net-zero goals. It will be fascinating to see the return of winter waders which were common in my father and grandfather's generations, along with supporting a great diversity of invertebrates, reptiles, bats, and barn owls."

Sustaining Nature's Recovery in the River Thame Catchment

Given that Biodiversity Net Gain agreements span multiple decades, this project lays the cornerstone for enduring nature recovery along the River Thame's floodplains. While this marks the inception of BNG projects in the catchment, our vision extends far beyond. This project has been a catalyst for strong partnerships with the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment and working closely with  Buckinghamshire Council, bringing our combined skills and knowledge of local habitats and species to deliver the best outcomes for BNG delivery in the context of local opportunities such as the emerging Local Nature Strategy. The restoration of nature relies on effective and long-term partnerships. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our forward-looking partners - Buckinghamshire Council, TOE, and Eddie Rixon who made this project possible.

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