Protecting Nature
As a Responsible Body, our goal is to make habitat restoration and biodiversity enhancement a viable and effective solution for landowners and developers empowering them to offset their ecological impacts. At the same time, we are helping to reverse decades of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and the negative consequences of climate change.
As one of the few Commercial Responsible Bodies, our goal is to make habitat restoration and biodiversity enhancement a viable and effective solution for landowners and developers empowering them to offset their ecological impacts. As such we aim to work with the landowner developing a long lasting relationship; so that we can implement the necessary biodiversity improvements but doing so in conjunction with the farmer’s / landowner’s utilisation of their land.
Through these efforts, we are helping to reverse decades of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and the negative consequences of climate change and we are contributing to a legacy of environmental stewardship that will benefit future generations. By restoring natural habitats and promoting biodiversity, we are not just mitigating environmental harm, but actively working to create a more sustainable and resilient planet.
In partnership with developers, landowners, habitat banks and local authorities we focus on restoring degraded landscapes across the UK, returning them to their natural, biodiverse state. This restoration process connects existing protected areas, creating vital wildlife corridors and nature networks that strengthen ecosystems and help to preserve biodiversity. Our work supports the broader conservation effort by improving ecological resilience, enhancing water quality, and contributing to flood risk management.
By fostering these partnerships, we strive to demonstrate that ecological restoration and responsible land use can coexist, creating a win-win scenario for both the environment, and development sector. In doing so, we are taking meaningful steps toward a more sustainable and biodiverse future.
What is a Responsible Body?
As a Responsible Body, ProHort EcoShield can enter into conservation covenants with landowners and developers. Conservation covenants are legally binding agreements that are designed to establish a 30 year term of maintenance and improvement of land enabling the sale of Biodiversity Net Gain Units by the landowner to the developer. Although conservation covenants can be set up to protect land for a range of different reasons, we use them as our primary way to support the delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain units.
The role of a Responsible Body involves:
Setting up the Agreement
Carrying out Due Diligence, setting up the Conservation Covenant in agreement with the land owner, which specifies the conservation goals to be met, what work needs to be completed and by what date.
Monitoring
Monitoring the implementation of the maintenance and improvements detailed within the conservation covenant, to ensure that they are carried out as per the agreement.
Partnership
We believe that clear communication is key to our success in working with farmers and landowners. This is especially important given that the landowner retains full ownership and control of the land while we help coordinate the implementation of the Habitat Management Monitoring Plan (HMMP).
Find out more about what we do as a Responsible Body and how to start setting up your Conservation Covenant, click here.
If you are a developer click here to see how one of our trusted partners can assist you.