Convened Groups
2025 was a busy year for NCA and our main clients. Here is a snapshot of the milestones achieved.
Environmental Farmers Group (EFG)
- Delivered a landmark nutrient offset project in the Hampshire Avon catchment, generating phosphate credits to unlock local housing development.
- Appointed first Managing Director to support growth and strategy.
- Built a working relationship with Regenerate Outcomes and Ecometric for high-integrity soil carbon measurement and carbon credit opportunities.
- Established farmer-led water quality monitoring labs across multiple farmer groups.
- Partnered with NFU Mutual to help farmers manage natural capital risks.
Trading & Environmental Delivery:
- Registered a third nutrient neutrality project.
- 16 ongoing Biodiversity Net Gain projects at various stages of development.
- Completed 110 individual farm plans where farmer put forward 6,500 ha of land for nature recovery.
Peakland Environmental Farmers (PEF)
- Launched membership in 2025, focused on landscape-scale environmental recovery in the Dark Peak and South West Peak.
- Secured a Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) grant in November 2025 to develop a farmer-led vision for nature recovery.
Swaledale & Wensleydale Environmental Farmers (SWEF)
- Launched at the start of 2025 with a farmer-led, landscape-scale approach to conservation.
- Secured £100,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support group development, appoint a project officer, and deliver a long-term Conservation Plan.
- Won a Rural Payments Agency Water Restoration Fund grant to deliver natural flood management projects across the Dales.
- Built partnerships with researchers and the local River Trust to deliver lasting environmental, cultural, and community benefits.
Environmental Advisory
The 2025 highlights from our Advisory team include:
- Conducted habitat baselines using Natural England’s BNG Statutory Metric on 10,580ha of land.
- Completed three new whole estate biodiversity audits and assessments.
- Creation of six comprehensive Habitat Management and Monitoring Plans.
- Assisting SWEF with farm plans to aggregate the supply of natural capital.
- In excess of 40,000ha of physical on the ground surveys have been completed since the formation of NCA in 2022.
Natural Capital Consultancy
The 2025 highlights of our Environmental Consultancy services include:
- Prepared EFG’s first Catchment Conservation Plans.
- Successfully registered three nutrient neutrality projects.
- Advised and managed 22 EFG members’ natural capital projects.
- Led the natural capital training programme for a national insurance company.
- Supported two Estate Business Group members in developing their strategies for environmental delivery.
Brokering
- NCA has successfully completed four and agreed a further 12 natural capital trades
- Built a supply pipeline of £72m across the four principle natural capital markets.
- Developed strategic trading relationships with four utility companies and two Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects for the supply of Biodiversity Units.
2025 has been a year of building on our strong foundations, major funding wins, strategic partnerships and tangible on-the-ground action across NCA’s convened groups. We look forward to carrying this momentum into 2026 as we continue to support farmers and land managers with natural capital opportunities.