How new legislation is driving demand for trees and hedging
The Environment Act 2021 now requires developers in England to achieve a minimum of 10% biodiversity net gain on all new developments. Trees and hedgerows are among the most effective tools for meeting this requirement.
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a planning requirement that means new developments must leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than they found it. It's no longer enough to simply avoid environmental damage - developers must actively improve biodiversity.
Biodiversity is quantified using standardised biodiversity units, which take into account factors like habitat size, distinctiveness, condition and location. These units can be lost through development or gained through habitat creation and enhancement.
BNG can be delivered through three routes - individually or in combination:
Whichever route is taken, a management plan must be drawn up covering a minimum of 30 years. BNG currently applies to most new developments in England, with nationally significant infrastructure projects coming into scope from November 2025. Some smaller developments are exempt.
There are many ways to earn biodiversity units - woodland creation, hedgerow planting and meadow establishment among them. Hedgerows are particularly valuable: they create some of the most biodiverse habitats available to developers, and this is reflected in the weighting given to them in the biodiversity metric.
At Rymer Trees, we grow a wide range of hedging and woodland species with a minimal environmental footprint. Our peat-free, cell-grown stock is ideal for BNG schemes - quick to plant, high-establishment, and backed by our Plant Healthy and UKISG certifications, which satisfy the traceability and biosecurity requirements increasingly demanded by project ecologists.
Whether you're a developer, ecologist, land agent or landowner looking to create off-site BNG habitat, we can supply the trees and hedging your scheme requires. We're happy to discuss species selection, quantities, timing and delivery to suit your project.
For more information on BNG legislation, see the Government's BNG guidance.