How the Nature Protection Pledge works in practice
Renewable energy should support nature, not come at its expense. That’s why we created the Nature Protection Pledge. The pledge is our commitment to ensure that every solar project protects, restores, and enhances the land for future generations.
This isn’t just a statement of intent, but a framework that shapes every stage of a project. It influences everything from how we design a site to how we build it, care for the land over its lifetime and, eventually, decommission it.
Here’s what that commitment looks like in practice, from the first ecological surveys to decades of active land management, and how we hold ourselves accountable at every stage.
What the Nature Protection Pledge actually commits to
At the heart of our Nature Protection Pledge is a clear commitment: every solar project we develop will deliver at least 60% biodiversity net gain (BNG).
To make this happen we start our ecological work before we even think about designing a solar farm. We undertake baseline surveys and ecological walkovers to understand the existing habitats and species on site. A habitat walkover is then undertaken by a qualified ecologist to translate what is present into habitat, hedgerow and river units, ensuring we can create a landscape plan that delivers significant biodiversity enhancements.
Only then do we design the site. Through the careful design of our site and management across its operational life, we guarantee a minimum 60% BNG (with many achieving much higher than this). This goes above and beyond the required 10%.
We champion responsible stewardship of the land we work on and hold ourselves accountable for what happens to it. That means taking the long view: increasing biodiversity, improving soil structure and supporting healthy, resilient ecosystems. More than this, we want to encourage other developers to follow suit. Through our Nature Protection Pledge, we are showing how our work, and the wider renewables industry, can enhance the land for future generations.
You can download the full pledge here to explore our commitments in more detail.
Stage 1
Understanding what is already there: baseline ecology
To protect and enhance nature, we first have to understand what is already there.
Before any design work begins, ecologists carry out a Phase 1 habitat survey across the whole site. This is a detailed walkover that maps the vegetation, habitats and other features of ecological interest already present.
If the Phase 1 survey identifies that protected or notable species may be present, further surveys are commissioned. These are species-specific, seasonally timed and could include:
- Bat transects and activity surveys
- Breeding and wintering bird surveys
- Badger sett checks
- Reptile surveys using refuge mats
- Great crested newt surveys using environmental DNA (eDNA) or traditional methods
We also carry out voluntary soil, pollinator and botany surveys as standard across our projects. These surveys give us a full picture of each site from the outset and a clear baseline against which to measure future change.
Stage 2
Designing around nature from the start
Ecology doesn’t just inform our decisions; it shapes the design of every site we develop. The findings from our surveys directly influence the layout. Panel rows are moved away from sensitive areas. Hedgerows are retained. Protective buffers are given around ancient trees, badger setts and ponds from the outset. We believe renewable energy projects should, at a minimum, leave nature in a better state than they found it.
We ensure wildlife corridors are designed into the site, with gaps in fencing allowing small mammals to move freely and green corridors to connect habitats across and beyond the site boundary. Wildflower and grassland mixes are selected to suit the soil type and local seed provenance, with nectar-rich species chosen to support pollinators. We collaborate with specialist partners such as the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to make planting choices that support the needs of specific species.
You can see this approach in practice at our Aller Langport Solar Park. Here, we’ve safeguarded existing species habitats, added new hedgerows and planted visual screening that supports wildlife corridors and local biodiversity throughout the life of the park.
Stage 3
Construction safeguards
We know that construction can temporarily disturb wildlife if not carefully managed. That’s why we appoint an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) to help safeguard nature throughout our construction process.
An ECoW is an independent ecologist who makes sure our ecological commitments are carried through into construction. They support our team to ensure we work around any protected species and are on hand to advise on any unexpected findings. If a protected species is identified unexpectedly, the ECoW has the authority to stop all work on site.
Timing matters. Sensitive activities are planned around the needs of local wildlife. Vegetation clearance, for example, is timed to avoid bird nesting season. Buffer zones around ecologically sensitive features are clearly marked and protected throughout construction. These safeguards, and many more, help keep nature protected throughout the build.
Stage 4
Managing the land across 40 years
We take the long view. Every solar project we develop has what’s called a Landscape and Ecological Management Plan (LEMP). This is sometimes called a Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) or a Biodiversity Net Gain Plan (BNGP). It’s a planning document that details how a site will be managed throughout its operational life.
The LEMP governs land management for the full operating life of the site (typically 40 years). This document is reviewed and updated a handful of times throughout the lifetime of the project, setting a clear standard for how biodiversity enhancements are delivered and maintained. This means the plan remains effective and responsive to the growing landscape. The LEMP details the following:
- Grassland management: Mowing regimes are designed to maximise wildflower diversity rather than simply keep grass short. Carefully timed cuts allow wildflowers to flower, while giving insects time to complete their life cycles and continue foraging.
- Hedgerow management: Hedgerows are maintained through laying, coppicing and gap filling with native species to strengthen habitat connectivity and support wildlife. New hedgerows are managed for the long term, ensuring they establish successfully and continue to thrive.
- Creating and caring for habitats: Pollinator strips, pond management, bird and bat boxes, and hibernacula created from recycled and locally sourced materials all form part of our long-term approach to supporting wildlife. Where ecological surveys identify a need, we introduce measures for priority species.
This is what responsible stewardship looks like in practice. Through careful land management, habitat creation and consistent ecological monitoring, we show that solar farms can provide real benefits for local ecosystems, from bats to invertebrates, while delivering clean energy.
Stage 5
Monitoring and course-correction
Our pledge keeps us accountable. Monitoring helps us understand how habitats and species are responding over time and whether the measures we put in place are working.
This is why biodiversity on BSR sites is monitored through formal surveys, carried out at defined intervals as set out in the LEMP for each site. This creates a long-term record of how habitats and species respond over time, helping us understand what is working and where management can be adapted. Rather than relying on a single post-construction check, we’re actively monitoring biodiversity improvements.
Monthly landscape checks are carried out as a proactive measure: covering new planting care, watering during dry summer months, and day-to-day site condition, and are separate from the formal biodiversity survey programme.
Sometimes we find out that our biodiversity targets aren’t being met. Perhaps a wildflower mix has not established, or the bats we expected to use our bat boxes just aren’t. Then we adjust, we change our plans to suit what nature needs. Our pledge is a commitment to keep doing better.
Our voluntary bat survey programme is one example of this long-term approach, building a consistent dataset that supports national conservation efforts.
Stage 6
Decommissioning with the land in mind
At the end of a project’s life, our goal is to protect the ecological gains made over decades. We want to protect the grassland, hedgerows, and other habitats we have established.
This is what it means to take the long view: considering the land at every stage of a project’s life, from the first ecological surveys through to decommissioning.
A commitment you can see and measure
For the communities around our sites, the Nature Protection Pledge means visible action: managed grassland, stronger hedgerows, wildflower areas, habitats for wildlife and a team that is monitoring what is happening over time.
It also means our commitments can be measured. We are transparent. From the 60% BNG target and baseline surveys to construction oversight, long-term management plans and ongoing monitoring, the pledge creates a clear record of what we have committed to and the progress being made.
Every project we deliver is part of something bigger: helping to deliver the clean energy the UK needs while caring for the land and leaving nature in a better place.
Where to learn more
Our Nature Protection Pledge is already being put into practice across the projects we develop and operate. Explore the pledge in full and see how this approach is helping to protect and enhance nature across our sites here.
