The Eden Project Wildflower Bank
The Eden Project is launching a plan to help reverse the UK’s nature crisis. Eden-owned company, the Eden Project Wildflower Bank, aims to create wildflower-rich habitats across the UK through Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) Units. We offer a nature recovery approach which will conserve, manage and restore habitats that enhance biodiversity in partnership with landowners, organisations and businesses looking to invest in a positive gain for nature.
The UK is recognised to be one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
Since the 1930s, 97% of wildflower meadows and other flower-rich landscapes in England and Wales have been lost. We need to recover these valuable natural assets to help ensure our future resilience and maintain healthy ecosystems.
The Eden Project's National Wildflower Centre has been delivering creative conservation and new wildflower landscapes all across the UK for over 20 years. The Wildflower Bank will use the knowledge and expertise of the National Wildflower Centre to deliver high-quality, biodiverse, wildflower-rich landscapes across the UK.
BNG
BNG is a way to contribute to the recovery of nature while developing land. Done well, BNG should leave habitats and the places where we live in a better state than they are today for future generations of people and wildlife.
The climate emergency and the unprecedented loss of biodiversity at a local and global level go hand-in-hand. Biodiversity is the cornerstone of a resilient future. By investing in nature, we can help tackle climate change, reverse species decline and contribute to human health and well-being.
The Eden Project Wildflower Bank builds on 20 years of experience from the National Wildflower Centre. The NWC is a charitable, mission-led organisation contributing to landscape-scale nature recovery across the country. By working with landowners and communities, the NWC has created and enhanced habitats to bring back the beauty of wildflowers for everyone.
Our BNG scheme specialises in the creation or enhancement of wildflower-rich habitats. Its model is derived from our knowledge and skills in creating wildflower-rich grassland habitats for nature recovery and social regeneration projects in both urban and rural landscapes.
We can deliver biodiversity net gain as on or off-site BNG or as part of a voluntary ESG package for businesses looking to improve their sustainability, or that want to deliver nature-positive actions as part of their commitments and targets for sustainability forums and endorsements.
Wildflower meadows have a high diversity of native wildflowers and grasses, but they only cover 1% of the UK land area. They play a fundamental role in supporting much of our wildlife, including pollinators, which provide a vital ecosystem service and are essential to our food security
Because of this, wildflower-rich habitats are a brilliant way to achieve Biodiversity Net Gain. Rare habitats in their own right when they are in full swing, they support a huge amount of wildlife, such as bees, butterflies, and other insects, bats and birds, as well as reptiles, amphibians and even fungi. They also provide important ecosystem services such as storing carbon and retaining water. They also contribute to our own well-being by providing a rich environment for natural and cultural connection.
We are already creating and enhancing habitats on land with low levels of biodiversity to build a habitat bank.
Our focus is on the creation and enhancement of wildflower-rich habitats that can generate biodiversity units while also making a significant contribution to nature recovery and human well-being across England. The Eden Project Wildflower Bank will also create a series of seed hubs across the country to support nature recovery. These hubs will provide the means to harvest, clean, store and distribute wildflower seed and support nature recovery more widely.
Information for buyers of BNG units
Are you an individual or organisation who wants to incorporate BNG into their work?
We can work with you to create or enhance habitats to satisfy BNG requirements as part of development design and delivery, including embedding wildflower-rich habitats as green infrastructure or by providing offset through a habitat bank.
Information for landowners
BNG is an exciting way to harness new long-term financial opportunities whilst also contributing to nature recovery. We want to build a relationship with future-focused landowners who are interested in helping us bring back wildflowers while also creating more environmental and economic resilience in their assets and income.
About us
National Wildflower Centre
