Midloe Grange Pt. 2
Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP)
In our previous blog post, we discussed the first steps we took with Farmer, David Felce when assessing his farm in Huntingdonshire.
We completed a UK(Habs) compliant ecology survey and assessed the potential parts of David's farm that could be enhanced to form an offsite Biodiversity Gain Site. Midloe Grange Farm is an excellent example of where both arable use and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) can be combined together. Read the first article here.
After finalising the design element for the site, we worked with David to decide on which habitats would be located where. We got to work with our ecologists on the next phase in the process: creating the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP). This was previously often referred to as a Biodiversity Offset Management Plan (BOMP), however government guidance (and their BNG consultation response in February) has since formalised the term HMMP. Each one of these is unique to the project and landowner.
The HMMP is a detailed report that provides guidance on the creation and long-term management of the habitat areas, and the resulting habitat units to be created on the site. This is for the duration of the statutory management period of a minimum of 30 years.
These reports are produced in accordance with BS 42020:2013 Biodiversity - Code of Practice for Planning and Development (Section 11.1) as well as the Guidelines for Ecological Report Writing produced by the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).
The report outlines specific criteria and timeframes for each targeted habitat type to achieve desired condition scores (typically moderate or good). These criteria are based on the Defra Metric Condition Assessment Sheets that accompany the Metric. It provides a detailed description of the steps involved in creating various habitats, such as neutral grassland, mixed scrub, and reedbeds at Midloe Grange Farm, as well as enhancing the woodland to generate woodland credits. These steps also consider the starting point of each habitat, such as current arable use or existing grassland to determine improvements and enhancements.
After sowing and establishment, the report focuses primarily on the management requirements, providing a detailed breakdown of the best timing throughout the year and the specific years from the start of the project for completion. The HMMP for Midloe Grange also identifies the most suitable grass seed mix, and a list of scrub species with planting requirements for the mixed scrubland and woodland areas.
Together with David's passion and curiosity, combined with our knowledge of the biodiversity credit market and our team of ecologists, the HMMP is an ever-evolving document. We are continuing to refine and perfect it as we approach the launch of the Biodiversity Gain Sites Register in November and beyond into the management period. We are looking forward to sharing the next stage of this project and the positive impact it will have on biodiversity conservation. Stay tuned for more updates from Midloe Grange!
