Our partnership with Map Impact to showcase new nationwide biodiversity tool
We’ve partnered with pioneering environmental reporting group, Map Impact, to demonstrate how an innovative new tool can be used to improve biodiversity on England’s housing estates.
During the Biodiversity Net Gain webinar hosted by Disruptive Innovators Network, our Tadworth development was used to showcase how Map Impact’s nationwide biodiversity measurement and monitoring technology can track performance against nature-based targets.
The service, which is being launched this month in-line with The Government’s Biodiversity Net Gain legislation, is primarily based on outputs from satellite data, providing rapid screening of landscapes across the country, and the ongoing collation of analytics to evidence environmental improvements.
It indicates the baseline status of biodiversity on estates, and their neighbouring regions, so that tailored interventions can be implemented to increase the presence of nature on new and existing developments, benefitting both the environment and residents.
The tool will also help housing providers to achieve their Environmental, Social, and Governance aims, meaning they will be eligible to borrow money from lenders at preferential interest rates, enabling them to invest in building more much-needed new homes.
Ali Bennett, Executive Director of Homes at Raven Housing Trust, said: “It is great to be working alongside Map Impact to demonstrate the positive effect this innovative new tool will have on England’s existing and future housing developments. Having access to constantly updated, granular detail regarding the level of biodiversity on different housing sites will be instrumental in shaping housing providers’ planning process and strategy creation as the sector journeys towards achieving its goal of becoming net zero carbon.
“Being led by data-driven, tailored solutions relating to individual estates will enable us to not only benefit the natural world it will also bring significant rewards for residents and local communities.”
Richard Flemmings, Chief Executive Officer of Map Impact, added: “It’s been a pleasure working with Raven Housing Trust to support their ambitions for nature and biodiversity enhancement in their communities. Consistent and objective monitoring of biodiversity is critical to ensure the success of incoming government environmental legislation, as well as providing evidence that nature-based goals are being met. Map Impact’s BiodiversityView product provides rapid screening and monitoring to help to target nature-based interventions anywhere in England.
“Showcasing this technology in a Disruptive Innovators Webinar aligns exactly with Map Impact’s principles of a highly collaborative approach to getting new and innovative technologies into the hands of those that need them”.