26 Mar Providing Ecological Support to L&G’s Pudding Wood Habitat Bank Creation Project
BSG Ecology are pleased to have supported Legal & General on their pilot carbon capture and habitat bank creation project, Pudding Wood, since its inception in September 2024. The project, located near Gatwick airport will transform 155-hectares of low-grade agricultural land into a rich mosaic of nature-based assets which aim to generate carbon credits and help deliver local biodiversity priorities and nature recovery.
The site has been split broadly into two equal areas. One half of the site will include new broadleaved woodland planting which, alongside the benefits to nature, will deliver carbon capture to help L&G offset their residual carbon emissions. The other half of the site is dedicated to habitat creation and enhancement to deliver significant biodiversity gain.
As project ecologists BSG Ecology bring a wide range of skills, experience and expertise necessary to support a project of this nature including practical experience and expertise in habitat creation, restoration and management.
We have worked closely with the client to develop a vision and conservation targets aimed at delivering local nature recovery objectives. This not only includes carbon capture, tree planting and habitat creation but also targets for local biodiversity plan priority species, including birds, mammals, invertebrates, amphibians and plants.
Over the last eighteen months we have undertaken a detailed assessment of the baseline and future biodiversity value of the site, working with soils scientists at Tim O’Hare Associates and project management and forestry consultants at Savills to develop a costed delivery plan for the establishment and enhancement of habitats which will include:
– Planting of approximately 140,000 native trees
– Creation and enhancement of lowland mixed deciduous woodland, traditional orchards, meadow, mixed dry and wet scrub and hedgerows
– Enhancement of watercourses and ditches through installation of leaky dams and riparian habitat improvements
– Restoration of existing ponds and creation of new ponds targeted at protected species.
We are currently finalising the detailed prescriptions for habitat creation, management and monitoring as part of the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) for the habitat bank. This includes discussions with the client about the potential for the site to be used for research into long term ecological change. We have also supported the promotion of the site through public meetings with the local community and local conservation charities, outreach to local academic institutions and have liaised with the local bat group, undertaking joint trapping surveys of the site. The baseline surveys undertaken by BSG and innovative acoustic monitoring of bee populations commissioned by L&G will be used to monitor the success of the habitat measures for BNG reporting purposes and internal reporting to L&G.
As practical works are proceeding BSG is providing an on-site ecological clerk of works role ensuring creation and management works are undertaken to a high standard.
We look forward to seeing this project progress over the coming years and the positive impact it will have on both wildlife and the local community.
(Top and bottom left photo courtesy of L&G, 2026. Bechsteins bat caught and handled under licence by BSG Ecology)