Helping to leave the natural environment in a better state
More information about this innovative project, based on land near to the village, was available to everyone at the Buriton Open Gardens Renaturing Trail event.
Naturum bought the land off Greenway Lane from a local family who had owned it since 2006.
Previously used for turf cultivation and more recently grazing, Naturum recognised that the site offers good potential for ecological enhancement.
In the UK, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) legislation aims to ensure that new developments leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than beforehand.
To achieve this, developers must deliver a minimum 10% increase in biodiversity value and maintain those habitat enhancements for at least 30 years.
Whilst this should be done on the development site whenever possible, off-site locations can be considered.
With the Buriton site being located close to the Queen Elizabeth Country Park and the Butser Hill National Nature Reserve, the initiative provides opportunities to extend these natural habitats and, in time, integrate the land to create a single thriving natural ecosystem of over 2,000 acres.
Outline plans for diverse green spaces over the years ahead include:
- planting specialist wildflower and herb seed mixes to enrich grassland biodiversity
- restoring the calcareous grassland found on Butser Hill
- restoring hedgerows to increase species diversity
- extending mixed deciduous woodland areas to support local fauna and invertebrates.
More information about the initiative can be found in the leaflet attached below.
