For landholders

The Somerset Catchment Market provides farmers and landholders with a new opportunity to earn money from nature recovery projects.

What is the opportunity?

The Somerset Catchment Market is a new opportunity for farmers and landholders to earn money by creating new woodlands, wetlands and undertaking arable reversion and cover crop projects.


These nature-based projects will deliver valuable environmental services - such as increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration, natural flood risk management and nutrient mitigation.


What's in it for you?

  • An additional source of revenue
  • Access to expert advice to develop projects that meet accredited standards
  • A straight-forward way to benefit from the growing market for environmental services
  • An opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to nature’s recovery

What projects are eligible?


We are looking for farmers and landholders to work with us to develop long-term woodland and wetland projects, and short-term arable reversion and cover crop projects in priority areas within the Somerset Levels and Moors Catchment.

Long-term projects

Long-term projects include: interceptor woodlands; woodlands; and interceptor wetlands.

Interceptor woodlands

Permanent land-use change to woodland with active maintenance required.  The aim is to intercept surface water flows and subsurface lateral flows from agricultural land, to retain sediments


Length of Nature-based Project Agreements

80 years

Woodlands

Permanent land-use change to woodlands with active maintenance required. The aim is to take existing arable and pasture/improved grassland out of agricultural production, whilst still allowing other productive uses of the woodland, but not in conjunction with pheasant/game bird pens.


Length of Nature-based Project Agreements

80 years

Interceptor wetlands

Permanent land-use change to wetlands with active maintenance required.  The outlet of the wetland should drain to a ditch or stream that is hydrologically connected and upstream of the designated features of the Somerset Levels and Moors Special Area of Conservation.


Length of Nature-based Project Agreements

80 years

Short-term projects


Eligible short-term projects include:


  • Arable reversion (including new or wider buffer strips) to zero-input grassland
  • Arable reversion to low/medium-input grassland 
  • Cover crops following combinable crops 
  • Cover crops following maize and other late-harvested crops 


Arable reversion must be in place for 3, 4 or 5 years, cover crops must be in place over one winter (or up to 5 winters if continuous spring cropping).



Project Development Requirements and Specifications

Project specifications for ongoing Projects can be requested here

Where can projects be located?


The Somerset Catchment Market is working with landholders to develop projects that can mitigate the nutrient impacts of developments on the Somerset Levels and Moors Special Protection Area (SPA). 


Priority area for the initial market rounds

The initial Market Rounds will be focused on delivering Projects in the highlighted area in the interactive map below.

What are additionality tests?

A single Nature-based Project can deliver multiple environmental services.


Through the Somerset Catchment Market, the payments to landholders will reflect the value of the environmental services sold through the market.


It is critical for the integrity of the market that the projects deliver real environmental improvements.


That is why the market includes 'additionality tests' to make sure that:

  • a Nature-based Project results in positive physical change in one or more environmental services;
  • and that the landholder didn't already have a legal obligation to deliver a project in that location.

What consents may be needed?

Nature-based Projects eligible in this market may require consents or permissions. These would need to be in place before project establishment can occur. It is your responsibility, as the landholder, to get any necessary consents in place for your project. The Somerset Catchment Market team will be available to give guidance and support and land advisors may be able to help, so do ask for advice.


Important organisations and consents to consider, may include;

  • Planning permission from your local planning authority
  • Environmental Impact Assessments: Natural England, Forestry Commission
  • Environment Agency: discharge, spoil, ground water permits


Note - this is not a complete list.

How can I get involved?

If you are a landholder with an idea for a nature-based project in the eligible area, then please get in touch with our team to discuss the opportunity to participate in the Somerset Catchment Market.


More information about the process for landholders to participate in the market is available here. 


If you have any questions then please check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

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