Potential habitat conversions and biodiversity unit calculations under the Biodiversity Net Gain metric framework in England, 2025

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This dataset is available under the terms of the Open Government Licence

This dataset contains a structured table of potential habitat conversions and their associated biodiversity unit calculations under the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) framework implemented in England. The potential baseline habitats and conversions were limited to habitats relevant to the study area, Oxfordshire. The dataset describes baseline habitat characteristics, potential post-conversion habitat states, and the biodiversity metric parameters used to determine biodiversity units before and after habitat conversion. Each row represents a potential habitat conversion scenario, including habitat type, distinctiveness, condition scores, temporal risk factors, and technical difficulty multipliers.
The dataset was created as part of the Agile Sprint 11 of NERC Grant NE/W004975/1.
Publication date: 2026-10-14

Format

Comma-separated values (CSV)

Spatial information

Study area
Spatial representation type
Triangular irregular network
Spatial reference system
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid
Spatial resolution
10 metres

Temporal information

Temporal extent
2025-01-01    to    2025-12-31

Provenance & quality

The dataset was generated using habitat classification information combined with parameters from the Biodiversity Metric framework. Baseline habitat characteristics include habitat type, distinctiveness category, and habitat condition. Potential post-conversion habitat characteristics also include habitat type, distinctiveness category, and habitat condition and are further distinguished in habitat creation and enhancement.

All variables were extracted from the Statutory Biodiversity Metric Calculation Tool. Biodiversity unit values were calculated following the equations in the Biodiversity Metric 4.0: Technical Annex 2 - Technical Information (Natural England, 2023) by combining habitat attributes with biodiversity metric parameters, including distinctiveness scores, condition scores, and risk multipliers. Technical difficulty multipliers and temporal risk multipliers were applied also according to the Biodiversity Metric 4.0: Technical Annex 2 - Technical Information (Natural England, 2023).
Calculations were done using Python and Microsoft Excel.

Correspondence/contact details

Sarah Gall
University of Oxford
 sarah.gall@spc.ox.ac.uk

Authors

Gall, S.
University of Oxford
Gall, S.
University of Oxford
Gall, S.
University of Oxford
Duffus, N.
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
zu Ermgassen, S.
University of Oxford

Other contacts

Publisher
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
 info@eidc.ac.uk
Rights holder
University of Oxford
Custodian
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
 info@eidc.ac.uk

Additional metadata

Topic categories
environment
Keywords
Biodiversity , Biodiversity Net Gain, Biodiversity restoration, Habitat restoration, Land use , Modelling , Nature finance, Nature market
Funding
Natural Environment Research Council Award: NE/W004976/1