Recently, Derbyshire County Council finalised a very significant report called The Natural Capital Strategy for Derbyshire. It describes the current condition of Derbyshire’s environment and all the ways in which it benefits people. The Council will publicly launch the report later this year, but in the interim, we’ve been digging into the detail for our supporters.

What is Natural Capital? 

Nature supports all life on earth providing our food, fuel, building materials, fresh air, clean water and more. Natural Capital is the stock of natural resources (e.g. plants, animals, air, water, soils, minerals) that in addition to its intrinsic value, delivers benefits to people. The services people receive from nature are known as ‘ecosystem services’ including healthy soil, crops, timber, clean air and water, carbon sequestration, pollination, flood mitigation and more. Many ecosystem services aren’t recognised in conventional economic thinking, but they are absolutely vital to a functioning economy. A Natural Capital approach establishes the baseline of ecosystem services, allowing you to see what you currently have and the benefits they deliver. 

Natural Capital Strategy for Derbyshire 

That’s exactly what Derbyshire County Council have set out to do. Using the best available information, establish what value the residents get from Natural Capital, and how this baseline can be improved. 

The findings are staggering. The total annual net value of ecosystem benefits and services produced within Derbyshire is £2.6 billion. Key benefit values include carbon sequestration by habitats (£2 billion, 77% of total benefits), mineral production (£298 million, 11% of total benefits) and recreation (£181 million, 7% of total benefits). The carbon sequestration benefits provided by habitats outweigh the GHG emissions produced by habitats (-£95 million) and livestock (-£249 million). 

What’s even more remarkable, is that nature delivers these benefits in spite of its relatively poor condition. Tucked away in an appendix, are the figures on our most precious sites for biodiversity, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), which show just how few of them are actually in a good condition. This is partially attributable to the level of habitat fragmentation particularly across wetlands, heathlands and grasslands, as illustrated in the relevant maps of the Strategy. How much more value could our wildlife and habitats deliver to the people of Derbyshire, if we fully committed to putting nature into recovery? 

The figures demonstrate in financial terms what we all intrinsically know, that nature and wildlife are crucial to our wellbeing and prosperity. The numbers are collated at both county and individual areas of Derbyshire, presenting localised data on strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement. And that is a key part of the strategy, how do we improve the resilience of our natural capital in the face of biodiversity loss, climate change, and increasing population pressure? These are and will continue to impact the resilience of our habitats and their ability to provide the ecosystem services that too many take for granted.  

The report pays particular attention to the future impact of climate change on natural capital and the impacts it will have on the following: 

Rainfall: 

Although the total amount of rainfall received throughout the year in 2080 will be very similar to that of today, the seasonality will increase; the rainfall will fall in sharper, more intense bursts, with longer dry periods between them.…This trend is very significant for agriculture, habitats and individual species, as the required amount of rainfall may be less likely to fall at key times of year, for example to support germination and fruiting, or to stop ponds from drying out. Conversely, more intense bursts of rainfall are likely to increase surface water runoff increasing, flood risk, and causing soil erosion and water quality issues. This highlights the importance of taking early action in support of natural flood management, soil conservation, and protection of waterbodies from harmful inputs.p143 

Urban Heating: 

Temperature increases, and an increase in heatwave events, are particularly significant for densely populated and deprived urban areas, where there is a greater risk of heat stroke and other impacts on health and well-being. To mitigate the effects of heat, green corridors and cooling features such as trees and wetlands are expected to become increasingly valuable, particularly in urban environments. P142 

Agriculture: 

Some areas have the potential to improve in soil quality for agriculture; these areas are located near the upland fringes…Conversely, some areas display a decrease in agricultural land quality by 2080…this change is largely due to an increase in soil drought conditions…and this includes significant areas of land that is currently good quality, Grade 2 and Grade 3 land, around the Chesterfield/ S Yorkshire Notts & Derbyshire Coalfield area, and in the Trent Valley. In these areas, particular consideration should be given towards supporting agricultural management practices for enhancing soil carbon (which improves soil moisture retention), increasing on farm water storage (including wetland creation), agroforestry, or growing alternative, drought resilient crop varieties p150 

Improving Derbyshire’s Natural Capital 

While the threats presented may seem daunting, the strategy also recommends how we can best address them: 

Climate change is an important emerging risk to all ecosystem services due to its impact on the underlying key factors of habitat, soil and land management…As a general rule of thumb, habitats that are currently in favourable condition, are connected through a strong ecological network, and are surrounded by a range of topographic niches, are considered to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change than habitats that are currently in poor condition and more fragmented, with limited opportunities for species migration as the climate changes. 

The need to improve habitat connectivity and resilience is a key message of the Council’s approach, as the strategy’s recommendations are mainly geared towards doing so. Creating the evidence base was the first step to assessing the problems and now we need to take action. At Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, we think harnessing nature can be the most efficient way to improve multiple ecosystem services simultaneously, which we pursue through Nature-Based Solutions. For example, the Derwent Living Forest will sequester carbon, mitigate flooding, and enhance habitat connectivity and biodiversity. But these types of action cannot be taken by any one organisation alone so we’re looking forward to seeing the Council adopt the following recommendation: 

Maximum value from the Natural Capital Strategy will be realised by embedding the findings into local government strategy and development planning…This will ensure an integrated approach to planning, that will lead to making the most of opportunities for natural capital protection and enhancement and bring wider understanding of the societal benefits of natural capital. P164 

If we are to fully put nature into recovery, we need local authorities to embed a natural capital approach into their operations. The environment cannot and should not solely be valued in financial terms, but a natural capital approach can be useful in helping decision makers fully consider the impact of their choices, so this strategy should be welcomed as a positive development.