Grosvenor turns to LJMU Natural Capital Hub expertise

One of the UK’s largest landowners is working with LJMU to aid climate resilience, biodiversity and food production on its 130,000 acres.

The university runs a unique lab called the Natural Capital Hub which leads research and analysis on the real value of soils, forests, plants and water resources.

Grosvenor Rural Estates is being supported by its director Dr Colm Bowe to apply a natural capital approach to inform decision-making across three large rural estates in the north of England and the Highlands.

Reported in today’s The Times newspaper, the scheme is described as “pioneering” and "one of the most detailed environmental surveys ever undertaken by a private organisation."

The organisation said: “We've been working to establish a natural capital baseline, capturing precise environmental data that enables us to make informed decisions that enhance nature recovery and climate resilience. By understanding the benefits our land provides — such as carbon capture, natural flood mitigation, and improved air quality — we can better support the ecosystems we manage.

Every inch of the Grosvenor estates is being modelled in 3D to reveal vital data on biodiversity and emissions, using laser (LIDAR) mounted n planes and drones.

Jo Holden, head of sustainability at Grosvenor Rural Estates, told The Times that it was the first private entity to partner with a university on this scale of environmental survey.

“The estates are working with the LJMU Natural Capital Hub, that aims to protect nature by sharing data and strategies between public and private bodies,” she said.

“We are in a very privileged position in being able to do a deep dive on the state of our natural capital. We have had consultants out on the ground for the last nine months taking soil samples and the most detailed baseline of our current state of nature.”

Dr Colm Bowe, who is a reader in the LJMU Liverpool Research Institute for Climate and Sustainability (LiRICS), said: “It’s really important that leading rural estates like Grosvenor are engaging in a natural capital approach to inform land-use decisions that consider the value of the natural environment for people and the economy. The world is facing a climate and ecological emergency.”

Professor John Gillibrand OBE, a leading government advisor on land management, commented on LinkedIn: “Excellent work! Very well done to the joint teams of Grosvenor and Liverpool John Moores University!”

IMAGE: Ben Stack and the River Laxford on the Reay Forest Estate - ALAMY.