Big Chalk partners, led by Plantlife, have successfully secured funding from the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund (NEIRF) to develop the UK’s first grassland-specific toolkit. This pioneering project will equip farmers to restore and manage species-rich grasslands, unlocking new financial support optionsand promoting biodiversity and sustainable land management.
Species-rich grasslands provide enormous benefits for wildlife, biodiversity, and climate resilience. Yet, almost 97% of these valuable grasslands have been lost over the last century, making it essential to work together to bring them back. By collaborating with project partners, Plantlife aims to reverse this decline by empowering farmers with practical tools to protect and rejuvenate these essential ecosystems.
Supporting smaller farms with fewer resources offers a unique opportunity to boost food production while advancing grassland restoration. With NEIRF backing, Plantlife will lead this initiative through the “Realising Grassland Potential: An Ecosystem Services Toolkit for Farmers” project.
What is the project?
This toolkit will be the UK’s first resource dedicated to grassland-specific ecosystem services, with a focus on smaller farms. It will explore diverse aspects of grassland management—such as grass types, soil management, grazing, and cutting regimes—and provide practical advice for farmers seeking to connect with emerging private finance opportunities, thus supporting a transition toward regenerative grassland management.
Many smaller farms operate on limited budgets, often finding it difficult to access the nature market due to a lack of resources for surveys and planning. This toolkit will offer an accessible, practical guide, empowering farmers to make informed decisions that enhance their livelihoods while supporting environmental health. Additionally, it aims to showcase the significant ecosystem services that species-rich grasslands can deliver.
Expected Impact
This toolkit will raise awareness of the essential role species-rich grasslands play in providing ecosystem services, from soil health and carbon storage to biodiversity. By simplifying access to funding, it will facilitate the protection, restoration, creation, and sustainable management of grassland habitats.
Plantlife and its partners hope that this project will also increase recognition of the vital contributions farmers make to maintaining and restoring grassland ecosystems. Throughout the development process, partners will engage with farmers to understand their concerns, goals, and unique land-use needs. Once completed, Plantlife will pilot the toolkit with farmers in England, offering ongoing support and monitoring to ensure effectiveness.
The development of this toolkit involves a strong collaboration between many organisations, including Floodplain Meadows Partnership, Finance Earth, National Landscapes Association, and Pasture for Life, with advisory support from Nature Friendly Farming Network, Soil Association, Soil Association Exchange, Natural England, and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
Together, Big Chalk partners are breaking new ground, equipping farmers with the tools to drive grassland restoration across England. This toolkit will be a cornerstone in making grasslands more resilient and profitable, ensuring a future where both people and nature thrive.
Join our partnership
Realising our vision depends on building a broad, representative partnership – we do together what we cannot do alone.
If you would like to discuss joining the Big Chalk Partnership, please email David Hoccom.
Register your project
The Big Chalk programme is made up of a dynamic and evolving suite of partner-led projects. These may do different things, cover different areas and have different partners but they all have two things in common – they contribute towards delivering the Big Chalk vision and the Big Chalk Board has agreed they can be registered as a Big Chalk Project.
Once registered, a Big Chalk Project can use the Big Chalk brand on its materials, benefiting from an enhanced profile as well as access to networking, shared learning and best practice. Importantly, Big Chalk Projects are recognised as being part of a collective effort to secure the future of nature in southern England’s iconic chalk and limestone landscapes.
The registration process begins with submission of an online form.
Join a topic group
Knowledge transfer within the Big Chalk Partnership happens through a series of topic groups, which meet online three to four times a year. These currently cover:
- Land management for nature’s recovery
- Working with farmers and land managers
- Developing landscape-scale programmes
- Local nature recovery strategies
- Evidence, data and recording
- Natural capital
- Health, wellbeing & engagement
If you are interested in joining a Big Chalk topic group, please email Bruce Winney.
Become a funder or partner
We would love to hear from you if your organisation can help fulfil our mission and contribute to delivering our vision of nature-rich chalk and limestone landscapes that benefit all of us.
If you would like to discuss funding or partnering with Big Chalk, please email David Hoccom.
