Unlocking Natural Capital Across a Major South West England Estate

A strategic framework to identify, evaluate and prioritise land‑based natural capital opportunities

Location: South West England

Collaborators: Tellus Natural Capital

Nicholsons worked in collaboration with Tellus Natural Capital to deliver a comprehensive natural capital assessment for a large rural estate in South West England. The project combined detailed GIS mapping with on‑site ground‑truthing alongside the estate team and key stakeholders, creating a robust, location‑specific evidence base to support long‑term strategic decision‑making. A bespoke Natural Capital Matrix was developed to assess each management block’s potential to deliver ecosystem services, using a Red‑Amber‑Green scoring system alongside relative monetisation potential. This process identified a range of high‑value land‑use opportunities across the property, including woodland creation, eco‑tourism, targeted Biodiversity Net Gain, water environment enhancements and more resilient agriculture, all supported by a focused appraisal of viable routes to market in the UK Natural Capital landscape.

Natural capital assessment showing habitat, soil and land use mapping on a North Somerset estate

Natural capital opportunities map.

Natural capital assessment informed by ground‑truthing and estate stakeholder engagement in North Somerset

Landscape and habitat features assessed within a natural capital framework.

Natural capital assessment supporting strategic land management on a rural North Somerset estate

Landscape context for a North Somerset natural capital assessment.

Natural capital assessment identifying woodland creation and biodiversity opportunities on a North Somerset estate

Land cover analysis supporting strategic natural capital assessment.

Unlocking Natural Capital Across a Major South West England Estate

A strategic framework to identify, evaluate and prioritise land‑based natural capital opportunities

Location: South West England

Collaborators: Tellus Natural Capital

Nicholsons worked in collaboration with Tellus Natural Capital to deliver a comprehensive natural capital assessment for a large rural estate in South West England. The project combined detailed GIS mapping with on‑site ground‑truthing alongside the estate team and key stakeholders, creating a robust, location‑specific evidence base to support long‑term strategic decision‑making. A bespoke Natural Capital Matrix was developed to assess each management block’s potential to deliver ecosystem services, using a Red‑Amber‑Green scoring system alongside relative monetisation potential. This process identified a range of high‑value land‑use opportunities across the property, including woodland creation, eco‑tourism, targeted Biodiversity Net Gain, water environment enhancements and more resilient agriculture, all supported by a focused appraisal of viable routes to market in the UK Natural Capital landscape.

Natural capital assessment showing habitat, soil and land use mapping on a North Somerset estate

Natural capital opportunities map.

Natural capital assessment informed by ground‑truthing and estate stakeholder engagement in North Somerset

Landscape and habitat features assessed within a natural capital framework.

Natural capital assessment supporting strategic land management on a rural North Somerset estate

Landscape context for a North Somerset natural capital assessment.

Natural capital assessment identifying woodland creation and biodiversity opportunities on a North Somerset estate

Land cover analysis supporting strategic natural capital assessment.

Contact our Natural Capital Team

Jess Bradley


Natural Capital Lead

+44 (0)1869 340342

Explore our full range of ecological services

Discover more about Nicholsons’ wider ecological and natural capital services, supporting resilient landscapes and strategic land‑use decisions.

Contact our Natural Capital Team

Jess Bradley


Natural Capital Lead

+44 (0)1869 340342

Explore our full range of ecological services

Discover more about Nicholsons’ wider ecological and natural capital services, supporting resilient landscapes and strategic land‑use decisions.