Project News: Wyescapes Landscape Recovery Reaches a Key Milestone with Defra Submission

We are delighted to announce that our client Herefordshire Rural Hub has now formally submitted its plans to Defra, marking a major milestone after nearly two years of development with farmers, land managers and partners. Wyescapes is a long-term, farmer-owned Landscape Recovery project restoring the river corridors of the Wye and Lugg in Herefordshire.

As green finance partner, we built the blended finance plan and the financial/business model - showing how Wyescapes can deliver a wide range of beneficial ecosystem services to public and private partners.

Thank you to Herefordshire Rural Hub and partners including Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, Herefordshire Meadows, Wye and Usk Foundation and the Environment Agency - and to the Accelar team. Together, the proposals aim to restore habitats, improve river health and reduce flood and drought impacts, while supporting sustainable, climate-resilient farming and local communities.

The submission covers 5,012 hectares of land with active interventions planned (equivalent to 12,385 acres or 50 km2).

The project is proposed to run for 30 years, with a legacy intended to last for generations.

Expected impacts and outcomes include:

• Restored natural habitats

• Nature rich farms

• Supporting long-term river recovery

• Public access and new landscape experiences

• Sustainable food and farming

• Thriving local communities

It’s also encouraging to see organisations already engaging with Wyescapes - from agri-food companies to developers and infrastructure partners. As natural capital markets continue to evolve, there are still multiple opportunities for new partners to get involved and help unlock long-term, beneficial outcomes for nature and communities.

Wyescapes is a strong example of what’s possible when many stakeholders align around a shared vision—bringing together farmers, communities, NGOs and public bodies to deliver change at a landscape scale.

As a nature-based investment opportunity on a meaningful scale, Wyescapes spans more than 5,000 hectares across Herefordshire and offers multiple pathways to high-integrity, UK-based outcomes - such as carbon, biodiversity uplift, flood, drought and nutrient mitigation, and improved climate resilience for food systems, communities and nature.

Read more about the project and how you can support or invest in its work here -