Grounds Maintenance, Landscape Creation, Arboriculture, Sports Surfacing, Parks management, IOS Managing Safely Training, Ecology & Biodiversity, Grass cutting, Horticulture, Street Cleaning, Soft Landscaping, Hard Landscaping
idverde provides a wide range of green services, including grounds maintenance, landscape creation, and advice services, to both private and public sectors across the UK.
The cities of the future won’t just be smart; they’ll be wild.
Urban planning in the UK is entering a period of structural change. Alongside the climate emergency, the continued decline of biodiversity is reshaping how cities are designed, developed, and managed. Where nature was once treated as an amenity or visual enhancement, it is increasingly recognised as essential infrastructure.
Green space, wildflower corridors, and pollinator-friendly planting are no longer aesthetic extras; they are becoming essential systems for climate resilience, ecological recovery, and public well-being.
With new environmental regulations taking hold and local authorities setting ambitious nature recovery goals, biodiversity enhancement is emerging as the next critical frontier in shaping our urban areas.
State of Nature states: “Since 1970, more than half of our flowering plants, mosses and their relatives have been lost from areas where they used to thrive.”
Cities may be built from concrete, but their future depends on the living systems within and around them.
Biodiversity in urban settings plays a vital role in ecosystem health and the services we all rely on, from managing surface water and improving air quality to supporting food production through pollination.
Urban green spaces also provide proven mental and physical health benefits, enhance community cohesion, and mitigate the urban heat island effect by cooling local temperatures.
In a 2023-24 report, the UK Office for Environmental Protection warned that biodiversity in England is continuing to decline and that environmental recovery is far from being on track under current trajectories.
Meanwhile, Natural England reported in 2023 that just 38% of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in England are in favourable condition. This shows us the underlying need for urgent change, not only in the countryside but also within our urban centres.
The UK’s policy landscape is also evolving to reflect this urgency. In February 2024, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) became mandatory in England under the Environment Act 2021.
This means most new developments must deliver at least a 10% increase in biodiversity value unless exempt.
What is BNG? Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a development strategy that aims to improve natural habitats. It ensures that any land used for development is left in a better condition for wildlife than it was beforehand, with clear, measurable improvements.
In England, BNG is a legal requirement under Schedule 7A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, introduced through the Environment Act 2021.
All developers are required to achieve at least a 10% net gain in biodiversity. This means that new developments must create or enhance habitats so that the overall quality or amount of natural space is greater than before the project began.
This is a game-changer for developers, planners, and land managers.
It marks a shift from biodiversity being a passive concern to an active and quantifiable requirement.
Forward-thinking organisations are now embedding ecological thinking at the earliest stages of project planning, whether through native planting, integrated habitat corridors, or long-term management plans that support pollinators and wildlife.
Effective biodiversity planning doesn’t just meet regulations; it also improves outcomes for both people and the planet.
At idverde, we believe that ecology should be considered from day one. Our teams collaborate with developers and local authorities to create resilient and regenerative landscapes that meet ecological, social, aesthetic, and commercial objectives.
This means using native species, avoiding monocultures, incorporating seasonal interest, and ensuring that long-term maintenance aligns with ecological performance, not just visual standards.
Using native species of trees, shrubs, and grasses helps support local biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. Native flowering trees like rowan and cherry, and flower and berry-producing shrubs such as hawthorn and spindle, planted alongside native wildflower mixes suitable for local soil types, are all particularly beneficial for pollinators and wildlife.
Avoiding monocultures, like ornamental plants, unused turfgrass, or single-species tree plantings, is important where appropriate and necessary. A diverse mix of species that mimics ‘local’ natural ecosystems and provides layered habitat structure is a more sustainable approach.
Seasonal interest refers to designing landscapes that offer both visual and ecological value throughout the year. For wildlife, this means creating continuous food sources for pollinators, birds, and other species. It also supports phenological diversity, allowing different plants to bloom, fruit, or seed at different times.
Top tip: Use a mix of early-flowering native bulbs, summer perennials, and late-season seed-bearing plants to maintain interest and ecological function across the seasons.
For example, at the Bardon II industrial development in Leicestershire, idverde’s enhancement initiative allowed the former arable farm to become a thriving local ecosystem. This case study demonstrates that industrial developments can coexist with conservation.
Working in partnership with RSPB Ecological Adviser Ross Bray, we implemented a Biodiversity Enhancement Plan that included installing underground hibernacula, bee banks, native wildflower banks, a kestrel box, woodland bird boxes for priority species, including redstart and spotted flycatcher and introducing sympathetic mowing regimes to expand the area of species-rich pollinator grassland.
We also managed the areas around the banks of the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) to ensure a continued viable wetland habitat, created woodland habitats for bats and birds, and repurposed site arisings for compost.
Biodiversity is steadily increasing, with surveys recording species like brown hares and grey wagtails, as well as common spotted orchids, along with sightings of the striking marbled white butterfly, attributed to relaxed mowing practices.
A site such as Bardon II, which has undergone development upheaval, may take a decade to fully show signs of management success; although the signs are there, this is very encouraging. Therefore, expectations versus outcomes must also be embedded in any management planning.
The site now serves as a blueprint for biodiversity-focused grounds maintenance at similar industrial estates.
Meeting biodiversity targets isn’t something that happens after the build. It requires trusted partners who can design, deliver, and manage landscapes in line with both ecological evidence and practical realities.
idverde provides end-to-end biodiversity services, from habitat assessments and BNG metric calculations to planting design and ongoing ecological maintenance.
We have teams that are trained in ecological practices, and we’re committed to upskilling the next generation through apprenticeships and green skills training across the UK.
We also believe in the social value of green space. Enhancing biodiversity doesn’t just support insects and birds; it supports people. Well-managed, biodiverse landscapes can help reduce health inequalities, encourage outdoor activity, and create spaces that communities are proud to protect.
idverde’s Community Engagement Officer, Paul Ashman, invited Biodiversity Manager Tom Bellamy to visit Wiltshire. Tom, who oversees biodiversity at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in partnership with RSPB, spent several days assessing local wildflower areas and offering expert insights.
During his visit, Tom recorded current flora and fauna and provided tailored recommendations for improving biodiversity over the next five years. His strategy includes guidance on native planting, land preparation, and long-term maintenance, ensuring these spaces thrive ecologically and support local wildlife. Read more on this story here.
Delivering real biodiversity gains takes collaboration. That’s why idverde has proudly partnered with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) for over seven years.
Together, we’ve combined on-the-ground expertise with conservation science to create richer habitats across the UK, from urban parks to large-scale estates.
This partnership helps ensure that our planting, land management, and habitat creation strategies are informed by best-practice conservation principles, supporting not only compliance with Biodiversity Net Gain but also a meaningful ecological impact whilst simultaneously meeting our clients’ needs.
Whether advising on wildflower meadows, wetland creation, or pollinator corridors, the RSPB has been instrumental in helping idverde go beyond “green” and deliver landscapes that genuinely work for wildlife.
Summer (2025) alone shows our partnership with RSPB has been demonstrating a positive impact, driving forward biodiversity initiatives, engaging communities, and uncovering exciting ecological discoveries. From urban parks to rural woodlands, discover more here.
Urban biodiversity isn’t a trend; it’s a necessity. Cities built with nature in mind will be the ones that thrive in a changing climate, meet the needs and desires of growing populations, and deliver on their environmental promises.
At idverde, we’re proud to play a role in this transformation, helping clients turn ambition into action and concrete into canopy.
“The best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago, and the second-best time to plant a tree is now”
Let’s plan for a future where nature has a permanent postcode.
