Led by Suffolk Wildlife Trust, in partnership with the Environment Agency, the WaLOR Project is a specific Defra-funded initiative within the UK Landscape Recovery pilot programme that focuses on the restoration and enhancement of the Waveney and Little Ouse river catchments on the Suffolk/Norfolk border.

The project has reached the exciting stage of being open for business in the ecosystems services market after the pilot phase has placed the group on the front foot of this emerging financial stream.

The pilot phase began in 2022 with a focus on enhancing the natural heritage of the landscape and combatting declines in biodiversity, while making changes that could enhance the climate. Led by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, through its project manager Daniel Wade, WaLOR has brought together landowners, farmers, conservation organisations and local communities in a concerted effort to address a number of environmental issues, including enhancing river corridors, improving water quality, restoring or creating wetlands and many other actions which all add up to a sustainable land management approach.

Taking a blended finance approach, WaLOR is now at a point where it is ready to start negotiations for buyers and investors interested in participating in the ecosystems services market.

The following are our estimated ecosystem services emanating from our nature-led landscape recovery plan:

In addition to these quantifiable ecosystem values, the group is open to discussion on other interests such as measures of biodiversity increase.

Picture above shows just one example of the proposed land management changes

If you or your business is considering or actively looking into the ecosystem services market and would like to help us to make a landscape scale difference for nature, please contact project manager Daniel Wade: daniel.wade@suffolkwildlifetrust.org