Facilitating the adoption of regenerative agriculture

UKCEH researches and shares new farming practices and develops cutting-edge tools to support targets. And our scientists don’t stop there: they go beyond net zero to explore co-benefits for biodiversity and water, soil and air quality.

Researching new farming practices

Agriculture is undoubtedly one of the industries that will require a significant reduction in emissions to deliver the Seventh Carbon Budget.

UKCEH research is well underway to identify land use changes that contribute to carbon sequestration or GHG emission reduction whilst understanding impacts and opportunities for other habitats.

Experiment: Enhanced rock weathering on upland grasslands

UKCEH scientists are trialling an innovative method to mitigate climate change and boost crop yields in mid-Wales. Known as Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), this technique involves adding finely ground basalt rock to farmland, a process that has potential to rapidly absorb and lock away carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

At Pumlumon/Plynlimon in Powys, researchers have applied basalt dust (particles under 2mm) to three hectares of upland grassland annually for three years.

Detailed monitoring of soil GHG emissions of CO2 and CH4; biodiversity of plants, soils and surrounding streams; grassland productivity and soil and stream water chemistry in on-going. Time-lapse cameras even monitor sheep grazing to assess forage changes.

UKCEH has a history of research in the Pumlumon/Plynlimon catchment, and this trial is supported by historic long-term detailed monitoring.

Early signs of change are emerging, but a longer-term study is needed to distinguish rock dust effects from natural variability. A high-resolution dataset of GHG fluxes is now helping researchers model ecosystem responses in detail. To learn more or support the future of this pioneering research, please contact us.

Exploring the potential of biochar

Biochar is a charcoal-like material produced by heating organic matter, such as wood, in a low-oxygen environment in a process called pyrolysis. This process results in a carbon-rich product that can be buried in soil to capture carbon. Beyond carbon capture, biochar can offer additional benefits, including increased crop productivity and reduced soil greenhouse gas emissions.

The UKCEH engages with UKRI, NGOs, government bodies, and the private sector to explore the benefits and trade-offs of biochar use. Our projects include assessing the potential of biochar to mitigate N₂O emissions and other co-benefits in arable cropland, investigating the permanence of biochar in peatlands, and testing its soil health benefits in smallholder farming in Southeast Asia. Additionally, UKCEH is working with the private sector to design robust measurement, reporting, and verification protocols for developing reliable biochar carbon credits.

Agroforestry: Improving the management of hedgerows

Hedgerows do more than mark field boundaries: they protect livestock, support wildlife and play a vital role in tackling climate change. Yet, since the post-war period, around half of these valuable habitats have been lost due to agricultural intensification. In the 2007 Countryside Survey, fewer than half of the remaining hedgerows were in good structural condition.

More about the survey >

In a new project for Natural England, UKCEH scientists repeated the hedgerow survey across England. UKCEH used the data to review the effectiveness of the agri-environment schemes (AES) for hedgerows and carried out a questionnaire of around 400 farmers and contractors to gain a better understanding about their hedge management practices.

The findings will inform future policies to expand and improve hedgerows across the country. UKCEH’s research highlights that targeted planting and improved management techniques, such as laying and coppicing, can significantly boost hedgerows’ ability to store carbon and support biodiversity.

Healthier, better-managed hedges mean more habitat for insects, nesting birds and small mammals supporting ecosystem services such as pollination and natural pest control, whilst enhancing our landscapes.

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Decision-making support tools

UKCEH scientists work to translate their research into tools that support environmental decision making on the ground, by giving land managers relevant, easy-to-access information on key aspects of their local environment. Examples of these tools include:

Web-based solutions for habitat monitoring

UKCEH combines scientific expertise and extensive data to assess species populations and explore the links between biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.

A vital step to doing this is to monitor the success of conservation and restoration actions, and we work to support citizen scientists and land managers to collect and explore their own species data.

Our E-Surveyor mobile app supports farmers and land managers in assessing the quality of their habitats. With AI-powered plant identification, users can discover which insects and pollinators are linked to specific plants, carry out structured habitat surveys and compare their findings with established checklists.

The app can also be used to:
• Establish natural capital baselines;
• Set and monitor performance against targets.

Identifying opportunities for ecosystem protection and restoration

UKCEH has created a free, easy-to-use tool designed to help identify areas with potential for environmental improvement within a field, farm or landscape.

E-Planner combines satellite and aerial imagery with national environmental data to evaluate how suitable different locations are for achieving a range of environmental outcomes, including:
•    Water resource protection
•    Woodland creation
•    Seed-rich bird habitat
•    Flower-rich pollinator habitats
•    Wet grassland restoration

Advanced technologies for environmental monitoring

UKCEH scientists have developed advanced research equipment which can be used for monitoring and reporting on nature-related metrics. Here are a couple of examples.

Automated Monitoring of Insects (AMI)

Understanding trends in species and their drivers is key to monitoring change in biodiversity, its underlying causes, and how these factors vary across space and time. Effective species monitoring requires robust methods that minimise bias and maximise the quantity and quality of data collected.

Combining robust lighting for attracting insects with high resolution cameras, the UKCEH AMI System offers practical and cost-effective solutions for standardised monitoring.

The AMI System combines computer vision and an autonomous imaging system to capture images of moths in the field, locate them in the image and classify them to species. A second generation device is now undergoing field trials which will significantly reduce costs and increase ease-of-use, likely to be launched in 2026.

More about the AMI >

Air quality sampler systems

UKCEH air sampler systems can be used to monitor atmospheric pollutants including ammonia (NH3), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitric acid (HNO3) and the chemical components in particulate matter (PM) and fog.

The UKCEH ALPHA® sampler measures ammonia (NH3) concentrations in air. It has been used for over 25 years in the UK Defra National Ammonia Monitoring Network and used globally in research understanding spatial and long term changes in NH3 concentrations allowing the impacts on ecosystems to be understood.

The UKCEH DELTA® system is a low-volume denuder air sampling method for long-term sampling of gas phase NH3, HNO3, HCl, SO2 and particulate matter (NH4+, NO3-, SO42-, Cl-, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+).

UKCEH has recently developed a Conditional Time Averaged Gradient (CoTAG) product for quantifying pollution deposition fluxes at low time resolution, a conditional fog sampler to separate fog/cloud chemicals and rain chemical deposition and a lab-based green-tech ammonium analyser. We are continually innovating to address environmental measurement needs for both research and policy.

More about the systems >

Image above shows example sample train configuration for ammonia/ammonium measurements.