Responsible Body Services
Fera is an approved Responsible Body under the UK Environment Act of 2021, providing legal, ecological and commercial assurance for Biodiversity Gain Sites secured through Conservation Covenants.
What does it mean to be a Responsible Body?
We work with landowners, developers, habitat banks and investors across England to deliver high-quality, resilient biodiversity outcomes at scale.
This recognition underlines our technical expertise, environmental governance, and commitment to safeguarding natural capital for future generations.
Our ambition is to operate as a trusted and commercially practical Responsible Body supporting our clients in the BNG market. Conservation Covenants must be robust but they must also be workable and as such we focus on providing clarity, proportionality and responsiveness so our clients can move forward with confidence
Neill Hogg
Business Development Manager
What we provide as a Responsible Body
Legally secured biodiversity outcomes
Conservation Covenants structured and held in line with the UK Environment Act of 2021, securing long-term delivery of biodiversity uplift.
Structured onboarding and scoping
Early-stage suitability checks, data gathering and clear decision points to confirm whether your project can proceed.
Independent due diligence
Structured legal and ecological review of land, metrics and management plans to confirm deliverability over the full covenant term.
Covenant design and registration
Preparation, negotiation and execution of legally robust agreements, including registration with HM Land Registry and the Biodiversity Gain Site Register.
Commercially workable agreements
Clear pricing, defined monitoring approaches and practical covenant structures aligned to your funding and delivery model.
Long-term monitoring and stewardship
Risk-based inspections, reporting and adaptive management across a 30+ year period, with proportionate oversight throughout.
]Legally Secure. Ecologically Robust. Designed to Move Faster
Our Commitment
Affordable
Risk-based pricing. Proportionate monitoring. Remote sensing through LAND360 where appropriate.
Adaptable
Each covenant is tailored to site complexity, habitat type, legal structure and funding model.
Responsive
Clear decision points. Transparent timelines. Direct access to Experts.
Our Structured Client Journey
1.
1. Initial Enquiry & Early Scoping
We confirm whether the proposal appears suitable for a Conservation Covenant.
2.
2. Information Gathering & Sense-Check
We issue our RB Client Enquiry Form and request key documents.
3.
3. Quotation & Commercial Agreement
We deliver clear pricing, cost assumptions and a transparent monitoring approach.
4.
4. Due Diligence & Feasibility Review
This stage ensures the site is deliverable over the full 30-year covenant term.
5.
5. Conservation Covenant Drafting
We prepare a legally robust covenant aligned with Sections 117–119 of the Environment Act 2021.
6.
6. Completion & Registration
Upon execution, we start delivering on required regitrations to get started.
7.
7. Habitat Delivery & Monitoring
Year‑one verification, tailored monitoring, risk‑based inspections, remote checks and clear reporting.
8.
8. Long-Term Stewardship (30+ Years)
Our role is to safeguard outcomes while enabling practical delivery.
Independent assurance for long-term biodiversity delivery.
From early feasibility through to covenant execution and monitoring, Fera provides a complete Responsible Body service aligned to regulatory requirements and commercial realities. Our approach is structured, transparent and designed to support delivery over decades.
