10 AUGUST 2026
Grosvenor has launched a new film demonstrating how a pioneering environmental baseline of its three UK rural estates is being used to guide long-term action to enhance biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions.
Data from natural capital baseline fieldwork, developed over more than a year with specialist consultants and gathered using pioneering techniques like aircraft mount laser scanners, has been analysed by Liverpool John Moores University’s (LJMU) Natural Capital Hub, bringing together detailed information on soils, habitats, carbon storage and biodiversity across Grosvenor’s UK rural estates.
Through the work of LJMU we now know that:
The findings show that around 90% of habitat across the estates is in good or moderate condition.
We already exceed the “30by30” target agreed at the UN Biodiversity Summit (COP15) in 2022 and adopted by the UK to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030, with 36% of our land meeting the target.
The research also identified more than 250,000 biodiversity units across the estates – already a nationally significant number – and the potential to increase this by 10% through targeted action.
It found that the land stores more than 11 million tonnes of carbon, around 80% of which is held in peatlands, underlining the importance of ongoing restoration work.
More accurate data has also enabled Grosvenor to establish a 2024 carbon footprint of approximately 71,000 tonnes of CO2e across its three UK rural estates, while managed woodland, grassland and other natural capital assets are estimated to sequester around 18,000 tonnes of CO2e annually.
In addition, LJMU has used the data to produce opportunity maps, helping Grosvenor identify where targeted interventions can deliver the greatest benefits for nature, people and climate resilience, including carbon storage, habitat improvement and flood mitigation.
To help employees apply the findings in practice, Grosvenor has also developed an uplift tool that models the benefits of different land-use choices in real time, supporting teams to prioritise action and measure progress.
The data is now informing a 25-year nature and carbon improvement programme, which includes new woodland planting, further peatland restoration, property retrofits and low-carbon transition schemes, while continuing to monitor and evaluate the impact of activity over time.
The programme builds on more than 1,000 hectares of peatland restoration completed since 2013 and is designed to support Grosvenor’s 2050 carbon reduction target, while delivering wider benefits for soil health, biodiversity and climate resilience.
A new sustainability at the rural estates page on Grosvenor.com bring together the latest information and activities from across the rural estates that demonstrate how the organisation is delivering long term benefits for nature, climate and communities, as well as important documents, including its carbon strategy and sustainability policy.
Jo Holden, Head of Sustainability at Grosvenor, said: “This work marks a significant step forward in how we understand and manage the land in our care. By understanding the land in greater detail, we can turn insight into action for nature, climate and communities. Combining detailed environmental data with practical tools, we can identify where action will have the greatest impact for nature, climate and communities – in real time – and turn those insights into measurable progress, through our 25-year nature and carbon improvement programme.
Paul Mannion
Public Relations and Communications Manager
+44 (0)1244 684400
paul.mannion@grosvenor.com