Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
What will be measured, by whom, and how often — so everyone can see whether the scheme is delivering what it promised.
Last updated: 22 April 2026
The Monitoring and Evaluation Plan sets out what will be measured across the twenty years of the scheme, by whom, and how often — so that the consortium, DEFRA, and any buyers of environmental outcomes can see whether the scheme is delivering what it promised.
This page describes the plan. The plan itself is a working document held by the consortium. When the plan is complete, you will be able to download it from this page.
What the plan will contain
When complete, the plan will set out:
- The environmental indicators being measured — for water, carbon, biodiversity, soil, and landscape
- The methods used to measure them, and how those methods meet the relevant standards
- The frequency of monitoring and who carries it out
- The reporting arrangements — to DEFRA, to buyers, and to the public
- How the data will be stored, checked, and made available
Who contributes to this plan
The Monitoring and Evaluation Plan is shaped by the consortium with input from independent ecologists, monitoring bodies, and (where the scheme intends to sell credits) the verification bodies for the relevant standards — for example the IUCN UK Peatland Programme for peatland, the Forestry Commission for woodland carbon, and the statutory BNG metric for biodiversity.
What happens once the plan is complete
Once signed off, the plan is submitted to DEFRA along with the other five plans. This page’s banner will flip to “Decision reached”.