Greenshank in the News: Q1 2026

In the first quarter of 2026, BBC News featured a Greenshank habitat bank. The Stonehill Habitat Bank in Wiltshire, and the rare butterfly it aims to bring back, reached national, regional and farming audiences. Alongside it, Greenshank's leadership wrote about biodiversity net gain policy for the planning and built environment press.

Stonehill, Wiltshire: Bringing Back the Duke of Burgundy

At Red House Farm in the Cranborne Chase National Landscape, Sonja and Perin Dineley are turning 56 hectares of improved pasture into species-rich grassland, scrub and woodland: the Stonehill Habitat Bank, developed with Greenshank and Restore. One aim is to bring back the Duke of Burgundy, one of Britain's rarest butterflies. BBC News ran the story as a feature, Sonja was interviewed on BBC Radio Wiltshire, and the local and farming press followed.

• BBC News: The farmers fighting to save the Duke of Burgundy butterfly (feature, February 2026)
• i Weekend: Couple on a mission to boost Duke of Burgundy butterflies (print feature, February 2026)
• BBC Radio Wiltshire: interviews with Sonja Dineley (broadcast, March 2026)
• Wiltshire Times: Wiltshire farm welcomes new ecological habitat restoration (local news, February 2026)
• Gazette & Herald: Family leads habitat restoration project to bring back rare native creatures (local news, February 2026)
• Salisbury Journal: Rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly could return to Wiltshire with major new project (local news, March 2026)
• South West Farmer: Farmers in Wiltshire restore habitats with help of company (farming news, March 2026)
• Natural World Fund: Restoring Habitat for the Rare Duke of Burgundy Butterfly (case study, March 2026)

Comment and Opinion

Greenshank's leadership wrote three pieces on biodiversity net gain policy this quarter. Kim Connor-Streich, Chief Commercial Officer, gave his predictions for 2026 in BE News and later explained a BNG rule change made quietly before Christmas. In The Planner, Dr Gabriel Connor-Streich, Chief Executive Officer, argued that exempting more development from biodiversity net gain is the wrong answer to the policy's problems.

• BE News: 26 for '26: Industry leaders deliver their predictions for the year ahead (commentary, January 2026)
• The Planner: BNG has problems. Exemptions aren't the solution (opinion, March 2026)
• BE News: BNG policy quietly changed before Christmas. If you're building homes in 2026, it will affect you (commentary, March 2026)

Press Enquiries

Writing about biodiversity net gain, nutrient neutrality or Environmental Delivery Plans? Our team is available for comment. Contact us.