TENDER ALERT: A multi-method approach to habitat baselining National Trail corridors

With funding from the Protected Landscapes Partnership, the National Trails Nature Recovery Programme is the UK’s first coordinated programme to unlock National Trails’ potential as corridors for people and nature.

But as the old saying goes “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” and National Trails currently have no standard methodology for identifying habitats along their verges and assessing their condition to inform effective management. This is a common issue across the sector, but National Trails are in a unique position to start strategically delivering for nature by setting a standard for baselining and data management.

We are seeking support in the first step towards addressing this problem. But a one size fits all solution, or single standardised methodology will not be fit for purpose for the National Trails that vary greatly in their length, width, the habitats they cross, their organisational set up and available funding.

NTUK is therefore seeking an innovative ecology consultant to develop an ‘a la carte’ menu of surveying options that can be trialled across the National Trails. This menu will provide options that can be delivered at scale i.e. along a full National Trail or large sections and by different users. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel but take advantage of existing methods and tools that can be applied to National Trail corridors.

We will use this report to inform a series of survey pilots in the 2026 summer survey season. This will subsequently inform the next step to supporting National Trail Officers & partners to make use of this information on the ground.

If you are interested in learning more and/or would like to submit a proposal, please find further information in the Tender Document below. For any further clarifications, please contact hannah@nationaltrails.uk by 6pm Wednesday 15th October. Any clarifications will be logged HERE.

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Tender submissions close 9am Friday 24^th October.

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Photo credit: Seascapes, King Charles III England Coast Path Tees to Tyne