Guidance

Nature recovery activity: using the data model and specification

Published 16 September 2026

The nature recovery activity data model and specification provide a consistent way to record information about nature recovery activities.

They can be used by:

• individuals or organisations recording information about nature recovery activities
• organisations developing forms, templates or systems to collect nature recovery activity data

Using the data model and specification is voluntary, but they can help you record information consistently. This can support data sharing at local and national levels to improve nature recovery outcomes.

If the data model and specification do not meet all your data needs, you can still use the parts that are relevant and add your own information where needed.

This guidance explains what the data model is and how to record nature recovery activity using the data model and specification.

What the nature recovery activity data model is

A data model provides a common structure for organising data. It helps people understand what information should be recorded and how it fits together.

The nature recovery activity data model helps people and organisations to collect and use nature recovery activity data in a consistent way.

Data levels

The data model contains 2 levels of data:

• project-level data
• intervention-level data

Project-level data

Project-level data describes the overall project and what its interventions collectively aim to achieve.

You only need to collect project-level information once. You do not need to repeat it for each intervention in the project.

Intervention-level data

An intervention is an action, or group of related actions, carried out to support nature recovery.

The data specification has a list of allowable intervention types, which are high-level categories of nature recovery actions.

Core and extended fields

Project-level and intervention-level data are organised into:

• core fields
• extended fields

Core fields

Core fields capture the minimum information needed to understand what action has taken place, when it has taken place, and its purpose.

All data recorders should be able to collect this information for all projects and interventions.

Extended fields

Extended fields capture additional information about a project or intervention. They add detail to a record, making it more useful for different operational and reporting uses.

You do not need to collect information for every extended field. You can use different combinations of extended fields depending on your data needs.

Data specification

The nature recovery activity data specification contains the full set of data fields, associated standards and allowable values. These can be used to record data in line with the data model.

Consider what data you need

Before recording data or creating a data collection system, consider what information you will need to collect.

You will need to collect data for all core fields for each project and intervention.

You should also identify any extended fields you should collect data for by considering:

• the intervention type being recorded – for example, habitat-related data fields such as ‘Habitat type’ are only relevant for habitat creation and restoration or habitat management interventions
• the experience of the data recorder – for example, species-related data fields may only be appropriate for conservation professionals with suitable ecological knowledge
• how the data will be used – for example, some extended fields may be required for certain reporting needs, while others may be optional

The extended fields in the data specification may not cover all your data needs. If you cannot find an appropriate field to capture information about your activity, you can add your own custom fields.

However, data recorded using custom fields are less likely to support data sharing, data reusability or national reporting. Where possible, you should use existing extended fields from the specification.

You should consider whether the project could contribute to the Environment Act 2021 habitat target or 30by30. If this is the case, go to the section that explains which extended fields are required:

Recording nature recovery activity data using the specification

Use these steps to record nature recovery activity data using the data specification.

You can use any system, spreadsheet or template that meets your needs.

The data you record should follow the data fields, associated standards and allowable values set out in the nature recovery activity data specification.

Step 1: Choose the file type

Choose a file type that is suitable for how you plan to collect, store and share the data.

You can use different file types with the data model and specification. For example, you could use a geopackage for mapped records, or XLSX or CSV files for tabular or non-mapped records.

Use as few files and file types as possible. If you need to use multiple files, keep their structure as consistent as possible.

Step 2: Complete the project-level core fields

Record information about the overall project by completing the project-level core fields.

Step 3: Complete relevant project-level extended fields

Record data for any relevant project-level extended fields.

Use the section ‘Consider what data you need’ to identify which project-level extended fields you should complete.

If your data will be used for 30by30 assessment and reporting, also check the section ‘30by30: required extended fields’

Step 4: Identify the appropriate intervention types

For each intervention you will record, choose the intervention type that best describes the action being undertaken.

The intervention types provide a high-level description of the action and are not intended to be definitive categories.

Read about the intervention types below. If an intervention type is not appropriate, move on to the next one.

Enabling actions

Choose this intervention type for actions that do not directly benefit habitats or species, but support nature recovery actions now or in the future.

Examples include:

• generating evidence
• building partnerships
• providing advice about nature recovery
• improving people’s access to nature spaces

If this intervention type is not appropriate, consider ‘Habitat creation and restoration of specific degraded habitat’.

Habitat creation and restoration of specific degraded habitat

Choose this intervention type for actions that directly increase the extent of new habitat, by creating new habitat or restoring an eligible type of degraded habitat.

Examples include:

• land use change for biodiversity – for example, converting arable land into wildlife-rich habitat
• restoring degraded habitats – the degraded habitats that can be restored are listed on page 4 of Environment Act Habitat Target – Definitions and Descriptions Version 2 - TIN219

If this intervention type is not appropriate, consider ‘Habitat management’.

Habitat management 

Choose this intervention type for actions that directly improve or maintain the quality of existing habitat without increasing its extent. This intervention type only applies to habitat types that cannot be considered degraded as per page 4 of Environment Act Habitat Target – Definitions and Descriptions Version 2 - TIN219 and therefore is not eligible for restoration.

If this intervention type is not appropriate, consider ‘Farmland and productive forestry land management’.

Farmland and productive forestry land management

Choose this intervention type for actions on farmland or productive forests that directly support nature recovery without creating, restoring or managing habitat.

Examples include:

• managing productive woodlands to make them more hospitable to biodiversity – for example, maintaining a diverse woodland structure and a wider variety of tree species
• changing arable practices to make the farmed landscape more hospitable to biodiversity – for example, reducing pesticide and fertiliser use, or providing year-round resources for farm wildlife

If this intervention type is not appropriate, consider ‘Urban and built environment land management’.

Urban and built environment land management

Choose this intervention type for actions that directly make urban areas or the built environment more hospitable to biodiversity.

Examples include:

• providing resources in urban environments, such as bird boxes or swift bricks
• managing resources differently – for example, by reducing the mowing of roadside verges
• reducing urban pressures – for example, by mitigating light pollution

If this intervention type is not appropriate, consider ‘Other pressures reduction’.

Other pressures reduction

Choose this intervention type for actions that directly reduce other pressures on biodiversity and do not relate to land management.

Examples include:

• reducing water abstraction
• improving storm overflow infrastructure to prevent pollution
• preventing air pollution from combustion
• reducing emerging or known chemical threats
• reducing energy consumption

If this intervention type is not appropriate, consider ‘Non-habitat based targeted action for species’.

Non-habitat based targeted action for species

Choose this intervention type for actions that directly support the recovery of a specific species and do not involve habitat creation, restoration, or management.

Examples include:

• conducting status surveys and reviews
• raising awareness and delivering education
• re-introducing or translocating species
• conducting targeted monitoring
• performing scientific research
• providing advice and support
• conducting ex-situ conservation
• delivering other bespoke species-specific measures

If the action to support the recovery of a specific species:

• involves habitat creation or restoration, use ‘Habitat creation and restoration’
• involves habitat management, use ‘Habitat management’

If these intervention types are not appropriate, consider ‘Protection’.

Protection

Choose this intervention type for actions that help protect habitat or species from pressures such as land use change, climate change, or pollution.

Examples include:

• entering into a conservation covenant
• committing to a long-term management plan

Step 5: Complete intervention-level core fields

Create a separate record for each intervention by completing the intervention-level core fields.

Step 6: Complete relevant intervention-level extended fields

Record data for any relevant intervention-level extended fields.

Use the section ‘Consider what data you need’ to identify which intervention-level extended fields you should complete.

If your data will be used for reporting towards the Environment Act 2021 habitat target, also check the section ‘Environment Act 2021 habitat target: required extended fields’

Habitat interventions

This section applies to the following intervention types:

• habitat creation and restoration of specific degraded habitat
• habitat management

If you’re completing the ‘Habitat amount’ extended field, you should consider both the:

• area of intervention – the area where the intervention takes place
• area of influence – the area expected to become habitat or increase in quality

You need to record the area of influence.

The area of influence will often be the same as the area of intervention.

For example, you might be planting native species to create a wildlife-rich native woodland habitat. The area of intervention (the area planted) will be the same as the area of influence (the area expected to become wildlife-rich woodland).

However, there may be cases where the area of intervention has a different size or location to area of influence.

For example, you might be restoring peatland by blocking drainage ditches. The area of intervention will be small, but the area of influence (the area of peat that is rewetted) will be much larger.

Step 7: Create and maintain metadata

You should create and maintain metadata in line with the GEMINI standard.

GEMINI is the UK standard for geographic metadata. It provides guidance on how to publish geographic metadata in line with UK government guidelines and relevant ISO standards.

Step 8: Getting your data ready to share

Once you have created your records, decide if you want to share the data.

If you share data, you should establish appropriate data governance, including licensing and data sharing agreements where needed.

You should share relevant data with the responsible authorities for the local nature recovery strategies (LNRSs) that cover where your activity took place. This supports collaboration and information sharing for nature recovery planning and reporting.

Responsible authorities will share information with Defra group annually to support longer term monitoring of nature recovery delivery.

Environment Act 2021 and 30by30: required extended fields

Environment Act 2021 habitat target: required extended fields

The Environment Act 2021 includes a target to create or restore 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat outside protected sites by 2042.

Only intervention records with the intervention type ‘Habitat creation and restoration of specific degraded habitats’ can count towards the habitat target.

For Defra to monitor and report progress towards this target, the following project-level extended fields are required:

• project_name
• project_name_source

For Defra to monitor and report progress towards this target, the following intervention-level extended fields are also required:

• intervention_recording_org
• intervention_spatial
• intervention_id
• intervention_lead_organisation
• intervention_status
• intervention_status_date
• intervention_habitat_amount
• intervention_hab_amount_unit
• intervention_habitat_type
• intervention_funding_mechs
• intervention_description
• intervention_start_date
• intervention_expected_end_date
• intervention_hab_baseline_type

Interventions can only count towards the habitat target if the selected habitat typology, given through the field intervention_habitat_typology, is either:

• ‘wildlife-rich habitat’
• ‘UKHab’ (for certain habitat types) – to find out which UKHab habitat types can count towards the target, email habitat.target@defra.gov.uk.

For more information about the habitat target and how these fields are used in reporting, read Environment Act Habitat Target - Reporting Data Model and Standard (TIN223).

30by30: required extended fields

The UK government has committed to effectively conserve and manage 30% of our land and seas for nature by 2030.

For Defra to assess land for 30by30 and report progress towards the commitment, the following project-level extended fields are required:

• project_spatial
• project_area_amount
• project_purpose_objective
• project_30by30_compatible
• project_wildlife_rich
• project_conservation_intention
• project_conservation_priority
• project_purpose_justification
• project_protection
• project_protection_notes
• project_manage_framework
• project_management_end
• project_management_start
• project_monitoring_type
• project_adaptive_manage
• project_outcome_progress
• project_off_site_impacts
• project_management_notes
• project_30by30_change_notify
• project_30by30_landowner_aware

For more information about the 30by30 assessment and reporting process, including how to submit data, read 30by30 on land: assessing whether land can contribute.

Creating a data collection system

You can use the data model and specification to create or adapt forms, spreadsheets, databases or other systems for collecting data about nature recovery activity.

For guidance on creating or adapting a data collection system, email nature.recovery.data@defra.gov.uk.

Contact us

If you have any questions or feedback on the model, including suggestions for additional extended fields, email nature.recovery.data@defra.gov.uk.