The wet covenant: Lessons from the UK's first intertidal habitat bank

Conservation covenants were designed with dry land in mind, but what happens when the habitat disappears beneath the tide twice a day?

This webinar will share lessons and insights from the UK's first intertidal habitat bank, exploring the development of a 'wet covenant' approach to securing Biodiversity Net Gain in coastal and estuarine habitats. The session will discuss the opportunities, challenges and emerging best practice for delivering BNG at the land-sea interface.

Our speaker

Grace Rawnsley, Port of London Authority

Grace Rawnsley is the Port of London Authority’s first Director of Sustainability, appointed in 2023 to accelerate decarbonisation across the tidal Thames — one of the UK’s busiest and most complex inland waterways. She leads the PLA’s net zero strategy, focused on enabling a transition to a zero-emissions river economy through vessel decarbonisation, electrification of port and river operations, and the development of low-carbon infrastructure. Alongside this, Grace oversees the PLA’s broader sustainability agenda, including climate resilience, air and water quality, and a sector-leading approach to intertidal biodiversity net gain (BNG), helping to embed environmental enhancement within river development. She also works in partnership with the water industry and regulators to address key challenges such as sewage discharges and long-term ecosystem recovery. 

Grace brings over 20 years’ experience in sustainability and environmental leadership. Prior to joining the PLA, she spent 13 years at the City of London Corporation, where she led delivery of the organisation’s climate action commitments as Climate Action Programme Director. Earlier roles at conservation organisations, including the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, shaped her expertise in habitat management and nature recovery. She combines strategic leadership with practical delivery experience in decarbonisation, climate transformation, and environmental management — supporting the transition to a cleaner, more resilient and nature-positive future for the Thames and the wider maritime sector.

This webinar has been co-organised by two IES Communities: the Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC) and Marine & Coastal Science.

EPIC

EPIC is a member-led, specialist interest group at the IES. The community works together to understand delivery challenges, support pracitioners and advocate for implementation-minded policy. Our members are local authority officers and others delivering action on air quality, climate change, nature recovery, contaminated land and noise pollution on the ground.

Membership of EPIC is free to all IES members, and all environmental professionals working in local authorities. You can register for membership here. EPIC members working in contaminated land in local authorities will also be able to join the National Contaminated Land Officers Group (NCLOG).

Marine & Coastal Science

The Marine & Coastal Science Community is one of collaboration: as a complex system, the marine and coastal environment faces challenges that can only be addressed together. Joining the Community provides opportunities to connect with other marine and coastal professionals, and work together to build interdisciplinary solutions and advance the specialism. 

If you're already an IES member, join the Community today via the Manage my Communities form in the Members' Portal.

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