Jacobs has been selected by Natural England and Defra (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) to provide coordination and field delivery services for the England Ecosystem Survey – the country’s largest ever field survey.
The survey is a cornerstone project within the U.K. government's Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme, which is assessing England's land, freshwater and coastal ecosystems to produce a baseline of England's natural assets by 2029.
The coordinated field surveys will support national environmental data – foundational to setting policy.
The England Ecosystem Survey is delivered by Natural England, and Jacobs' work will support the collection of national-scale soil, vegetation and landscape data to inform environmental policy and land management decisions.
Jacobs will work in close partnership with Southern Ecological Solutions (part of the RSK Group) to coordinate and deliver field surveys across England, mobilizing internal survey teams and multiple contractors to ensure surveys are completed consistently, safely and in line with Natural England's field protocols.
Jacobs' scope includes programme management, procurement and oversight of survey contractors, survey logistics and land access coordination. The role also includes managing dependencies between different survey types and locations so that resulting datasets are aligned and usable at a national scale. The contract is anticipated to commence immediately, with activities expected to conclude in the first half of 2027.
Jacobs Executive Vice President Richard Sanderson said:
"High-quality environmental decisions depend on consistent, reliable data. By coordinating survey delivery at a national scale, we are supporting Natural England to build a robust evidence base to understand the state of England's ecosystems, track change over time and inform future land and nature policy."
The work builds on Jacobs' ongoing contribution to the England Ecosystem Survey, having undertaken soil sampling services for the program since 2024.
As England's largest ever field survey, the England Ecosystem Survey aims to build a national picture of the condition, extent and change of England's terrestrial environment. Extensive data are being collected on habitats, vegetation, landscape features and soil properties, including physical and chemical characteristics and biological indicators. The data will facilitate national-scale ecosystem assessments and inform the provision of ecosystem services like food production and biodiversity.
Natural England is delivering the England Ecosystem Survey as part of Defra's Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) program alongside Forest Research, the Environment Agency, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. NCEA is part of the U.K. government's Major Projects Portfolio. The program supports England's environmental ambitions, including commitments set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan and international biodiversity frameworks, as well as progress toward net-zero goals.
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