Glossary of terms

Share Glossary of terms on Facebook Share Glossary of terms on Twitter Share Glossary of terms on Linkedin Email Glossary of terms link

Below is an explanation of some of the terms found in the Land Action Plan.

3NOP - 3-nitrooxypropanol (3NOP) is a chemical that can inhibit the production of methane in livestock rumen. It is a novel option which the Climate Change Committee assumes is available from 2025. Nitrate additives can partially replace non-protein nitrogen sources or high protein sources (e.g. soya).

Agroforestry - The integration of trees and/or shrubs on to cropland (silvoarable: trees and crops) and grassland (silvopastoral: trees and livestock). Agroforesty can sequester carbon in the biomass and soils, improve water quality from reduced nitrate leaching into water courses, improve soil structure and fertility from litter fall, increase livestock welfare and enhance biodiversity.

Anaerobic digestion - An established and widely deployed technology for converting non-woody and non-animal matter biomass feedstocks into syngas. This syngas can be burnt for heat and power or upgraded to produce biomethane.

Biodiversity net gain - An approach to development that aims to leave biodiversity in a better state than before. Where a development has an impact on biodiversity it encourages developers to provide an increase in appropriate natural habitat and ecological features over and above that being affected in such a way it is hoped that the current loss of biodiversity through development will be halted and ecological networks can be restored. Defra has recently consulted on making biodiversity net gain a mandatory element of the English planning system however many developers are already designing net gain into their development projects and national planning policy frameworks already encourage the net gain approach.

Bioenergy - This refers to the production of energy from biological material, which may also have been converted into liquid biofuels or biomethane.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage - The use of biomass in energy applications where the biogenic carbon content is prevented from entering the atmosphere and is stored in long-term geological storage sites.

Biological nitrogen fixation - The term used for a process in which nitrogen gas from the atmosphere is incorporated into the tissue of certain plants. In forage production, this process can be very important because it means that the much needed nitrogen can be obtained from the atmosphere, reducing the need for fertilisers, whilst maintaining soil fertility, high levels of forage protein, and high yields.

Carbon neutral - Resulting in no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, especially as a result of carbon offsetting.

Embodied energy - The sum of all the energy required to produce any goods or services, considered as if that energy was incorporated or 'embodied' in the product itself.

GIS - A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface.

Green infrastructure - The network of open space, woodlands, wildlife habitat, parks and other natural areas that surround, pass through, and link cities, towns and villages sustaining clean air, water, and natural resources and enriching the lives of residents and visitors.

ktCO2e - A measurement of greenhouse gases, meaning kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. “Carbon dioxide equivalent” is a standard unit for counting greenhouse gases regardless of whether they are carbon dioxide or another gas, such as methane.

Mire - A stretch of swampy or boggy ground.

Miscanthus - A species of grass commonly found in Eurasian landscape. It can be grown as a bioenergy crop.

MtC - A measurement of carbon, meaning megatonne of carbon (or million tonnes of carbon).

Natural capital - The elements of the natural environment which provide valuable goods and services to people.

Natural flood management - Reducing flood and coastal erosion risk by implementing measures that help to protect, restore and emulate the natural functions of catchments, floodplains, rivers and the coast. It takes many different forms and can be applied in urban and rural areas, and on rivers, estuaries and coasts. Different terminology such as soft engineering, green infrastructure, sustainable drainage and runoff attenuation may also be used to describe the techniques used.

Natural regeneration - The process by which trees and shrubs self-seed and spread.

Nature based solutions - These are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, whilst also providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.

Nature recovery network - A national network of wildlife-rich places.

Net zero - A target of completely negating the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity, to be achieved by reducing emissions and implementing methods of absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Photovoltaics - The generation of electricity using energy from the sun.

Precision feeding - Involves monitoring and adjusting feed intake to better match each animal’s nutritional requirements with the aim of improving the feed conversion ratio. It is suitable for housed livestock (dairy cattle, pigs and poultry). As well as lowering feed costs, increasing the feed conversion ratio can reduce nitrous oxide and methane by reducing the rate of nitrogen and volatile solid excretion in manure.

Regenerative farming - An approach to farming that seeks to regenerate the land, soil and water, as well as enhance the wider environment and improve the nutrient density of food produced. The approach is not specific as every farm is different, with its own set of unique circumstances, soil type and geography. Farming in a regenerative way is more about farming in a direction rather than to a specific definition, as outlined by these six core principles: understand the context of you farm operation, minimize soil disturbance, maximise crop diversity, keep the soil covered, maintain living root year-round, integrate livestock.

Short rotation coppice - An energy crop which usually consists of densely planted, high-yielding varieties of poplar or willow.

Silvoarable - An agroforestry practice involving the integration of trees and/or shrubs on to cropland.

Silvopasture - An agroforestry practice involving the integration of trees and/or shrubs on to grassland.

Site of Special Scientific Interest - A formal conservation designation.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Looks at flood risk at a strategic level on a local planning authority scale. The National Planning Policy Framework requires local planning authorities to appraise the risk of flooding in their areas by undertaking an Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.

Sustainable drainage systems - Approaches to manage surface water that take account of water quantity (flooding), water quality (pollution) biodiversity (wildlife and plants) and amenity are collectively. They mimic nature and typically manage rainfall close to where it falls. They can be designed to transport (convey) surface water, slow runoff down (attenuate) before it enters watercourses, provide areas to store water in natural contours and can be used to allow water to soak (infiltrate) into the ground or evaporate from surface water and be lost or transpired from vegetation (known as evapotranspiration).

tC/ha - A measurement of carbon in an area, meaning tonnes of carbon per hectare.

Below is an explanation of some of the terms found in the Land Action Plan.

3NOP - 3-nitrooxypropanol (3NOP) is a chemical that can inhibit the production of methane in livestock rumen. It is a novel option which the Climate Change Committee assumes is available from 2025. Nitrate additives can partially replace non-protein nitrogen sources or high protein sources (e.g. soya).

Agroforestry - The integration of trees and/or shrubs on to cropland (silvoarable: trees and crops) and grassland (silvopastoral: trees and livestock). Agroforesty can sequester carbon in the biomass and soils, improve water quality from reduced nitrate leaching into water courses, improve soil structure and fertility from litter fall, increase livestock welfare and enhance biodiversity.

Anaerobic digestion - An established and widely deployed technology for converting non-woody and non-animal matter biomass feedstocks into syngas. This syngas can be burnt for heat and power or upgraded to produce biomethane.

Biodiversity net gain - An approach to development that aims to leave biodiversity in a better state than before. Where a development has an impact on biodiversity it encourages developers to provide an increase in appropriate natural habitat and ecological features over and above that being affected in such a way it is hoped that the current loss of biodiversity through development will be halted and ecological networks can be restored. Defra has recently consulted on making biodiversity net gain a mandatory element of the English planning system however many developers are already designing net gain into their development projects and national planning policy frameworks already encourage the net gain approach.

Bioenergy - This refers to the production of energy from biological material, which may also have been converted into liquid biofuels or biomethane.

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage - The use of biomass in energy applications where the biogenic carbon content is prevented from entering the atmosphere and is stored in long-term geological storage sites.

Biological nitrogen fixation - The term used for a process in which nitrogen gas from the atmosphere is incorporated into the tissue of certain plants. In forage production, this process can be very important because it means that the much needed nitrogen can be obtained from the atmosphere, reducing the need for fertilisers, whilst maintaining soil fertility, high levels of forage protein, and high yields.

Carbon neutral - Resulting in no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, especially as a result of carbon offsetting.

Embodied energy - The sum of all the energy required to produce any goods or services, considered as if that energy was incorporated or 'embodied' in the product itself.

GIS - A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface.

Green infrastructure - The network of open space, woodlands, wildlife habitat, parks and other natural areas that surround, pass through, and link cities, towns and villages sustaining clean air, water, and natural resources and enriching the lives of residents and visitors.

ktCO2e - A measurement of greenhouse gases, meaning kilotonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. “Carbon dioxide equivalent” is a standard unit for counting greenhouse gases regardless of whether they are carbon dioxide or another gas, such as methane.

Mire - A stretch of swampy or boggy ground.

Miscanthus - A species of grass commonly found in Eurasian landscape. It can be grown as a bioenergy crop.

MtC - A measurement of carbon, meaning megatonne of carbon (or million tonnes of carbon).

Natural capital - The elements of the natural environment which provide valuable goods and services to people.

Natural flood management - Reducing flood and coastal erosion risk by implementing measures that help to protect, restore and emulate the natural functions of catchments, floodplains, rivers and the coast. It takes many different forms and can be applied in urban and rural areas, and on rivers, estuaries and coasts. Different terminology such as soft engineering, green infrastructure, sustainable drainage and runoff attenuation may also be used to describe the techniques used.

Natural regeneration - The process by which trees and shrubs self-seed and spread.

Nature based solutions - These are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, whilst also providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.

Nature recovery network - A national network of wildlife-rich places.

Net zero - A target of completely negating the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity, to be achieved by reducing emissions and implementing methods of absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Photovoltaics - The generation of electricity using energy from the sun.

Precision feeding - Involves monitoring and adjusting feed intake to better match each animal’s nutritional requirements with the aim of improving the feed conversion ratio. It is suitable for housed livestock (dairy cattle, pigs and poultry). As well as lowering feed costs, increasing the feed conversion ratio can reduce nitrous oxide and methane by reducing the rate of nitrogen and volatile solid excretion in manure.

Regenerative farming - An approach to farming that seeks to regenerate the land, soil and water, as well as enhance the wider environment and improve the nutrient density of food produced. The approach is not specific as every farm is different, with its own set of unique circumstances, soil type and geography. Farming in a regenerative way is more about farming in a direction rather than to a specific definition, as outlined by these six core principles: understand the context of you farm operation, minimize soil disturbance, maximise crop diversity, keep the soil covered, maintain living root year-round, integrate livestock.

Short rotation coppice - An energy crop which usually consists of densely planted, high-yielding varieties of poplar or willow.

Silvoarable - An agroforestry practice involving the integration of trees and/or shrubs on to cropland.

Silvopasture - An agroforestry practice involving the integration of trees and/or shrubs on to grassland.

Site of Special Scientific Interest - A formal conservation designation.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - Looks at flood risk at a strategic level on a local planning authority scale. The National Planning Policy Framework requires local planning authorities to appraise the risk of flooding in their areas by undertaking an Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.

Sustainable drainage systems - Approaches to manage surface water that take account of water quantity (flooding), water quality (pollution) biodiversity (wildlife and plants) and amenity are collectively. They mimic nature and typically manage rainfall close to where it falls. They can be designed to transport (convey) surface water, slow runoff down (attenuate) before it enters watercourses, provide areas to store water in natural contours and can be used to allow water to soak (infiltrate) into the ground or evaporate from surface water and be lost or transpired from vegetation (known as evapotranspiration).

tC/ha - A measurement of carbon in an area, meaning tonnes of carbon per hectare.