Episode 26: Beyond the Pipes - Making Space for Nature with Angus Wells, Biodiversity Manager at Anglian Water

On this episode Jonathan frames the conversation as a focus on Anglia Water’s work for nature recovery and biodiversity, while acknowledging wider water industry challenges around drinking water, sewage treatment, and infrastructure. Angus explains Anglia Water’s geographic coverage (from the Humber Estuary to the Thames Estuary and inland to Northamptonshire) and discusses work across the UK’s driest region, including river restoration, slowing flows, habitat creation and some wetland creation as part of catchment management, alongside future-focused initiatives like desalination plants and new reservoirs. Angus shares his career path from studying geography and management at the University of Leeds into practical woodland management, then environmental land management at the 11,000-hectare Auburn Wise estate, before joining Anglia Water in April. The episode explores land sharing vs land sparing, including agroforestry projects integrating nature corridors within arable farming and the role of agri-environment schemes and emerging biodiversity net gain markets as income streams. Angus outlines key drivers for Anglia Water’s biodiversity work, including the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) within AMP8 (2025–2030) and the new Biodiversity Performance Commitment requiring measurable habitat unit uplift using the biodiversity metric on a four-year cycle (2025 baseline to 2029 reassessment), with penalties for non-delivery. He also notes Anglia Water’s obligations as a significant landholder managing many SSSIs—about 99% by area in favourable condition—while continuing to improve remaining sites. Angus highlights a project at Grafham Water near Huntingdon, linking fragmented ancient woodlands with woodland creation and grassland along reservoir shores to improve connectivity and resilience for woodland species. In the recurring segment, Angus shares early memories growing up on a rural farm, his worst experience of seeing habitat reverted to arable despite efforts to influence decisions, and best experiences including delivering a 40–50 hectare agroforestry project in Norfolk and cycling from east Norfolk to southwest Wales to experience landscapes at a slower pace. Jonathan closes by emphasizing the importance of recognizing positive work within water companies and previews a future episode with Nick White of Natural England.00:00 Welcome + What This Episode Will (and Won’t) Cover01:34 Meet Angus Wells: Shared Backgrounds & Why This Story Matters03:19 Anglia Water’s Region & Big-Picture Catchment Work (Wetlands, Reservoirs, Resilience)05:04 Angus’s Career Journey: From Practical Woodland Work to Anglia Water07:27 Land Sharing vs Land Sparing: Making Nature Work in Productive Farmland10:52 Why Water Companies Invest in Nature: AMP8, WINEP & Regulatory Drivers15:08 Measuring Biodiversity Uplift: Performance Commitment, Habitat Units & 4-Year Targets19:30 SSSIs & Flagship Project: Grafham Water Woodland Connectivity22:08 Why Habitat Corridors Matter: Resilience, Movement & Genetic Diversity25:05 First / Worst / Best in Nature: Early Memories, Career Frustrations & Agroforestry Wins34:26 Wrap-Up + Host Reflections and What’s Next on the PodcastSend us Fan Mail