FWAG South East

What FWAG South East does

FWAG South East (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South East Ltd) is a private environmental advisory and consultancy firm registered in England and Wales (Company Reg: 16755499) in 2023, operating as a member of the national FWAG Association, which has provided independent farm conservation advice for over five decades. The firm is headquartered in Alton, Hampshire, and serves the South East of England across Hampshire, West and East Sussex, Kent, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Surrey, with a team of 11 Farm Environment Advisers.

The company's core offering is a portfolio of seven interconnected advisory services: Agri-Environment Schemes (SFI, Countryside Stewardship, Landscape Recovery application support), Environmental Assurance (LEAF whole-farm planning), Habitat and Species Surveys, Landscape Partnerships (farmer cluster group facilitation), Natural Capital Assessments (Biodiversity Net Gain and Nutrient Neutrality baselining), Woodland and Hedgerow Management, and end-to-end Project Delivery. Delivery is human-led, leveraging GIS mapping, protected species survey licences, and BASIS/FACTS qualifications rather than any proprietary technology platform. There is no AI, no API, and no software product.

FWAG South East generates revenue through professional services fees from individual farms, group facilitation contracts, and project-delivery partnerships with utilities and public bodies. Its primary customers are farmers and landowners, but the firm also serves water companies (South East Water, Southern Water), National Parks and National Landscapes (South Downs, North Wessex Downs, Chilterns), Natural England, and conservation charities. The firm is privately held, operates without external investment, and is led by two Co-Managing Directors (Colin Hedley and Belinda Bown) and a Non-Executive Director (Matthew Norris-Hill), with eight active farmer cluster groups serving as both a community engagement and a recurring service channel.

Name

FWAG South East

Legal name

Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South East Ltd

Website

https://fwagsoutheast.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FWAG South East is an independent environmental advisory consultancy serving farmers and landowners across South East England, delivering agri-environment scheme applications, natural capital assessments, habitat surveys, and landscape-scale conservation projects through eight farmer cluster groups and partnerships with water companies and National Parks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Environmental Advisory Services

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems & Land Management (BPADALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support) (AFACAJAG)

Keywords

• Agricultural advisory services
• Environmental land management
• Agri-environment schemes
• Habitat and species surveys
• Conservation consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

Alton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consultancy Services: FWAG South East provides expert environmental advisory services to farmers and landowners, helping them access government schemes and grants, navigate compliance requirements, and implement environmental projects. Services include Agri-Environment Scheme applications, Natural Capital Assessments, Habitat Surveys, Project Delivery, and ongoing advisory support throughout the lifetime of schemes.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

FWAG South East is an independent environmental advisory and consultancy organisation serving farmers, landowners, and partner organisations across South East England. It provides a whole-farm advisory service spanning Agri-Environment Scheme applications, Environmental Assurance, Habitat and Species Surveys, Natural Capital Assessments, Woodland and Hedgerow Management, Landscape Partnerships (farmer cluster facilitation), and end-to-end Project Delivery. The organisation helps clients access government funding, meet regulatory requirements, and implement conservation projects alongside profitable agricultural production.

Product overview

FWAG South East is a farming and wildlife advisory organization providing a portfolio of consultancy services organized around environmental land management. The core offering consists of seven interconnected service areas: Agri-Environment Schemes (scheme identification and application support), Environmental Assurance (LEAF and whole-farm planning), Habitat & Species Surveys, Landscape Partnerships (farmer cluster facilitation), Natural Capital Assessments, Woodland & Hedgerow Management, and Project Delivery. Together these services help farmers access government funding, meet regulatory requirements, and deliver environmental improvements across the South East region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Agri-Environment Schemes

Quantifiable outcome

• Cover crop trials with South East Water have provided strong evidence of significant reduction in nitrate leaching and pesticide losses compared to bare stubble or conventionally managed fields
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Downs National Park AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership supporting farmland bird recovery programmes including Lapwing conservation through the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme. FWAG SE works with landowners in the Selborne Landscape Partnership area.
• Test Valley Borough CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched the Test Valley Dormouse Project in 2016 to improve and reconnect habitats in the northern Test Valley for dormouse conservation.
• People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Test Valley Dormouse Project, contributing to dormouse conservation efforts through survey work, habitat assessment, and population monitoring.
• Hampshire Dormouse GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Test Valley Dormouse Project, involving volunteers and project staff in regular footprint tunnel and nest box checking throughout the active season.
• Woodland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in dormouse conservation initiatives, supporting habitat improvement and reconnection work across the Test Valley area.
• South East WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership spanning nearly a decade, conducting cover crop trials across Boxalls and Woodgarston catchments in Hampshire to reduce agricultural impacts on water quality, particularly nitrates and propyzamide.
• Game and Wildlife Conservation TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped specifications for lapwing plot electric fencing used in conservation projects. Provides best practice guidance and methodology for predator management.
• North Wessex Downs National Landscape PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivering the Partnerships 4 Nature programme funded by Defra's £1.5 million Species Survival Fund grant. FWAG SE collaborates with Southern Streams Farmer Group on chalk grassland restoration at Tidcombe, including over-seeding, plug planting, and scrub clearance.
• Natural EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with Natural England on the Sussex Woods Protected Sites Strategy Pilot (SWPSSP), addressing expanded deer population impacts in the South East through deer activity surveys, impact assessment methodology, and management planning.
• Chichester Harbour ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides funding through the Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme to support Manhood Farmers Cluster Group's environmental projects including grey partridge recovery.
• GWCT (Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Advanced Partridge mix seed mixtures and conservation guidance for farmland bird recovery projects. Partners on habitat creation supporting grey partridge and other farmland birds.
• Southern WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater company partner working on catchment-based initiatives to improve water quality and protect water resources across the South East region.
• Chilterns National LandscapeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation collaborating on landscape-scale environmental projects across the Chilterns National Landscape area.
• TWAG (Thames Water Advisory Group) / UKIA IrrigationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth East Kent Farm Cluster has established the South East First Water Abstraction Group in collaboration with TWAG/UKIA to help abstractors collaborate on water resource management and address shared challenges.
• Water for Food InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEK cluster working with Water for Food initiative to help safeguard water supplies for future food production alongside water security planning.
• Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation in the Selborne Landscape Partnership, contributing to landscape-scale conservation efforts around Noar Hill and broader habitat connectivity work.
• National TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Selborne Landscape Partnership, managing Selborne Common & The Lythes and contributing to collaborative conservation across the landscape.
• Gilbert White's House & MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation in Selborne Landscape Partnership, centred around Gilbert White's historic home, supporting educational and conservation initiatives.
• Chawton House & ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Selborne Landscape Partnership contributing to landscape-scale conservation and heritage preservation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights14 records

Direct peers

• LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming): National organisation providing Integrated Farm Management and LEAF Marque assurance — a service FWAG SE explicitly delivers as 'Environmental Assurance'. Overlapping value proposition around whole-farm environmental standards and farmer certification.
• Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) / Natural England Advisors: Government-funded free advisory service delivering farm-level environmental advice on water quality, biodiversity, and regulation. Direct competitor for farmer-facing advisory time in the same geographies, though they do not charge fees.
• Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT): UK charity providing farmland conservation advice, predator management guidance, and seed mixtures. Already a strategic partner of FWAG SE on lapwing and grey partridge projects, with overlapping farmer advisory services and conservation programme delivery.
• The Wildlife Trusts (Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and others): Regional Wildlife Trusts deliver farm advisory, habitat creation guidance, and conservation project work in overlapping South East geographies. Already a partner on Selborne Landscape Partnership, they offer similar nature recovery advisory to farmers and landowners.
• FWAG Association (national body and other regional FWAGs): The national umbrella organisation and sibling regional FWAG entities (e.g., FWAG East Anglia, FWAG West Midlands). They operate the same independent farm advisory model, share brand and methodology, and are the most direct structural peers — though geographic separation prevents direct competition.

Broad incumbents

• ADAS (RSK ADAS): Largest UK independent agricultural and environmental consultancy providing farm advisory, environmental impact assessment, agri-environment scheme support, and policy consultancy. Direct competitor for larger commercial and government advisory contracts.
• Soil Association: UK charity focused on organic/regenerative farming certification and advisory. Competes in the sustainability advisory space and offers similar scheme application support and farm assurance services, with a broader national footprint.
• RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds): Large national conservation charity with farmland bird advisory work, agri-environment scheme delivery, and farmer cluster facilitation. Broader scope than FWAG SE but overlapping expertise in species recovery and farm cluster group facilitation.

Emerging players

• Soilmentor (Regen Ltd): Regen Ltd provides Soilmentor, a digital platform for soil health and biodiversity monitoring used by farmers and advisors. An emerging tech-enabled player that could disrupt traditional manual farm advisory models like FWAG SE's.
• NatureMetrics: UK-based biodiversity monitoring and natural capital assessment technology company. An emerging player providing eDNA, biodiversity net gain baselining, and natural capital analytics — directly competing with FWAG SE's Natural Capital Assessment service line but via technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fwag-south-east

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FWAG South East