New decision support tool launched for making 'sustainable yet profitable' land use changes
ADAS launches a new land use planning tool to support land owners and managers with making sustainable yet profitable land use decisions
Generating ideas for land use change
After inputting farm data and the desired end-goal – e.g. carbon sequestration, biodiversity net gain credits, diversification, energy generation, etc. – users are presented with a shortlist of economically viable actions to reach that goal while turning a profit. This ability to offer suggestions makes LUMEO particularly helpful for those who have a goal in mind but are unsure of how to best achieve it.
ADAS environmental modeller Dan Hobley, developer of the tool, explained:
“Where LUMEO differs from other tools on the market is its ability to generate ideas. It doesn’t require you to already know the actions you want to try out. It will suggest actions based on what is possible on your holding and take into account any ongoing farm business requirements.”
For those who already have a plan in place, LUMEO can suggest suitable locations for change using a satellite map of the holding – prioritising unused or underutilised land for maximise productivity.
Making sustainable, yet profitable decisions
LUMEO performs a profit calculation for each land use suggestion, allowing users to compare and combine options to find which provides the best financial return.
Dan added: “For every suggested land use change, users can see the profit they could make if they choose to convert X number of hectares. This allows them to effectively weigh up the costs and benefits before committing to any change.”
As well as profit calculations, LUMEO also shows how each land-use option could benefit others and the wider environment, including supporting local nature recovery plans.
Advisor support
At this development stage, LUMEO is intended to be used with the help of an advisor and is not open access.
Dan said “We’re keen to use the tool with more farms so we can continue to refine it and develop it. Anyone who feels they could benefit from what LUMEO has to offer is welcome to get in contact with ADAS.”
The Land Use Management, Evaluation and Optimisation tool
Find out more about the tool.
Discover LUMEO