THE former MP for north Devon has recently taken on a new role within the agricultural community. 

Selaine Saxby, who was an MP until the general election earlier this year, has joined the team at North Devon Biosphere Enterprises. She will head up the Natural Capital Marketplace (NCM). 

The NCM is a trading platform for developing long term partnerships between land managers, landowners and farmers who are looking to combine agricultural production with environmental restoration and biodiversity enhancement. 

"It is a privilege to join the biosphere team," said Selaine.

"I led the world biosphere debate in Westminster and raised the profile of the designation within government circles. I am delighted to be able to continue to support them, but also build on the projects I did whilst at Westminster, back home in north Devon for the benefit of the biosphere.”

NCM will help with a wide variety of land, from small acres to large scale operations and from wetlands to pasture. 

Rob Jordan, CEO of North Devon Biosphere Enterprises Ltd said: “We are delighted to welcome Selaine aboard.  She brings a wealth of environmental and political experience and expertise from her time in Westminster, but also business acumen from her time before politics. 

"Selaine is joining at an exciting time for the Biosphere as we work in tandem with local businesses and councils to ensure that Northern Devon fully participates in the next wave of growth, driven by natural capital and green energy projects.”

NCM will also help developers, corporates and investors with everything from nature based carbon offsets to Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). They will enable developers to buy third party certified credits that have 100% provenance back to the project, land parcel and date created.

Tim Jones, chair of the Biosphere Foundation and South West Business Council, added: “I was very keen that the energy and knowledge Selaine showed as our MP remained in North Devon.  Her involvement into some of the critical projects in the area is an asset to the Biosphere but also the wider business community.”