Course 6: Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) — Interim Year

A yearly ecological check-up to track how your land is responding to management.

EOV Catalogue 2025 UK

When

EOV Interim assessments are offered May through September, at a date and time that suits you. This ensures monitoring captures the full expression of plant growth during the growing season.

Where

On your farm — across the same representative sites assessed during your Baseline Year.

Included

Short-Term Monitoring (STM)
Annual Ecological Health Index update
Year-on-year comparison against your baseline
Updated EOV dashboard
Debriefing and mentoring session
Travel to your farm
(Note: Long-Term Monitoring is not done in the Interim Year.)

“Interim monitoring shows you the direction of travel — whether your land is improving, holding steady, or declining. It’s your annual ecological pulse check.”
— EOV Team

What Is an Interim Year?

After your Baseline Year, EOV shifts to annual Short-Term Monitoring. This measures the leading indicators that respond quickly to management and weather.

Interim Year monitoring tells you:

what changed since last year
whether management is moving the land in the right direction
where small adjustments can deliver big improvements
whether you remain on track for EOV Verification

It is a practical, field-based assessment focused on trends.

What You’ll Achieve

An updated Ecological Health Index (EHI)
A clear comparison to your baseline or previous year
Early detection of improvements or issues
Practical guidance on where to adjust management
Continued eligibility for the EOV Verification pathway

EOV Verification requires two consecutive years of positive ecological trend.

What’s Measured (Interim Year)

Short-Term Monitoring (STM)

STM tracks the leading indicators that change from season to season, including:

live canopy abundance
plant vigour and reproduction
desirable/undesirable species
litter quantity and condition
dung decomposition
bare soil and soil capping
signs of wind & water erosion
forage quantity & quality
grazing intensity and grazing pattern

These indicators roll up into your Ecological Health Index, updated every year.

How It Works

Before the Visit

Your previous monitoring sites and strata are loaded into the EOV system. No redesign is required unless your landbase has changed.

During the Visit (1 day)

You join an EOV Monitor to carry out Short-Term Monitoring across the same representative sites used in your Baseline Year, ensuring consistency.

After the Visit

You receive:

updated Ecological Health Index (EHI)
year-on-year comparison graphs
a revised EOV dashboard
a debriefing call to discuss results and next steps

Verification Timeline (Where Interim Fits)

Year 0: Baseline established
Years 1–4: Short-Term Monitoring (Interim Years)
Year 5: Baseline repeated (LTM + STM)
Verification: Achieved after two years of positive trend, confirmed by Savory Institute Quality Assurance

Interim Years are the core of the verification process, showing how the land is actually changing.

Suitable For

Any farm working toward:

improved water cycling
better soil function
increased biodiversity
stronger grass production
reduced erosion and bare soil
long-term regenerative outcomes

Interim monitoring works in:

natural or seeded grasslands
grazed orchards
silvopastoral systems
mixed livestock or cropping operations
forests / woodlands

The EOV Team

Interim monitoring is carried out by trained EOV Monitors and reviewed by the Hub Verifier. All data is quality-assured through the Savory Institute’s international verification system.

Certification

Interim Year monitoring does not grant certification on its own. However, it is essential for achieving — and maintaining — your EOV Verified status.

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