Download - The UK Ecosystems Research Landscape
The UK ecosystem research landscape
Mark Reed
• Many UK programmes funding research on Ecosystems Approach and ecosystem services
• Many of the same end users/stakeholders• By co-ordinating knowledge exchange:– Less stakeholder fatigue– More comprehensive information for decision-makers– Work together to respond
rapidly to emerging issues– More impact, less resources
• Stellar Communications Group – uniting UK ecosystems research
Analysis
Currently active, UK-based research programmes that promote or draw upon both the Ecosystems Approach & ecosystem services framework…
What research did we consider?
• Centre for Ecology & Hydrology's (CEH) water and biodiversity programme
• NERC's Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Sustainability (BESS) programme
• Follow-on to the National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA2)
• DfID/NERC/ESRC funded Ecosystem Services & Poverty Alleviation programme (ESPA)
• Scottish Government's Strategic Research Programme (SRP) Theme 1: Ecosystem Services
• NERC's Insect Pollinators Initiative (IPI)• NERC's Valuing Nature Network (VNN)
• Overlap between:– Programme goals– Stakeholders– Planned knowledge exchange activities
Improve evidence re: relationships between
ecosystem processes and natural capital
stocks/ecosystem service flows under different
scenarios
Shared by BESS x2, CEH, ESPA x2, NEA2, SRP x2, VNN,
Develop tools to measure, track & map changes in ecosystem
services under different scenarios
Shared by BESS, CEH, NEA2, SRP
Policy instruments for the sustainable management of
ecosystem services
Shared by CEH, ESPA, IPI, NEA2, SRP
Understand how different social groups value
ecosystem services & incorporate these values in decision-making processes
Shared by ESPA, NEA2,
VNN, SRP Methods to value
contribution of natural capital stocks & ecosystem
services to human well-being
Shared by NEA2, VNN, SRP
Which goals are shared?Size of circle is proportional to no. programmes sharing a goal
BESS: Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services & Sustainability programme
CEH: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology biodiversity & water programmes
ESPA: Ecosystem Services & Poverty Alleviation programme
IPI: Insect Pollinators InitiativeNEA2: National Ecosystem Assessment
follow-on phaseSRP: Scottish Government's Strategic
Research Programme Theme 1: Ecosystem Services
VNN: Valuing Nature Network
Which programmes share most similar goals?
Valuing Nature Network (VNN)
National Ecosystem
Assessment (NEA2)
Scottish Government
SRP
Ecosystem Services & Poverty Alleviation (ESPA)
3 shared goals:• Sustainable management
of ecosystem services• Incorporating different
values into decision-making
• Methods for valuing natural capital &
ecosystem services
3 shared goals:• Sustainable management
of ecosystem services• Incorporating different
values into decision-making
• Relationships between ecosystem processes,
stocks & flows
BESS, CEH, NEA22 shared goals:
• Relationships between ecosystem processes, stocks
& flows• Measuring, tracking and
mapping ecosystem services
BESS: Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services &
Sustainability programmeCEH: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology biodiversity &
water programmesIPI: Insect Pollinators
InitiativeNEA2: National Ecosystem
Assessment follow-on phase
SRP: Scottish Government's Strategic Research
Programme Theme 1: Ecosystem Services
IPI1 shared goal:• Sustainable management of
ecosystem services
Ecosystems research
programmes
LWEC
Research funded knowledge exchange
e.g. RELU, NERC fellows/interns, ESKTN, ESRC KE projects like Landbridge
Government funded knowledge exchange
e.g. EKN, EMTF, NCI, ClimateXChange, CREW
e.g. Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly Government, Defra, BIS, DECC, DfT, DARDNI, DFID
Devolved Administratio
ns & Govt. Depts.
Local Government
e.g. regional bodies, local councils, regional offices of NE, EA etc
Agencies & regulators
e.g. EA, SEPA, NIEPA, NE, SNH, CCW, JNCC
e.g. RSPB, National Trust
NGOs
Industry
e.g. agricultural companies & unions, professional bodies, water utilities etc.
Public & local communities
e.g. those involved in landscape level management via partnerships
Working together
Early success
Future opportunities?
• Joint conferences for research users• Joint training events• Joint website and/or data sharing• Combined contacts list• More cross-programme policy briefs – Link to ESPA briefs on impact & research into use?– New policy issues as they arise
• Work together on other ways of getting research into policy/practice– Joint films, public engagement activities…
NEA follow-on• Strong synergies with Valuing Nature Network
(already being exploited)• Major overlap with ESPA goals – worth
investigating synergies?• Only programme working towards all 5 goals• So, need to foster links with all programmes• Given NEA focus on informing policy, make
better use of KE initiatives to draw this research in
Next steps
• LWEC workshop in November (invite only)• Join in: edit our Wiki• Or email me or Ruth Welters:– Missing research programmes, users & KE initiatives– Collaboration ideas
Get in touch
Email:[email protected]@gmail.com
Blog:http://www.lwec.org.uk/blogs/mark-reed/uk-ecosystems-research-landscape
Ecosystems KE wiki:https://lwec.centraldesktop.com/ecp/