Renewing biodiversity through a people-in-nature approach (RENEW)
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Department Name: Vice Chancellor
Abstract
We are in a biodiversity crisis. A million species of plants and animals are threatened with global extinction, and wildlife populations across much of the planet have been dramatically reduced, perhaps by as much as a half in recent decades. This is of profound concern because biodiversity underpins human existence. Biodiversity provides the foundation of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life. Increasing numbers of people, organisations and governments recognise the need to reverse the perilous state of our ecological inheritance. However, while there is unprecedented willingness to act, what we do not know is what will work most effectively to renew biodiversity and ensure continued delivery of its benefits.
The Renewing biodiversity through a people-in-nature approach (RENEW) programme will develop solutions to the renewal of biodiversity. We will work, with a sense of urgency, to reshape understanding and action on biodiversity renewal across scales, creating knowledge at the cutting edge of global debates and policy development, and influencing national institutions, communities and individuals. We know that understanding of, and action on, renewal must take a step change and we will focus on the agency of people in nature, both as part of the problem and as the solution. We focus on a set of challenges: how popular support for biodiversity renewal can be harnessed; how populations that are disengaged, disadvantaged, or disconnected from nature can benefit from inclusion in solutions development; how renewal activities can be designed and delivered by diverse sets of land-managers and interest groups; and how biodiversity renewal can most effectively be embedded in finance and business activities (as has occurred with carbon accounting and climate change). This sits alongside the scientific and technical development necessary to underpin solutions options.
Biodiversity renewal is a complex and whole system problem. The solutions require the creation of a new kind of inclusive and diverse research community, one that transcends traditional boundaries between the disciplines needed to tackle the environmental crises of the Anthropocene. Solutions also need to address the inequalities and lack of diversity found in current renewal practices. RENEW has therefore prioritised partnership building, to allow us to combine research with experiment, learning, sharing, outreach and impact, across relevant organisations and wider communities.
Our approach means that practical impact is guaranteed. With the National Trust as co-owners of RENEW, we will have significant reach through their membership, outreach programs and public voice. Alongside other key partners in RENEW, our links are responsible for or have influence over much of the UK landscape in which biodiversity renewal activities need to occur. We will use the many landscape-scale nature activities currently underway (or planned in the near future) to develop learning, as if they were 'real time' experiments.
The UK is one of the most biodiversity depleted countries in the world. Our ways of working in RENEW, the knowledge we develop, and the solutions we propose, will be of international importance. The lessons we learn will enable future biodiversity researchers and practitioners around the world to do better science, and deliver fairer outcomes.
The Renewing biodiversity through a people-in-nature approach (RENEW) programme will develop solutions to the renewal of biodiversity. We will work, with a sense of urgency, to reshape understanding and action on biodiversity renewal across scales, creating knowledge at the cutting edge of global debates and policy development, and influencing national institutions, communities and individuals. We know that understanding of, and action on, renewal must take a step change and we will focus on the agency of people in nature, both as part of the problem and as the solution. We focus on a set of challenges: how popular support for biodiversity renewal can be harnessed; how populations that are disengaged, disadvantaged, or disconnected from nature can benefit from inclusion in solutions development; how renewal activities can be designed and delivered by diverse sets of land-managers and interest groups; and how biodiversity renewal can most effectively be embedded in finance and business activities (as has occurred with carbon accounting and climate change). This sits alongside the scientific and technical development necessary to underpin solutions options.
Biodiversity renewal is a complex and whole system problem. The solutions require the creation of a new kind of inclusive and diverse research community, one that transcends traditional boundaries between the disciplines needed to tackle the environmental crises of the Anthropocene. Solutions also need to address the inequalities and lack of diversity found in current renewal practices. RENEW has therefore prioritised partnership building, to allow us to combine research with experiment, learning, sharing, outreach and impact, across relevant organisations and wider communities.
Our approach means that practical impact is guaranteed. With the National Trust as co-owners of RENEW, we will have significant reach through their membership, outreach programs and public voice. Alongside other key partners in RENEW, our links are responsible for or have influence over much of the UK landscape in which biodiversity renewal activities need to occur. We will use the many landscape-scale nature activities currently underway (or planned in the near future) to develop learning, as if they were 'real time' experiments.
The UK is one of the most biodiversity depleted countries in the world. Our ways of working in RENEW, the knowledge we develop, and the solutions we propose, will be of international importance. The lessons we learn will enable future biodiversity researchers and practitioners around the world to do better science, and deliver fairer outcomes.
Organisations
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Lead Research Organisation)
- Forestry Commission (Collaboration)
- British Ecological Society (Collaboration)
- Duchy of Cornwall (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Natural Environment Research Council (Collaboration)
- Natural England (Collaboration)
- The Eden Project (Collaboration)
- UK CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY & HYDROLOGY (Collaboration)
- Church of England (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Amazon.com (Collaboration)
- The British Library (Collaboration)
- Kelda Group (United Kingdom) (Collaboration)
- National Trust (Collaboration)
- Wildlife Trusts (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Severn Trent Water (Collaboration)
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) (Collaboration)
- The Poetry Society (Collaboration)
- Confederation of British Industry (CBI) (Collaboration)
- NatureScot (Collaboration)
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (Collaboration)
- Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (Collaboration)
- National Farmers Union (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Federated Hermes (Project Partner)
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Project Partner)
- Severn Trent (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- NatureScot (Scottish Natural Heritage) (Project Partner)
- NatWest Group (Project Partner)
- Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Project Partner)
- Future Parks Accelerator (Project Partner)
- WBCSD (World Business Council Sust Dev) (Project Partner)
- National Trust for Scotland (Project Partner)
- Eden Project (Project Partner)
- Triodos Bank (Project Partner)
- Forestry England (Project Partner)
- HSBC Holdings (Project Partner)
- Lloyds Banking Group (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Amazon (United States) (Project Partner)
- MINISTRY OF DEFENCE (Project Partner)
- British Library (Project Partner)
- UK CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY & HYDROLOGY (Project Partner)
- British Ecological Society (Project Partner)
- Wells Fargo Asset Management (Project Partner)
- Natural England (Project Partner)
- National Biodiversity Network Trust (Project Partner)
- The Poetry Society (Project Partner)
- Backbone (Project Partner)
- BookTrust (Project Partner)
- Kelda Group (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Confederation of British Industry (Project Partner)
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (Project Partner)
Publications
Anon
(2022)
The nature of business
Baker D
(2024)
Effective strategies for correcting spatial sampling bias in species distribution models without independent test data
in Diversity and Distributions
Gardner A
(2023)
The effectiveness of UK protected areas in preventing local extinctions
in Conservation Letters
Gaston K
(2023)
Personalised ecology and the future of biodiversity
in Cambridge Prisms: Extinction
Gaston K
(2024)
Characterizing personalized ecologies
in Journal of Zoology
Hadley Kershaw, E.
(2023)
A 'living' guide to fostering collaborative practices in RENEW. Iteration 1.0
Lenton TM
(2024)
Spread of the cycles: a feedback perspective on the Anthropocene.
in Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences
Soga M
(2023)
The vicious cycle of biophobia.
in Trends in ecology & evolution
Soga M
(2024)
Do people who experience more nature act more to protect it? A meta-analysis
in Biological Conservation
Soga M
(2023)
Nature benefit hypothesis: Direct experiences of nature predict self-reported pro-biodiversity behaviors
in Conservation Letters
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NE/W004941/1 | 31/01/2022 | 30/01/2027 | |||
| 2739420 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 01/01/2023 | 31/12/2026 | Daveron Smith |
| 2777584 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 09/01/2023 | 08/01/2027 | Sophie Stenson |
| 2777573 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 09/01/2023 | 31/12/2027 | Rebecca Edgerley |
| 2777562 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 09/01/2023 | 08/01/2027 | Caleb Parkin |
| 2739371 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 09/01/2023 | 08/10/2027 | Emma Squire |
| 2760615 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 09/01/2023 | 08/01/2027 | Anqi Liu |
| 2760684 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 09/01/2023 | 08/01/2027 | Shashanika Wijekoon Herath Mudiyanselage |
| 2783455 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 09/01/2023 | 08/01/2027 | Patrick Quaye |
| 2808333 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 31/03/2023 | 30/03/2027 | Joanna Furtado |
| 2863763 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 30/06/2023 | 29/06/2027 | Will Bugg |
| Description | Collaboration in practice (Call for evidence on Engineering Biology) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-vision-for-engineering-biology |
| Description | Defra Science Advisory Council and Biodiversity Expert Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Independent evidence review of protected site management on Dartmoor |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/news/update-independent-evidence-review-on-dartmoor |
| Description | Treasury Green Book Biodiversity Working Group |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-green-book-appraisal-and-evaluation-in-central-govern... |
| Description | UoE Biodiversity Task and Finish Group |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.exeter.ac.uk/v8media/specificsites/sustainability/docs/Biodiversity_Task_and_Finish_Grou... |
| Title | Data for: The meta-analysis of the effects of spatial sampling bias correction on presence only species distribution models |
| Description | This dataset contains information extracted from 70 studies identified through a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature (Web of Science and SCOPUS databases both searched on the 13/02/2023) to evaluate the effect of spatial sampling bias correction methods in presence-only species distribution models. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | New insight into species distribution modelling |
| URL | https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.9zw3r22j1 |
| Title | LCA analysis |
| Description | Using a Life Cycle Assessment approach, RENEW has developed a methodology for business to understand their biodiversity impact across different areas of operation. An initial pilot with the National Trust is near completion, screening analysis is complete and has provided a 'heatmap' of biodiversity impacts which can be used to inform decisions around interventions. A second pilot with the University of Exeter will commence shortly and we are currently finalising the agreement with a third pilot organisation. |
| Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The analysis allows organisations to identify their biggest biodiversity impacts, inform decision-making and prioritisation around interventions. |
| Title | Species mapping model |
| Description | Drawing together multiple datasets relating to species distribution and habitat types, the mapping tool will inform conservation management decisions. It is currently being tested with farmers and land managers to understand its usefulness and refine the presentation of data. |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | The model has been used to support engagement with groups of farmers and land managers around opportunities for landscape scale conservation planning. |
| Description | AWS/RENEW |
| Organisation | Amazon.com |
| Department | Amazon Web Services |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Impact | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | BES/RENEW |
| Organisation | British Ecological Society |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Impact | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Bog Talk - deliberative work at Cumbria bogs |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | This work which spans RENEW Themes 2 (Communities) and 3 (Land managers) involves creative deliberative work with local communities at Cumbria bogs. RENEW Theme 2 are commissioning creative work connected to the bogs. RENEW Theme 3 will run deliberative workshops with local land managers. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This work which spans RENEW Themes 2 (Communities) and 3 (Land managers) involves creative deliberative work with local communities at Cumbria bogs. The Poetry Society are leading workshops with local schools and making wider connections, eg with the Wordsworth Trust. Natural England are funding education work with local schools. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Bog Talk - deliberative work at Cumbria bogs |
| Organisation | The Poetry Society |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | This work which spans RENEW Themes 2 (Communities) and 3 (Land managers) involves creative deliberative work with local communities at Cumbria bogs. RENEW Theme 2 are commissioning creative work connected to the bogs. RENEW Theme 3 will run deliberative workshops with local land managers. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This work which spans RENEW Themes 2 (Communities) and 3 (Land managers) involves creative deliberative work with local communities at Cumbria bogs. The Poetry Society are leading workshops with local schools and making wider connections, eg with the Wordsworth Trust. Natural England are funding education work with local schools. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | CBI/RENEW |
| Organisation | Confederation of British Industry (CBI) |
| Department | Confederation of British Industries |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on report. RENEW Theme 4 (Business and Finance) team helped design the survey questions, and helped with drafting of the report. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Carried out survey of businesses. Led the drafting of report and communications on publication. |
| Impact | Contributed to the joint CBI Economics/University of Exeter report 'The Nature of Business'. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Church Commissioners/RENEW |
| Organisation | Church of England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities, particularly in relation to biodiversity dashboard for business (RENEW Theme 4). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities, particularly in relation to biodiversity dashboard for business (RENEW Theme 4). |
| Impact | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities, particularly in relation to biodiversity dashboard for business (RENEW Theme 4). |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Duchy/RENEW |
| Organisation | Duchy of Cornwall |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Impact | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | EDI work (NERC/RENEW) |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Working with the environmental and conservation sector on issues relating to equality, diversity and inclusion. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Working with the environmental and conservation sector on issues relating to equality, diversity and inclusion. |
| Impact | Draft briefing paper produced and presented at RENEW's Biodiversity Parliament 2024. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Eden/RENEW |
| Organisation | The Eden Project |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. RENEW researchers have run a seminar on systematic conservation planning for nature recovery. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Impact | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Evaluating access interventions on UK coastline (RENEW Theme 1) |
| Organisation | National Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Researchers on RENEW Theme 1 are analysing access interventions on the UK coastline. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Natural England are funding the work and working closely with RENEW on the methodology and analysis. National Trust fed in to scoping and development of the proposal, and are providing data and expert input as the research progresses. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Evaluating access interventions on UK coastline (RENEW Theme 1) |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Researchers on RENEW Theme 1 are analysing access interventions on the UK coastline. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Natural England are funding the work and working closely with RENEW on the methodology and analysis. National Trust fed in to scoping and development of the proposal, and are providing data and expert input as the research progresses. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | Department For Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (DEFRA) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | Duchy of Cornwall |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | Forestry Commission |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | Joint Nature Conservation Committee |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | National Farmers Union |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | National Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | NatureScot |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | ExCASES 1: Sustainable deer management |
| Organisation | The Wildlife Trusts |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW's ExCASES team led a collaboration exploring tricky issues in relation to deer management. Our team scoped the project and facilitated a process by which stakeholders from a diverse range of perspectives could explore barriers and opportunities for landscape-scale deer management. The team planned, organised and facilitated three deliberative workshops and are currently in the process of writing a report from the work alongside a short summary briefing. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partners participated in three deliberative workshops, contributing their time, experience and perspectives to the work. An even wider list of stakeholders was consulted during the scoping phase. They are not listed here but will be acknowledged in the final report. |
| Impact | - 3 deliberative, participatory workshops held bringing together partners and stakeholders from a wide range of perspectives. - Written report (in progress, with dissemination plan in place). - New relationships and connections made between partners and across different sectors. - Working with Forest Research, Natural England and South Downs National Park Authority to ensure legacy. - University of Exeter have recently been successful in a £100,000 bid to AHRC, with match funding from Natural England, National Trust, South Downs National Park and the British Deer Society, for a project entitled 'Fair Game'. The University of Exeter lead attended the ExCASES workshop and connections made at that workshop saw additional partners from the food justice movement join the Fair Game bid. The ExCASES team will feed in to the Fair Game project launch meeting, sharing findings and consolidating input into this new project which seeks to address some of the themes raised through this mission, namely the diversity of deer stalking; infrastructure needs for establishing a venison supply chain; and engaging with the messaging and communication around venison and deer culling. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | HWNS pilot |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW Theme 2 (Communities) are working with Natural England on their Health, Wellbeing, Nature and Sustainability tool to help local authority decision-making. RENEW researchers are advising and contributing to aspects of design and working alongside Natural England and digital contractor (Panlogic Ltd). They on a week-to-week basis with the development team and partners in Natural England, including the production of guidance documents and facilitating workshops with local authority stakeholders. JM has begun work on the HWNS Facilitation Steering Group (group includes representatives from Natural England, Environment Agency, Local Partnerships and Risk Solutions) |
| Collaborator Contribution | RENEW Theme 2 (Communities) are working with Natural England on their Health, Wellbeing, Nature and Sustainability tool to help local authority decision-making. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Integrating social data into conservation planning (RENEW Theme 1) |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | PhD research project within RENEW Theme 1. Supervised by RENEW researchers and ongoing dialogue within RENEW and with Natural England as the work develops. |
| Collaborator Contribution | PhD research project within RENEW Theme 1, co-funded by Natural England. Supervised by RENEW researchers and ongoing dialogue within RENEW and with Natural England as the work develops. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Learning From Best Practice in Sustainable Governance Performance (RENEW Theme 2) |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | University of Exeter is co-funding this PhD which sits within RENEW Theme 2. RENEW is supervising and colleagues from across the project have opportunities to feed in to the work. The work will provide insights that will also contribute to work ongoing in RENEW Theme 2 on the Health, Wellbeing, Nature and Sustainability tool. There is ongoing dialogue between Natural England and RENEW as the work develops. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Natural England is co-funding this PhD. There is ongoing dialogue between Natural England and RENEW as the work develops. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. An initial briefing paper has been produced and presented to Natural England. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | NE/RENEW |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on biodiversity renewal issues. Lots of engagement from colleagues right across RENEW. Colleagues from different parts of RENEW meeting with Natural England on a recurring basis to share learning to date and future plans. This offers an opportunity both to inform Natural England staff's thinking and decision-making, to field questions and learn more about their areas of interest, and to explore opportunities for further collaboration. Natural England is a partner working with RENEW on different strands of the project, and also an audience for the impacts we want to have in shaping policy-making. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on biodiversity renewal issues. Colleagues from different parts of RENEW meeting with Natural England on a recurring basis to share learning to date and future plans. During 2023 Natural England assigned a member of staff (Jemma Sharman, Principal Specialist, Science Directorate) to oversee their engagement with RENEW, and also established an internal RENEW strategy group as a forum to provide input and engagement from across the organisation. We are really delighted with the level of interest and engagement in the project, including from senior staff. |
| Impact | Part-funding for two PhD studentships. Co-funding of a longitudinal cohort study. Co-funding of an assessment of Natural England's Coastal Access Programme. Joint working on NE's Protected Sites Strategy. Yes, this collaboration is multi-disciplinary, invoking natural scientists, social scientists, humanities and creative practitioners. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | NatureScot/RENEW |
| Organisation | NatureScot |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. Dr Clive Mitchell (Head of Terrestrial Science) was one of the provocateurs at RENEW Biodiversity Parliament 2022. |
| Impact | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Oral histories of the environmental sector (British Library/RENEW) |
| Organisation | The British Library |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on oral histories. RENEW's Collaboration in Practice team (Angela Cassidy, Susan Molyneux Hodgson and Eleanor Hadley Kershaw) have been working with National Life Stories to collect oral history interviews on experiences of biodiversity collaboration, which will contribute to the British Library's oral history archival collections of national significance. RENEW colleagues have informed the selection of interviewees and facilitated connections. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on oral histories. RENEW's Collaboration in Practice team have been working with the British Library to contribute an oral history of the environmental conservation sector to its National Life Stories archive. British Library colleagues Paul Merchant and Mary Stewart have worked with the RENEW team to identify interviewees, conduct interviews and manage the project. Paul Merchant was the dinner speaker at RENEW's 2023 Biodiversity Parliament where he spoke about the partnership, shared archive audio material and reflected on the role of oral histories within environmental research. |
| Impact | Protocols for joint working developed. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Poetry Society/RENEW |
| Organisation | The Poetry Society |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on using poetry to help shape relationships with biodiversity. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on using poetry to help shape relationships with biodiversity. |
| Impact | Planning on joint working. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Predicting future cultural and natural heritage scenarios on common land (RENEW Themes 2&3) |
| Organisation | National Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on biodiversity renewal. Support and involvement in PhD and ECR networks. Supervisors from University of Exeter and National Trust, also from Foundation for Common Land (on a contract basis). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on biodiversity renewal. Supervisors from University of Exeter and National Trust, also from Foundation for Common Land (on a contract basis). Partners also facilitating connections and informing work. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Protected Sites Strategy (NE/RENEW) |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on issues relating to protected sites. To date this includes the systematic review and 'Bog Talk' projects listed separately. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on issues relating to protected sites. To date this includes the systematic review and 'Bog Talk' projects listed separately. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | RSPB / RENEW |
| Organisation | Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on biodiversity renewal issues. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on biodiversity renewal issues. RSPB are engaged particularly with RENEW's work on land management, which aligns with their own priority landscapes work. We have also worked together to engage with farmer networks. |
| Impact | Joint working on biodiversity renewal issues. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Renewing Biodiversity Longitudinal Survey (ReBLS) |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW Theme 1 (Individual actors) have developed a longitudinal panel survey to understand how biodiversity renewal impacts people's attitudes towards nature and renewal efforts, nature-related behaviours, health, and well-being, and how this may change over time. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Natural England have brought additional funding to the survey and worked with RENEW to design the survey and procure survey company. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | SSSI filming (NE/RENEW) |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | John Wedgwood Clarke, Co-Investigator of RENEW Theme 2 (Communities) is working with Natural England around their Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). John will be commissioning a series of short films as part of RENEW's work exploring creative engagement with nature. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Natural England is funding this work around their Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and working with RENEW to shape the commission. |
| Impact | None yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Severn Trent/RENEW |
| Organisation | Severn Trent Water |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Impact | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Shaping the next generation of children's literature (BookTrust/RENEW) |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on using children's literature to help shape relationships with biodiversity. Co-I John Wedgwood Clarke has been leading RENEW's work with partner BookTrust aimed at inspiring the next generation of authors, illustrators, and ultimately children and families. In October 2023 RENEW and BookTrust hosted the Biodiversity Storytelling Summit at Kew Gardens. This interdisciplinary event gathered leading authors, illustrators, publishers, and scientists to identify the barriers faced by low-income families wishing to access and learn about nature through books. RENEW postdoctoral researchers Bethan Stagg and David Bavin presented and creative writing PhD student Caleb Parkin participated. University of Exeter colleagues from beyond RENEW, research fellow Dr Emmanuelle Briolat and research technician Maisy Inston also presented at the event. Also participating from RENEW were: Lucy Mercer, Ben Phillips, Jo Garrett, Regan Early and Kevin Gaston from the University of Exeter; Stewart Clarke and Emma Zimmerman from the National Trust. Nazneen Pathak (lecturer in creative writing at the University of Exeter) also participated, leading a storyboarding session. Eleanor Hadley Kershaw attended from RENEW's Theme X3 Collaboration in Practice team, to observe the event for X3 research purposes. The RENEW secretariat provided administrative and communications support for the event. Co-I John Clarke is now working with BookTrust colleagues on ideas for the next phase of this partnership. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on using children's literature to help shape relationships with biodiversity. BookTrust colleagues worked with John Clarke to co-design and deliver the Biodiversity Storytelling Summit, partnering on the idea development, planning and organisation of the event itself, and follow-up. BookTrust brought in keynote speaker, zoologist and author Nicola Davies, participants from the worlds of literature, illustration and publishing, and ensured that the event was designed with this audience in mind. BookTrust's Director of Design, Development and Strategic Planning, Claire Goodall, opened the event. Kiran Sunil (Former Product Developer) and Sofia Rewlik (Proposition Development Manager) were instrumental to the event planning and delivery; Sofia has been following up with attendees and is now developing proposals for the next phase of this partnership. Annie Crombie, BookTrust deputy CEO, has championed this work - she and Sofia attended the 2023 RENEW Biodiversity Parliament in November, where Annie and John presented about the partnership. As well as the BookTrust, other RENEW partners have also contributed to this work. Cordelia Spalding from Natural England sat on the working group which collaboratively developed the event. She and Chris Hogarth both participated in the event for Natural England; Judith Palmer and Billie Manning participated from the Poetry Society, another RENEW project partner. |
| Impact | Joint planning of follow up activity is currently in progress with a range of options under consideration. This is a multi-disciplinary collaboration which has drawn on expertise from across RENEW's team of creative writers and ecologists. Sophie Hallam from Bonnier Books attended RENEW's Biodiversity Parliament, as a result of her participation in the event at Kew, and has expressed interest in working with the University. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Shaping the next generation of children's literature (BookTrust/RENEW) |
| Organisation | The Poetry Society |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on using children's literature to help shape relationships with biodiversity. Co-I John Wedgwood Clarke has been leading RENEW's work with partner BookTrust aimed at inspiring the next generation of authors, illustrators, and ultimately children and families. In October 2023 RENEW and BookTrust hosted the Biodiversity Storytelling Summit at Kew Gardens. This interdisciplinary event gathered leading authors, illustrators, publishers, and scientists to identify the barriers faced by low-income families wishing to access and learn about nature through books. RENEW postdoctoral researchers Bethan Stagg and David Bavin presented and creative writing PhD student Caleb Parkin participated. University of Exeter colleagues from beyond RENEW, research fellow Dr Emmanuelle Briolat and research technician Maisy Inston also presented at the event. Also participating from RENEW were: Lucy Mercer, Ben Phillips, Jo Garrett, Regan Early and Kevin Gaston from the University of Exeter; Stewart Clarke and Emma Zimmerman from the National Trust. Nazneen Pathak (lecturer in creative writing at the University of Exeter) also participated, leading a storyboarding session. Eleanor Hadley Kershaw attended from RENEW's Theme X3 Collaboration in Practice team, to observe the event for X3 research purposes. The RENEW secretariat provided administrative and communications support for the event. Co-I John Clarke is now working with BookTrust colleagues on ideas for the next phase of this partnership. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on using children's literature to help shape relationships with biodiversity. BookTrust colleagues worked with John Clarke to co-design and deliver the Biodiversity Storytelling Summit, partnering on the idea development, planning and organisation of the event itself, and follow-up. BookTrust brought in keynote speaker, zoologist and author Nicola Davies, participants from the worlds of literature, illustration and publishing, and ensured that the event was designed with this audience in mind. BookTrust's Director of Design, Development and Strategic Planning, Claire Goodall, opened the event. Kiran Sunil (Former Product Developer) and Sofia Rewlik (Proposition Development Manager) were instrumental to the event planning and delivery; Sofia has been following up with attendees and is now developing proposals for the next phase of this partnership. Annie Crombie, BookTrust deputy CEO, has championed this work - she and Sofia attended the 2023 RENEW Biodiversity Parliament in November, where Annie and John presented about the partnership. As well as the BookTrust, other RENEW partners have also contributed to this work. Cordelia Spalding from Natural England sat on the working group which collaboratively developed the event. She and Chris Hogarth both participated in the event for Natural England; Judith Palmer and Billie Manning participated from the Poetry Society, another RENEW project partner. |
| Impact | Joint planning of follow up activity is currently in progress with a range of options under consideration. This is a multi-disciplinary collaboration which has drawn on expertise from across RENEW's team of creative writers and ecologists. Sophie Hallam from Bonnier Books attended RENEW's Biodiversity Parliament, as a result of her participation in the event at Kew, and has expressed interest in working with the University. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Synthesising collaborative practice for environmental research (CtE/X3) |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | RENEW Theme X3 (Collaboration in Practice) are working with NERC to explore collaboration in practice across NERC's Changing the Environment programme. |
| Collaborator Contribution | RENEW Theme X3 (Collaboration in Practice) are working with NERC to explore collaboration in practice across NERC's Changing the Environment programme. |
| Impact | Since starting the project in December 2023, the X3 team have: - Started the extended programme of oral history work with National Life Stories, capturing oral history interviews about lifetime experiences of inter+transdisciplinary collaboration across the broader environmental sphere. This material will be added to the existing RENEW interviews on biodiversity collaboration, together forming a substantial contribution to the British Library's oral history collections of national significance - Started a synthesis of documentary sources and commenced visits to other CtE projects - Organised a series of cross CtE online workshops |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Systematic review of interventions to address ecological impact of visitors in protected areas (NE/RENEW) |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW researcher Bethan Stagg is leading a systematic review of interventions to address ecological impact of visitors in protected areas. This will cover international evidence in places like the UK, and will address key questions such as what interventions have been used to address ecological impacts of visitors in protected areas and other similar natural sites? What types of interventions were used ? How effective were they, and what were the explanatory factors? What are the implications, including for social inclusion? |
| Collaborator Contribution | Natural England are funding this review which will inform their thinking around the Protected Sites Strategy. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | The Wildlife Trusts/RENEW |
| Organisation | The Wildlife Trusts |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Joint working on study of views from windows. Joint working on EDI and youth engagement. RENEW's EDI team worked as a key partner with the Wildlife Trusts in March-June 2023 to contribute to their first ever National Youth Festival, which was planned for August 2023 in Nottinghamshire. Activities scoped and organised included: survey work with young festival goers to unpack their perspectives on the future of the conservation sector; a 'tree of hope' engagement exercise; letterboxes for 'letters to nature' and 'letters to the Wildlife Trusts'; facilitated biodiversity problem-solving activities. In mid-June the Wildlife Trusts had to cancel the festival as it proved to be not financially viable given their ticket sales. The programme of activities planned for this Festival can be repurposed and extended in a smaller scale event in autumn 2024. Discussion of County Wildlife Sites in the context of work on land management. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on study of views from windows. The Wildlife Trusts have supported promotion of the study including through their '30 Days Wild' campaign. Joint working on EDI and youth engagement. Discussion of County Wildlife Sites in the context of work on land management. |
| Impact | Study design. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | UKCEH/RENEW |
| Organisation | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | RENEW colleagues are using UKCEH data as part of the input to a new decision-support tool for land managers. Colleagues are in discussion with the Biological Records Centre within UKCEH about presenting RENEW's work to staff. |
| Collaborator Contribution | UKCEH has made data available to RENEW colleagues developing a decision-support tool for land managers. |
| Impact | Decision support tool materials |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Understanding business biodiversity impacts using LCA approach (RENEW Theme 4) |
| Organisation | National Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW researchers have developed a data analysis methodology to assess biodiversity impacts using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach |
| Collaborator Contribution | National Trust has been the first case study, working with RENEW colleagues to develop and test the methodology and heatmap which can inform decision-making. |
| Impact | Research datasets, databases and models: LCA analysis methodology to assess biodiversity impact This collaboration is multi-disciplinary involving practitioners from National Trust, ecologists and mathematicians from University of Exeter. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Urban trees ecosystem services |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Assessment of ecosystem services and wellbeing provided by all urban trees in England, Scotland, Wales, along with equity of access to those services. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Assessment of ecosystem services and wellbeing provided by all urban trees in England, Scotland, Wales, along with equity of access to those services. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Willow tit occupancy for land management interventions (PhD Theme 3) |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW Theme 3 (Land managers) PhD student Daveron Smith is working in partnership with Cornwall Birds to gather baseline data on the extent and health of the willow tit population on Goss Moor in Cornwall. Predictive modelling will then be used to identify the most promising sites for management interventions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project has been supported by funding from the G7 Legacy Fund administered by Natural England and Cornwall Wildlife Trust. The site is managed by Natural England. Local birding group Cornwall Birds have been brought in to help with field survey work and otherwise engage with the project. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. Volunteers have been trained in field survey skills. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Willow tit occupancy for land management interventions (PhD Theme 3) |
| Organisation | Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW Theme 3 (Land managers) PhD student Daveron Smith is working in partnership with Cornwall Birds to gather baseline data on the extent and health of the willow tit population on Goss Moor in Cornwall. Predictive modelling will then be used to identify the most promising sites for management interventions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project has been supported by funding from the G7 Legacy Fund administered by Natural England and Cornwall Wildlife Trust. The site is managed by Natural England. Local birding group Cornwall Birds have been brought in to help with field survey work and otherwise engage with the project. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. Volunteers have been trained in field survey skills. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Willow tit occupancy for land management interventions (PhD Theme 3) |
| Organisation | The Wildlife Trusts |
| Department | Cornwall Wildlife Trust |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | RENEW Theme 3 (Land managers) PhD student Daveron Smith is working in partnership with Cornwall Birds to gather baseline data on the extent and health of the willow tit population on Goss Moor in Cornwall. Predictive modelling will then be used to identify the most promising sites for management interventions. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This project has been supported by funding from the G7 Legacy Fund administered by Natural England and Cornwall Wildlife Trust. The site is managed by Natural England. Local birding group Cornwall Birds have been brought in to help with field survey work and otherwise engage with the project. |
| Impact | Work is ongoing. Volunteers have been trained in field survey skills. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Yorkshire Water/RENEW |
| Organisation | Yorkshire Water |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Impact | Conversations ongoing regarding joint working opportunities. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Agile Summer School |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | RENEW's X3 (Collaboration in Practice) team presented their work at the Agile Summer School. This led to further conversations with other CtE programmes and a successful bid for Enhancement Funding to NERC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | All themes (Spotlight on NT projects and programmes) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This event brought RENEW colleagues together with teams from the wider National Trust to explore opportunities for collaboration. 6 NT teams presented (Killerton Estate, 8 Hills Regional Park, Stepping Stones, Future Parks Accelerator, Changing Chalk, Riverlands) with Q&A sessions to highlight the scale of opportunity across the organisation, and bring teams together with relevant RENEW themes. There was considerable interest among RENEW Theme 2 (Communities) and the session kickstarted discussions between theme leads and NT projects including FPA, Changing Chalk, Riverlands about future collaboration. These conversations are ongoing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Biodiversity Parliament 2023 (Nov 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The 2023 RENEW Biodiversity Parliament brought together RENEW colleagues, partners and stakeholders at a 2-day event held at Heelis, National Trust headquarters in Swindon. The event saw presentations from each of RENEW's research themes, with partners BookTrust and the British Library also sharing their experiences. PhD students showed posters, and the programme included plenty of time for informal, in-person networking for attendees to make and build connections across disciplines, professions and sectors. Partners commented on how the work has developed and many expressed an appetite for further involvement. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://renewbiodiversity.org.uk/a-review-of-the-renew-parliament-2023-with-rebecca-edgerley/ |
| Description | Biodiversity Storytelling Summit, Kew (Oct 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Biodiversity Storytelling Summit hosted by BookTrust and RENEW at Kew Gardens in London. Over 50 authors, illustrators and publishers joined together with scientists to explore how nature is - and could be - represented in children's literature. Zoologist and children's author Nicola Davies was keynote speaker at the event, which featured presentations from ecologists alongside collaborative creative activities. Participants reported making new connections and having their eyes opened to the weird and wonderful nature on our doorsteps. One author who attended the summit has been inspired to host a biodiversity event at his local library, while a RENEW scientist has been invited to join an online session for primary school children as part of Cambridge County Council's Festival of Stories, after one of their Early Years team attended the summit. BookTrust and RENEW are working together on follow-up activities to continue the conversations from the event and we expect to see further impacts develop over time. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Biodiversity parliament I |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Two-day event engaging partner organisations with research team to build understanding of biodiversity renewal and strengthen connections. Taking the 'Parliament' theme, we structured the event loosely around a 'select committee' model, creating 'provocations' and running deliberative workshops around the two main themes of the event, namely access/impact and food security. The event also feature invited guest speakers and creative practitioners. We worked with Foreground event management to facilitate the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://renewbiodiversity.org.uk/renew-biodiversity-parliament-2022/ |
| Description | Collaboration in Practice guide (UoE promotion/dissemination) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A meeting with Poppy Harrison, University of Exeter Networks Facilitation Manager, to raise awareness of the Collaboration in Practice guide and discuss routes to disseminate it among colleagues. As a result, the guide has been uploaded to the University's online Research and Impact Management Environment (RIME), making it available to colleagues from right across the university. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Collaboration in Practice guide (UoE promotion/dissemination) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented RENEW's Collaboration in Practice guide developed by the X3 team. This was a presentation as part of the HASS-STEM Environmental Pipeline Workshop, with an audience of approximately 50 University of Exeter colleagues from within HASS (Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) disciplines. The aim was to raise awareness of the guide and share good practice. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration in Practice guide (partner engagement) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | RENEW's X3 team presented the Collaboration in Practice guide at a RENEW Partner Forum event. 16 participants from 9 organisations attended, including the University of Exeter and National Trust, Natural England, The Poetry Society, JNCC, NBN, Future Parks Accelerator, UKCEH and British Library. The event was focused on 'What works for inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration?' and was aimed at sharing learning and gathering partner input for the next version of the guide. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration in Practice guide (partner engagement) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | RENEW X3 team presented their work and the Collaboration in Practice guide to Natural England's RENEW Strategy Group. The meeting discussed work to date, Natural England institutional culture, invited input on the practice guide and discussed avenues for future collaboration. The team has been invited to attend the Strategy Group meeting again in future. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration in practice (4S conference) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | X3 (Collaboration in Practice) presented work on collaboration at 4S Society for Social Studies of Science Conference 2023, online/Hawaii (9/11/23) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration in practice (Nordic STS conference) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Paper presented (Hadley Kershaw, E): 'Re-imagining research practice and policy for biodiversity' (7-9/6/23) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration in practice (Nuffield Council on Bioethics) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | X3 (Collaboration in Practice) team delivered invited talk at workshop on interdisciplinary collaboration and responsible innovation in synthetic biology, Nuffield Council on Bioethics (5-6/9/23). Prompted requests for further information from BBSRC, DSIT, UKRI Comms & Engagement. Reported change in views or opinions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration in practice (UoE presentation) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | X3 (Collaboration in Practice) presented RENEW, and their work on collaboration, to University of Exeter research groups and centres: Egenis, Centre for the Study of Life Sciences - Away Day (19/5/23). Seminar delivered (Hadley Kershaw, E.): 'Interdisciplinarity, co-production and responsible innovation: from tick box to critical friendship' Centre for Rural Policy Research - Away Day (20/6/23) Symposium on Co-productive & Participatory Practices for Effective Environmental Governance (16/11/23). Panel presentation (Hadley Kershaw, E.): 'How do we promote best practices in co-production?' It has also been shared with the central Research Services directorate, and is now available on the Research Impact Management Environment and will be included in the new Project Management resource which is in development for managers and administrators across the University of Exeter. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Collaboration in practice presentation (Oral History Society conference) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Paper presented (Merchant, P.): 'Oral histories of collaboration in nature conservation in Britain, 1960-present'. (23-24/6/23) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | College talk (Plumpton College, East Sussex) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Prof Kevin Gaston gave a talk about personalised ecology to approx 170 students at Plumpton College (East Sussex) on 7th February |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Cornwall AONB engagement (ongoing) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | RENEW researchers have met with staff at the Cornwall Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to present our work and explore opportunities for collaboration. During 2022 we attended quarterly meetings of the Cornwall AONB partnership to introduce our work, and during 2023 have discussed how we might support the identification of priority locations for high nature value farming. Cornwall AONB has identified potential opportunities to engage farmer networks across parts of Cornwall. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| Description | Creative peninsula summit panel (J. Clarke) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Participation in expert panel discussing work on biodiversity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://creativepeninsula.org/programme/creative-peninsula-summit |
| Description | Emma Zimmerman (Presentation to NT Nature Conservation Advisors group) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | RENEW partnership manager Emma Zimmerman presented to National Trust's Nature Conservation Advisor group, at the request of the NCA group lead. This was held online with 30-40 NCAs, all of whom are based regionally across the National Trust. There was particular interest in ExCASES (Theme X2), which led to follow on conversations with ExCASES team. Attendees were keen to have access to the mission bank, which was shared (and also made available on the RENEW website), and at least two NCAs submitted mission ideas. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | HWNS conference presentation (IRSPM 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Oliver James and Jamie McCauley (Theme 2 - Communities) presented a paper at the International Research Society for Public Management conference in Budapest. The title of the IRSPM 2023 paper was: Local Environmental Policy Prioritisation and Outcome Performance Reporting. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://irspm2023.exordo.com/programme/presentation/253 |
| Description | HWNS engagement (ongoing) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | As part of RENEW's work on the Health, Wellbeing and Nature Sustainability (HWNS) tool, we meet quarterly with local authorities and with Natural England to progress the development of the HWNS tool to support sustainable governance. In 2023 we have worked with Liverpool Combined Authority, Norfolk County Council and Surrey Council. Further engagement activity is planned for 2024. During 2023 we engaged with stakeholders from Liverpool Combined Authority's planning, environment and data & insight teams to share our work and gain insight into the use of performance management tools. Liverpool Combined Authority subsequently hosted a workshop to test relevant factor diagrams with the Liverpool Regions Spatial Strategy Plan. A similar workshop was also held in Norfolk with the Greater Norfolk Growth Board, to test relevant factor diagrams with the new Green Infrastructure Strategy Plan. This dialogue informs decisions around the development of the HWNS tool, while also providing local authority stakeholders a space to reflect on their practice and decision-making. RENEW has also been involved in an advisory capacity (reported separately) and in the formal evaluation of bids as part of Natural England's digital procurement process. RENEW is now part of the steering group with responsibility for training of facilitators for HWNS roll-out. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | HWNS presentation to students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | RENEW team (Oliver James and Jamie Macauley) presented RENEW and the HWNS tool to a Masters class in Public Administration |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | LNP Board (R. Lovell) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | RENEW researcher Rebecca Lovell has been appointed to Cornwall's Local Nature Partnership Board, to bring health and wellbeing expertise. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | LNRS engagement in Devon and Cornwall |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | RENEW colleagues from Theme 3 (Land Managers) have engaged with Cornwall Council, Council of the Isles of Scilly, Devon County Council and their corresponding Wildlife Trusts around the Local Nature Recovery Strategy. They have met with council officers on multiple occasions through 2022-23 to discuss ways RENEW could contribute to the LNRS in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, and in Devon, particularly in relation to mapping. In September 2023 Cornwall's Local Nature Partnership, which includes representatives from Natural England, RSPB & Wildlife Trusts, signed off its approach to the LNRS which has been informed by the RENEW approach. This has included the development of workflows for modelling species distributions and conducting systematic conservation planning. We have shared our experiences with colleagues at Natural England (Celia Fallon) to discuss common approach for LNRS mapping across the South West. We have sought to share best practice, while recognising that this requires a fair degree of technical expertise to deliver. Our work has prompted requests for further information and technical support from responsible authorities, but unfortunately RENEW does not have the capacity to provide this follow up without either additional resource or reallocation of existing resource. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| Description | Literature x Ecology poetry events |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A series of webinars featuring RENEW's Lucy Mercer in conversation with renowned international contemporary poets, held in partnership with the Biodiversity and People Network. Two events were held in 2023 (a third had to be cancelled due to illness) and there are more arranged for 2024. The poets (Sylvia Legris and Karen McCarthy Woolf) read from their work and discussed their writing in relation to ecology and ecological thinking. The events were promoted internally within the University of Exeter and National Trust, with project partners and via RENEW's social media channels. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Meet and greet (Theme 3) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Info-sharing event facilitated by RENEW Partnership Forum. Brought together partners (Church Commissioners, Duchy of Cornwall, Natural England, NatureScot, The Wildlife Trusts, Yorkshire Water) with researchers to share areas of interest and discuss collaboration opportunities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Meet and greet (Theme 4) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Info-sharing event with partners, with researchers and providing opportunity for discussion/debate. Peter White (RENEW Theme 4 - Business and Finance) tested out his dashboard survey with partners, aimed at assessing sector needs and preferences. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Meet and greet (Theme 4) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Info-sharing event facilitated by RENEW Partner Forum. The event brought together partners (Church Commissioners, HSBC, JNCC, Lloyds Bank, NatWest, and Natural England) and researchers to shares areas of interest, discuss upcoming work and collaboration possibilities, including around the biodiversity impact dashboard. Partners keen to know more about how to be involved, with some attending RENEW Biodiversity Parliament as a result and ongoing conversations about joint work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | NT Advisory Groups conference (Feb 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | RENEW Theme 2 Co-I Catriona McKinnon recorded a short video presentation on intergenerational justice that was screened at conference |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Oral histories of the conservation sector (National Life Stories) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Participated in British Libraries National Life Stories Interviewers' Forum (16/5/23) and Symposium (30/6-1/7/23). Participation in order to learn from and exchange ideas with colleagues working in oral history. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ohs.org.uk/events/the-life-story-in-oral-history-practice-a-two-day-international-sympos... |
| Description | Poetry and creative writing workshops (Lucy Mercer with BaPN) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Led by poet Lucy Mercer, these workshops explored reading poems about the natural world and offered group creative writing exercises to get people thinking in a poetic way about these subjects. Each workshop took a different theme: water, grass, and trees. The first two workshops were held online, the last one in-person. The workshops were held by RENEW in collaboration with the University of Exeter Biodiversity and People Network, aimed at colleagues and members of the network from across different disciplines. The workshops aimed to create an inclusive space for RENEW team members as well as colleagues from other departments to learn a little bit more about poetry, and to introduce new creative methodologies and ways of approaching subjects that might relate to their research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation (B. Phillips) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation as part of a workshop of intra-disciplinary working |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation (Cornwall AONB partnership) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to the partnership, which sparked questions and discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation (Eden Project) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to the organisation on systematic conservation planning. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation (K.J. Gaston) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation introducing RENEW to members of institution |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Presentation (R. Hails) at Citizen's Assembly for Nature |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to Citizens Assembly for Nature as part of People's Plan for Nature campaign |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://peoplesplanfornature.org/peoples-assembly-nature-second-weekend |
| Description | RENEW overview to Devon LNP |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Partnerships Manager Emma Zimmerman gave an overview of RENEW to an online meeting of the Devon Local Nature Partnership (https://www.devonlnp.org.uk/) in September 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Rosie Hails (Agile Nature Recovery Symposium) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | RENEW Co-Director Rosie Hails was a panel member at the Oxford Nature Recovery Symposium held on 27th March 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.agile-initiative.ox.ac.uk/events/event/oxford-nature-recovery-symposium/ |
| Description | Rosie Hails (Cambridge Associates) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | RENEW Co-Director Rosie Hails gave a talk at an Investment Fund discussion meeting at Cambridge Associates in London in November 2023, on the topic of 'Restoring Nature: The Business Case'. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Rosie Hails (Institution of Civil Engineers Presidential Roundtable) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Private roundtable event chaired by ICE president Professor Anusha Shah, focused on "How can governments incorporate nature-based solutions in their infrastructure systems?". The event brought together a wide range of leading industry experts and infrastructure professionals from the UK and internationally. Insight from the roundtable (held under the Chatham House rule) fed into ongoing development of a paper by ICE policy team on this topic. The paper has been published and will be used to inform discussions with key stakeholders and decision-makers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ice.org.uk/news-insight/policy-and-advocacy/policy-engagement/pres-rt-how-governments-ca... |
| Description | Rosie Hails (National AONB Conference) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | RENEW Co-Director Rosie Hails was one of the speakers in the keynote session 'Disrupt' at the national AONB annual conference held at Bath University in September 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://national-landscapes.org.uk/events/annual-conference-2023 |
| Description | T2 Bethan Stagg (Symposium on Co-Productive Practices for Effective Environmental Governance) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Bethan Stagg (RENEW Theme 2 - Communities) participated in the Symposium on Co-Productive Practices for Effective Environmental Governance jointly hosted by the University of British Columbia and University of Exter. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | T2 Caleb Parkin (Bad Lillies) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Two of Caleb Parkin's poems were published in digital poetry journal Bad Lilies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.badlilies.uk/caleb-parkin |
| Description | T2 Caleb Parkin (Cheltenham Literary Festival) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | PhD student Caleb Parkin (Theme 2 - Communities) shared his work at Cheltenham Literary Festival. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/the-huddle-free-programme |
| Description | T2 Caleb Parkin (Ecopoetikon) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Caleb Parkin's work 'Ten Reflections on the Same Pond' was published in Ecopoetikon online poetry journal. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://ecopoetikon.org/public/poems/1cdf93bd2ca0ca406d4db1e87313ff97e19e5784d07847efcf0f9f05c83af0c... |
| Description | T2 Caleb Parkin (Ginkgo Prize) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | PhD student Caleb Parkin (RENEW Theme 2 - Communities) read his work at the Ginkgo Prize for Ecopoetry event at the South Bank Centre in London. Caleb was highly commended in the prize and his work features in the Ginkgo Prize Ecopoetry Anthology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://ginkgoprize.com/ginkgo-ceremony/ |
| Description | T2 Catriona McKinnon (WCL EDI Working Group) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Following publication of WCL's route map to improving diversity in the conservation sector, RENEW were invited to speak about our work with WCL's equality, diversity and inclusion working group. RENEW colleagues subsequently developed a draft concept paper, intended to underpin further engagement and a potential Partnership Forum workshop on this topic. The concept paper was presented to partners at the Biodiversity Parliament in November. This work is currently paused due to staff changes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | T2 Lucy Mercer (Small publishers book fair) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Lucy Mercer (Theme 2 - Communities) read her work at the Small Publishers Book Fair, the annual gathering of writers, artists, poets, book designers and publishers which takes place in London's Conway Hall. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | T3 Charlie Masquelier (MRF/Tay FM) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | RENEW team member Charlie Masquelier (Theme 3, Land Managers) appeared on MFR and Tay FM hourly bulletins on Sunday 18 February 2024 speaking about RENEW. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Theme 3 Farm cluster engagement |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Theme 3 (Land managers) have engaged with two separate farmer clusters, presenting the outputs of our models to date. The models developed by RENEW Theme 3 aim to provide useful data on the biodiversity value of a given area of land. Theme 3 have presented model outputs to the clusters, gathering feedback that will inform our work as we continue to develop the model to make it as relevant and useful as possible for farmers. Insights from this work in Devon, including modelled biodiversity uplift and estimates of value under Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), being analysed, particularly in the context of farmer-led vs systematic conservation planning led biodiversity benefits. Work with farm clusters has provided direct feedback on value of ecological models and additional information wanted by farmers. Landscape-scale management plans developed by Devon clusters have been valued by Mott MacDonald in terms of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and were presented to farmers in December 2023. This produced further insights and a further meeting has been schedule to discuss implementing land management approaches funded by BNG. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Tim Lenton and Rosie Hails (NERC Nature Positive stakeholder roundtable) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Professor Tim Lenton spoke at the Nature Positive Business Leaders Roundtable convened by NERC. The roundtable brought together business leaders to explore challenges in enhancing biodiversity the context of an evolving policy and regulatory landscape. Tim spoke about his work with RENEW and the significance of tipping points. RENEW Co-Director Rosie Hails also participated in the stakeholder roundtable discussions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Willow tit habitat mapping |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | PhD student Daveron Smith is building a community around willow tit habit mapping and restoration. Working with the Cornwall Birdwatching and Preservation Society (known as Cornwall Birds), and using funding secured from the G7 Legacy project, Daveron has established a Willow Tit Taskforce to monitor the species and restore habitats. Information about the taskforce was included in the Cornwall Birds newsletter and internal communications at Natural England. Daveron has delivered initial training sessions for taskforce volunteers, and the project is ongoing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Windows study promotion |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Press release and various other promotion, including via social media channels, of the windows study to recruit participants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://news.exeter.ac.uk/environment-and-sustainability-institute/scientists-want-your-view-on-watc... |
| Description | Workshop (P. White) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Workshop on creating positive tipping points for nature and climate |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://global-tipping-points.org/programme/tipping-point-opportunities-breakout-sessions/ |
| Description | X2 and NT (BES Conference 2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | National Trust colleagues hosted an exhibition stand at the British Ecological Society annual conference in Belfast, December 2023, to promote NT's IRO status, nature strategy and related environmental research and science ambitions. RENEW was showcased as NT's largest grant-funded research project and a key example of how partnership working is forging the way in developing solutions to the biodiversity crisis. We used RENEW's interactive 'Biodiversitymeter' to engage delegates through sharing their opinions on nature targets and experiences. The ExCASES (Theme X2) team also ran interactive sessions to elicit ExCASES mission ideas from conference attendees. Over 1500 delegates attended the conference, of whom the NT/RENEW team estimate they spoke to over 200. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |