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)
- The Poetry Society (Collaboration)
- Confederation of British Industry (CBI) (Collaboration)
- Natural England (Collaboration)
- The British Library (Collaboration)
- Wildlife Trusts (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Eden Project (Project Partner)
- Federated Hermes (Project Partner)
- Triodos Bank (Project Partner)
- Duchy of Cornwall (Project Partner)
- HSBC Holdings (Project Partner)
- Forestry England (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)
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (Project Partner)
- British Ecological Society (Project Partner)
- Severn Trent (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- NatureScot (Scottish Natural Heritage) (Project Partner)
- Wells Fargo Asset Management (Project Partner)
- Natural England (Project Partner)
- National Biodiversity Network Trust (Project Partner)
- Church of England (Project Partner)
- The Poetry Society (Project Partner)
- Backbone (Project Partner)
- NatWest Group (Project Partner)
- BookTrust (Project Partner)
- National Farmers Union (Project Partner)
- Kelda Group (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Project Partner)
- Future Parks Accelerator (Project Partner)
- Confederation of British Industry (Project Partner)
- WBCSD (World Business Council Sust Dev) (Project Partner)
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (Project Partner)
- National Trust for Scotland (Project Partner)
Publications
Baker D
(2024)
Effective strategies for correcting spatial sampling bias in species distribution models without independent test data
in Diversity and Distributions
Soga M
(2024)
Do people who experience more nature act more to protect it? A meta-analysis
in Biological Conservation
Soga M
(2023)
The vicious cycle of biophobia.
in Trends in ecology & evolution
Soga M
(2023)
Nature benefit hypothesis: Direct experiences of nature predict self-reported pro-biodiversity behaviors
in Conservation Letters
Lenton T
(2023)
Spread of the cycles: a feedback perspective on the Anthropocene
in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Gaston K
(2023)
Personalised ecology and the future of biodiversity
in Cambridge Prisms: Extinction
Soga M
(2023)
Global synthesis reveals heterogeneous changes in connection of humans to nature
in One Earth
Gardner A
(2023)
The effectiveness of UK protected areas in preventing local extinctions
in Conservation Letters
Soga M
(2022)
The dark side of nature experience: Typology, dynamics and implications of negative sensory interactions with nature
in People and Nature
Anon
(2022)
The nature of business
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 | 09/10/2027 | 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 | 01/04/2023 | 31/03/2027 | Joanna Furtado |
2863763 | Studentship | NE/W004941/1 | 01/07/2023 | 30/06/2027 | Will Bugg |
Description | British Library/RENEW |
Organisation | The British Library |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Joint working on oral histories. |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on oral histories. |
Impact | Protocols for joint working developed. |
Start Year | 2022 |
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. |
Collaborator Contribution | Carried out survey of businesses. Joint working on report. |
Impact | Contributed to the joint CBI Economics/University of Exeter report 'The Nature of Business'. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Description | NE/RENEW |
Organisation | Natural England |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Joint working on biodiversity renewal issues. |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on biodiversity renewal issues. |
Impact | Part-funding for two PhD studentships. Co-funding of a longitudinal cohort study. Yes, this collaboration is multi-disciplinary, invoking natural scientists, social scientists and humanities researchers. |
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 | 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. |
Collaborator Contribution | Joint working on study of views from windows. |
Impact | Study design. |
Start Year | 2022 |
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. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
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 | 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 with partners, with researchers and providing opportunity for discussion/debate. |
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. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
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 | 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/ |