Overview of the UK ecosystems research landscape by Mark Reed. More information at: http://www.lwec.org.uk/blogs/mark-reed/uk-ecosystems-research-landscape

1. The UK ecosystem research
landscape
Mark Reed

2. • Many UK programmes funding research on
Ecosystems Approach and ecosystem services
• Many of the same end users/stakeholders
• By co-ordinating knowledge exchange:
– Less stakeholder fatigue
– More comprehensive information for decision-makers
– Work together to respond
rapidly to emerging issues
– More impact, less resources
• Stellar Communications
Group – uniting UK ecosystems
research

3. Analysis

4. What research did we consider?
Currently active, UK-based research programmes
that promote or draw upon both the Ecosystems
Approach & ecosystem services framework…

5. • Centre for Ecology & Hydrology's (CEH) water and
biodiversity programme
• NERC's Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and
Sustainability (BESS) programme
• Follow-on to the National Ecosystem Assessment
(NEA2)
• DfID/NERC/ESRC funded Ecosystem Services &
Poverty Alleviation programme (ESPA)
• Scottish Government's Strategic Research
Programme (SRP) Theme 1: Ecosystem Services
• NERC's Insect Pollinators Initiative (IPI)
• NERC's Valuing Nature Network (VNN)

6. • Overlap between:
– Programme goals
– Stakeholders
– Planned knowledge exchange activities

7. Improve evidence re:
Which goals are shared?
Size of circle is proportional to no. programmes sharing a goal
relationships between
BESS: Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services &
ecosystem processes and Sustainability programme
CEH: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
natural capital biodiversity & water programmes
ESPA: Ecosystem Services & Poverty
stocks/ecosystem service Alleviation programme
flows under different IPI: Insect Pollinators Initiative
NEA2: National Ecosystem Assessment
scenarios follow-on phase
SRP: Scottish Government's Strategic
Research Programme Theme 1:
Shared by BESS x2, CEH, ESPA x2, NEA2, SRP Ecosystem Services
VNN: Valuing Nature Network
x2, VNN,
Policy instruments for
the sustainable
management of
Develop tools to ecosystem services
Understand how different
measure, track & map Shared by CEH, ESPA, IPI, NEA2, social groups value
SRP ecosystem services &
changes in ecosystem
incorporate these values in
services under different decision-making processes
scenarios Shared by ESPA, NEA2,
Methods to value
Shared by BESS, CEH, contribution of natural VNN, SRP
NEA2, SRP capital stocks & ecosystem
services to human well-
being
Shared by NEA2, VNN,
SRP

8. BESS: Biodiversity,
Ecosystem Services &
Sustainability programme
National CEH: Centre for Ecology &
Valuing Nature Ecosystem Ecosystem Services & Poverty Hydrology biodiversity &
water programmes
Network (VNN) Assessment Alleviation (ESPA) IPI: Insect Pollinators
Initiative
(NEA2) NEA2: National Ecosystem
Assessment follow-on
phase
SRP: Scottish Government's
3 shared goals: Scottish 3 shared goals: Strategic Research
• Sustainable management • Sustainable management Programme Theme 1:
of ecosystem services
Government of ecosystem services
Ecosystem Services
• Incorporating different SRP • Incorporating different
values into decision- values into decision-
making making
• Methods for valuing • Relationships between
natural capital & ecosystem processes,
ecosystem services stocks & flows IPI
1 shared goal:
• Sustainable
management of
ecosystem
services
BESS, CEH, NEA2
2 shared goals:
Which programmes share • Relationships between
ecosystem processes, stocks
& flows
most similar goals? • Measuring, tracking and
mapping ecosystem services

9. e.g. Scottish Government,
Devolved
Government funded Administratio
Welsh Assembly
Government, Defra, BIS, DECC,
knowledge exchange ns & Govt.
Depts.
DfT, DARDNI, DFID
e.g. EKN, EMTF, NCI, ClimateXChange, CREW
e.g. regional
Local bodies, local
Research funded Government councils, regional
offices of NE, EA etc
knowledge exchange
e.g. RELU, NERC fellows/interns,
ESKTN, ESRC KE projects like Landbridge e.g.
Agencies & EA, SEPA, NIE
regulators PA, NE, SNH,
LWEC CCW, JNCC
e.g. RSPB,
National Trust
NGOs
Ecosystems e.g. agricultural
research Industry
companies &
unions, professional
programmes bodies, water
utilities etc.
e.g. those involved in
Public & local
landscape level management
communities via partnerships

10. Working together

11. Early success

12. Future opportunities?
• Joint conferences for research users
• Joint training events
• Joint website and/or data sharing
• Combined contacts list
• More cross-programme policy briefs
– Link to ESPA briefs on impact & research into use?
– New policy issues as they arise
• Work together on other ways of getting research
into policy/practice
– Joint films, public engagement activities…

13. NEA follow-on
• Strong synergies with Valuing Nature Network
(already being exploited)
• Major overlap with ESPA goals – worth
investigating synergies?
• Only programme working towards all 5 goals
• So, need to foster links with all programmes
• Given NEA focus on informing policy, make
better use of KE initiatives to draw
this research in

14. Next steps
• LWEC workshop in November (invite only)
• Join in: edit our Wiki
• Or email me or Ruth Welters:
– Missing research programmes, users & KE initiatives
– Collaboration ideas

15. Get in touch
Email:
Mark.Reed@bcu.ac.uk
ruth.welters1@gmail.com
Blog:
http://www.lwec.org.uk/blogs/mark-reed/uk-
ecosystems-research-landscape
Ecosystems KE wiki:
https://lwec.centraldesktop.com/ecp/