Catalysing nature recovery for people and nature
Nature recovery that puts the environment and people at the heart of change
There has been significant progress and change in the global, national and regional nature recovery policy, most recently with Local Nature Recovery Strategies. But, the UK is falling short on delivering targets and there has been little progress on what this means for communities, and engagement with people where they live and with their places.
In order to deliver nature recovery, nature needs to be built into people’s lives and for this, more cross-sector/system wide approaches are required to support change at the scale required. It is vital that we embed social engagement with nature into our futures.
Earth Trust is taking action at local, regional and national levels so that more people can enjoy green spaces close to them and become connected to nature, so that they then take action for people and nature to thrive together. We want greater equality of access and investment in the creation, and protection, of high quality green spaces for everyone.
In May 2022, we developed and shared our framework for Building Nature In to our built environment in order to create and protect natural ecosystems and strengthen the connection between people and nature.
While the construction and development representatives at the Building Nature In event were bought into the high level principles of bringing people closer to nature, there was concern on how this might work in practice and a call for more real-world examples and case studies that demonstrate how these principles can work in practice and share learning on navigating barriers and challenges.
Catalysing Nature Recovery for People and Nature follows the convening work of 2022, to develop and establish a working multi sector knowledge network (a ‘network of networks’) that will advance practical approaches for delivering nature recovery while building nature in to people’s lives.
Our goal
To envision a future where nature is an integral part of our lives, advancing practical approaches for delivering nature recovery while building nature into people’s lives.
Project approach
Supporting change at scale requires cross sector collaboration.
The first phase of this project laid the ground work for a cross sector regional network of people and organisations that are able to support Natural England as it develops nature recovery networks.
The project is now developing a pathway for a nature recovery network that puts people at the heart of change, enabling better access and engagement with nature.
With funding from the Oxford Cambridge Pan-Regional Partnership ,working with research partners 3 Keel and Sunnyhill Consultants, we are exploring the role of green spaces in promoting health and wellbeing, supporting nature recovery and climate action and fostering community participation.
This timely initiative will help shape and influence policies at this critical time. The partners aim to build a multi sector knowledge network (a ‘network of networks’) that will advance practical approaches for delivering nature recovery while building nature into people’s lives and influence policy to consider a wider definition of green space in nature recovery.
Project outputs
This phase of Catalysing Nature Recovery for People and Nature will:
- Identify and form a regional network of individuals and organisations to catalyse thinking, build understanding of best practice and develop capacity across multiple sectors
- Develop active steering, implementation and networking groups to co-create a participatory, peer learning programme using a blend of in person and online engagement
- Develop a platform for concrete examples and evidence from projects where nature recovery is also actively building nature in to people’s lives
- Contribute to the further development of the 6 principles for Building Nature In
We are holding a workshop of organisations and individuals on 8th October 2024 and the outputs of the research will available in November.
Project impact
Overall, the Catalysing Nature Recovery for People and Nature project promises major benefits for biodiversity and communities – strategically supporting the expansion, connectivity, amount, quality of nature in a way that also supports people’s experience of nature by reducing barriers and supporting deeper engagement to green spaces.