Mapping ecosystem service provision Lucy Rogers AWT 30 th October 2017 Reg. Charity no. 280422
1. WENP 2. Why we need evidence 3. Why mapping 4. What we mapped 5. How we are using the maps Reg. Charity no. 280422
1. West of England Nature Partnership Our Vision: "To create and coordinate a plan for the restoration of the natural environment within the West of England region and integrate that plan into strategies for spatial planning, economic development and public health" Reg. Charity no. 280422
WENP Prospectus • Aim 1: Collate, increase and expand our environmental evidence base • LNPs around the country aim to improve environmental evidence available to aid decision making Reg. Charity no. 280422
2. Why do we need evidence? (and why haven't we got any?) • Lots of data, but not evidence – often raw, un-interpreted, held by multiple organisations, patchy, stored in different formats, collected without specific question in mind. – Where there is evidence it’s often at a national level, or at a very local level • Monitoring species and habitats difficult and expensive – Easy enough to record presence, but not absence, abundance or change over time. • Many organisations focus on delivery rather than monitoring & evaluation – Leading to lack of specialists, lack of funding, and expectation that rely on ad hoc surveys e.g. Local Record Centres. Reg. Charity no. 280422
2. Why do we need evidence? • Because we don’t know the State of the Environment in WoE – are things getting better or worse? • What we do know isn’t good – species declining, habitats being lost, ecosystems degrading. a) Understand, demonstrate and communicate to a wide range of users the contribution that natural resources make . b) Take full account of the environment in assessing risks and opportunities of investment decisions. c) Protect and enhance the environment for everyone’s benefit. d) Inspire people and communities to value and take action for nature. Reg. Charity no. 280422
3. Why ecosystem service mapping ? • Presents information in visual format • Comprehensive - including stock, opportunity and risk maps, baseline statistics against which possible to record and monitor change over time . • Accurate maps can be produced even with incomplete data sets using proxy data. • A strategic decision-making tool – can work across multiple organisations and data-sets, so that possible to look holistically at a range of priorities, resulting in the most cost-effective outcomes that are best for the environment, business and people. Reg. Charity no. 280422
4. What we mapped • 200 regional and national data sets acquired • First iteration of maps produced 2015 • Maps consulted on with 4 UAs, Avon Wildlife Trust, Wessex Water and Natural England. • WENP maps published in 2016 Reg. Charity no. 280422
Stock maps Ecosystem services Ecological networks Grassland Water quantity Woodland Water quality Multiple ecosystem service Wetland provision Wetland Reg. Charity no. 280422
Opportunity maps Ecosystem services Ecological networks Grassland Water quantity Water quality Woodland Multiple ecosystem service Wetland opportunities Wetland Reg. Charity no. 280422
Online mapping portal www.wenp.org.uk/maps Reg. Charity no. 280422
Stock and Opportunity The maps provide us with some facts and figures: 450 384 400 350 307 300 292 300 Area (km2) 233 250 219 200 144 150 107 102 87 100 50 50 8 0 Habitat/Ecosystem Service Reg. Charity no. 280422
Habitat networks • Grassland makes up only 3% of the WoE, woodland 6% and wetland 7% • 79% of wetland network located within protected areas, whereas only 22% of core grassland is protected Ecosystem services • 15% of the land plays an important role in slowing water and preventing flooding. • 21% land important for water quality • 21% of land in the West of England is contributing to 3 ecosystem services (providing more resilience) • 7% of land could be enhanced to support 3 services or more – should we focus energy there? Reg. Charity no. 280422
5. How we are using the maps • Planning Policy and GI • Offsetting – natural capital • Conservation delivery • Conservation Policy • NBS Reg. Charity no. 280422
Application - Planning policy and GI Going beyond the designations 'the planning system should minimise impacts on biodiversity and provide net gains in biodiversity where possible, contributing to the Government’s commitment to halt the overall decline in biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures '' Reg. Charity no. 280422
Joint Spatial Plan 30 possible strategic development • locations Final 10 Strategic Development • Locations Reg. Charity no. 280422
Strategic Green Infrastructure Reg. Charity no. 280422
Application - Identifying natural capital investment areas Opportunities to deliver 3 ecosystem services simultaneously in the West of England Reg. Charity no. 280422
The Natural Capital Trust • Aim - facilitate strategic markets and mechanisms to reverse future biodiversity and ecosystem loss and ensure, at worst, that there is ‘No Net Loss’ of natural capital. • Using the maps to identify ‘stock’ and ‘opportunities’ for habitat creation and ecosystem service enhancement so can make strategic natural capital investments across the region. Reg. Charity no. 280422
Application – conservation delivery Creating coherent and resilient ecological networks (Lawton 2010) but how do we prioritise? Species-rich grassland – 97% loss (1930-1984), habitat degradation and fragmentation Urban – loss, degradation and fragmentation Woodland – habitat degradation and fragmentation Wetland – habitat degradation and fragmentation Combined Ecological Network map Combined ecological network map Reg. Charity no. 280422
Targeting grassland restoration Grassland makes up only 3% of the WoE and only 22% of the core grassland is protected Reg. Charity no. 280422
Working at a landscape scale in Chew Valley - Reserves and Grassland restoration areas Reg. Charity no. 280422
Application – Conservation Policy The Wildlife Trusts • advocacy leaflet Defra 25 Year • Environment Plan Reg. Charity no. 280422
Application – Nature Based Solutions 15% of land in WoE plays an important role in natural flood management Reg. Charity no. 280422
With thanks Reg. Charity no. 280422
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