Services - Natural environment

Overview

The links between modern society and the natural environment are often overlooked. However, raised awareness and greater understanding of ecological trends and limits means that sustainability is gradually being embedded into public policy, business strategy and practice. For this to be effective, policy and decisions must be based upon the best available information.

The ecosystem concept reflects and symbolizes the interconnectedness and interdependence of life on Earth. Conservation and human development objectives therefore rely upon understanding ecosystems and the dependencies between people and the natural environment. These dependencies are often only partly understood; in fact in many cases we don't have full inventories of natural resources, let alone detailed information on change or more complex inter-relationships. However, while the detail is sometimes uncertain, it is clear that the natural environment supports people's health and wellbeing and provides society and business with a range of potential risks and opportunities.

Conservation agencies have long recognised the need for comprehensive information and in supporting their requirements we have specialised in a range of natural environment services designed to support strategies, policy development and projects. These have included strategic use of information to help quantify natural/conservation resources, to help quantify and therefore effectively manage important resources. We have worked on regional habitat opportunity mapping exercises and additionally specialise in the analysis and use of socio economic data. We make use of primary and secondary research methods and data collation and spatial analysis with GIS.

Products & services

Ecosystem quality and dependencies

Ecosystem quality and function and biodiversity provide essential services to society and the economy. We have worked on the operationalisation of the of ecosystem services concept as part of our work on developing understanding of natural and ecological relationships, functions and the benefits they provide to people and society - for policy development and decision making.

Information development & management

We can help you gather, collate analyse and review data and provide assistance with data management and maintenance. We have worked with environmental, social and economic data to support, strategy, conservation policy and landscape protection. Specific applications include: resource mapping (including habitat inventories), opportunity mapping, risk profiling, quantifying environmental quality and character.

Knowledge management

We can help you make your environmental data/intelligence more accessible and work harder, through information utilisation, Information strategy and system specification. identification of key information requirements and mapping data needs to business activities.

Specific technical support and advice

We have extensive experience in geographical information systems – GIS, information strategy & system specification and management planning & scoping studies.

Experience

Ecosystem services

Work on ecosystem services concept, case study and mapping projects including:

• Upland ecosystem services and benefits: Developing systems-maps, typologies and techniques for their quantification and mapping. FST20/79/023. Natural England.
• England’s terrestrial ecosystem services and the rationale for an Ecosystem Approach, Defra. See www.ecosystemservices.org.uk.
• The Parrett Catchment: A Case study to develop tools and methodologies to deliver an ecosystem-based approach, Defra. See www.catchmentfutures.org.uk.

Habitat inventory and modelling

• Landscapes for living. West Midlands Biodiversity Forum.
• Development of areas of strategic opportunity for biodiversity enhancement and creation in the South East. English Nature.
• South East England extent and condition of key biodiversity habitats. English Nature.
• East of England biodiversity mapping project. East of England Biodiversity Forum.
  
• Maritime cliff inventory for Wales, Countryside Council for Wales and work on English Maritime Cliff Inventory for England, English Nature.

Data and policy analysis

• Countryside Quality Counts, Countryside Agency.
• Review of the value of the environment to the South West region’s economy. Countryside Agency.
• Development of socio-economic profiles for Protected Landscapes in south east England, Countryside Agency.
• Identifying options for providing information to integrated environmental support services. Hampshire County Council.
• Development of methods for social and economic assessment in protected landscapes. Countryside Agency/Red Kite Environment Ltd.