Valuing biodiversity in urban areas and new developments (BIURBS)

Project details

Full project title: Valuing biodiversity in urban areas and new developments (BIURBS)

Duration: 2022-2025

Funded by: UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)

Project team:

• Professor Jessica Lamond, UWE Bristol (Investigator)
• Professor Danielle Sinnett, UWE Bristol (Investigator)
• Dr Martyna Surma, UWE Bristol (Research Associate)

Partners:

• University of Manchester
• University of East London
• Stolon Studio

Project summary

The UK Government's Nature Positive 2030 report recommends businesses, organisations, cities, and local authorities adopt targets to become Nature Positive - putting the crises of biodiversity loss and climate change on an equal footing. However, densification or the compact city approach is a main strategy for urban development. Although biodiversity may benefit other eco-system services, such as sustainable drainage, outdoor recreation, and noise and heat attenuation, yet the economic value of biodiversity is undercounted in existing planning tools.

BIURBS is co-led by a multi-disciplinary team of leading researchers from across the country and innovative architecture and green infrastructure practitioners. The project involves extensive collaboration with UK stakeholders to ensure the work is relevant to decision making in practice and addresses the Government's nature conservation and greening objectives as well as wider societal factors including adapting to climate change and social cohesion. The research will be connected through four work packages that link to two themes : Biodiversity in decision making and Management tools for decision makers.

More information about BIURBS project