Opinion piece by Dr Gemma Jerome, Director, Building with Nature

Evidencing the need for a Stewardship Framework and Accreditation system to support long-term environmental and biodiversity gains, and deliver nature recovery in and around where people live so everyone can enjoy the health and social benefits of nature connection, now and long into the future

Currently, there is a fragmented, and sometimes ineffective, approach to the long-term management and maintenance of green infrastructure, leading to inconsistent outcomes and missed opportunities for delivering the range of well-documented environmental, social, and economic benefits of green and blue infrastructure, including climate-resilient net biodiversity gains.

Part of the drive for this long-term thinking is now legislative, with BNG requirements outlining a 30-year monitoring period, and local planning authorities in England gearing up to support BNG assessments and audit needs to factor in long-term liabilities, including responsible bodies, liabilities for landowners, and skills & knowledge gaps in the sector for management companies/contractors to meet these long-term liabilities (see deep dive into BNG guidance in News Item 1). Similarly, in Scotland National Planning Framework 4’s biodiversity policy (Policy 3c), and associated planning guidance from NatureScot (‘Developing with Nature’), have provided a legislative and policy foundation for introducing further incentives to secure biodiversity gains through the planning system, and NatureScot have now been commissioned to develop a biodiversity metric for use in Scotland. And in Wales, a planning update in October this year increased pressure on local planning authorities to secure net benefits for biodiversity through green infrastructure. Specifically, the Welsh Government announced changes to Planning Policy Wales 11 as part of its duty to maintain and enhance biodiversity and the resilience of ecosystems in Wales and address the Nature Emergency though the Planning System. The main changes are in the areas of green infrastructure provision, securing net benefit for biodiversity, strengthening protection of Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and promoting new tree planting. All this in timely response to the Global Biodiversity Framework agreed at COP15v and the Welsh Government’s own Biodiversity Deep Dive recommendations.

Beyond biodiversity requirements in response to the nature emergency, there are multi-faceted and aligned policy agendas across the board that aim to influence and support the built environment industry in terms of their responsibilities to respond positively and proactively to the triple threat of the climate, ecological and public health emergencies. For example, alongside this jigsaw of legislative requirements focused on nature recovery highlighted above (e.g. Biodiversity Net Gain and Local Nature Recovery Strategies in England) and emergent guidance for the sector (e.g. Natural England Green Infrastructure Framework – Principles and Standards for England), we now have better guidance and mechanisms to support the sustainable management of water as an asset, highlight the role SuDS[1] can play as a Nature-based Solution to manage water quantity and quality in the built environment, whilst providing additionality for amenity and biodiversity in and around our communities. Earlier this year Defra announced their intention to implement Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, building on the pioneering work in Wales to make SuDS mandatory in all new development, supporting industry good practice and consistency of delivery through SuDS approving bodies (SABs). There is also increasing focus on how distinct but inter-disciplinary policy agendas overlap, not simply from an ideological perspective, but from a legal and mechanistic point of view. For example, those grappling with accountability around the financial viability of projects are keen to understand how it may be possible, where BNG is being delivered off-site, to combine environmental payments for biodiversity units with nutrient credits, recognising the need to integrate smart thinking and stack both functions and benefits where appropriate, proportionate and commensurate to type and scale of development and land management project in question.

And finally, there is a cross-industry imperative to become net zero ready, prepare and integrate across business processes the emergent sustainability reporting standards (e.g. Sustainability Reporting Standard for Social Housing, Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)), respond to investor demands for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors and aligns with the objectives of the levelling up agenda, and respond positively to social pressure to secure positive outcomes for nature, climate and health at all levels of decision making. A fascinating recent example for how this agenda is building momentum at an international level was the UN’s decision to declare a healthy environment a human right. As such, there has never been a more important time to address the need for strong, and practical solutions to secure high-quality placemaking and place-keeping that puts outcomes for people and wildlife at the heart of the whole lifecycle approach to planning and development, recognising the challenges and opportunities at each stage of design, implementation, and long-term aftercare. For this reason, the role of long-term management, maintenance, aftercare and stewardship requirements needs to be built into the project from day one.

In November 2023, Building with Nature were honoured and privileged to become one of two worthy recipients of the fifth William Sutton Prize Fund. The funding is provided by Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group. From a shortlist of six proposals, the prize was awarded for Building with Nature’s concept for a Green Infrastructure Stewardship Framework and Accreditation System. The framework proposes clear standards and guidance to better deliver the environmental, social, and economic benefits from the introduction of biodiversity and green spaces across communities. Through this proposal, Building with Nature’s aim is to create a set of comprehensive and standardised practices which demonstrate ‘what good looks like’ when it comes to managing and maintaining communities for the benefit of people and nature into the long term. Building with Nature will work in collaboration with The Green Partnership over the next 18 months to turn this idea into reality. The problem we aim to solve is the lack of comprehensive and standardised stewardship practices in green infrastructure projects across the UK. The absence of joined-up guidance, industry standards, and a need for inter-disciplinary training in this field hinders the effective long-term stewardship of green infrastructure projects.  

For those new to Building with Nature, we provide industry with a Standards Framework and an Accreditation for the whole lifecycle of high-quality green infrastructure. It is being used by housebuilders and developers across the UK, supported by our network of 200 Approved Assessors (built and natural environment professionals qualified in the application of our Standards). Our idea is to develop and implement a complementary Green Infrastructure Stewardship Framework and Accreditation System in the UK. This framework will define ‘what good looks like’ when it comes to stewardship, and provide clear guidelines, principles, and standards for the sustainable management and maintenance of green and blue infrastructure. It will encompass aspects such as funding mechanisms, governance structures, monitoring practices, community involvement, skills development, and integration into larger strategies and networks.  

The implementation of the Green Infrastructure Stewardship Framework and Accreditation System will have a significant positive impact on both people and the planet. By promoting sustainable practices and ensuring the long-term management and maintenance of green infrastructure, we can achieve environmental impact (e.g. measurable contribution to nature recovery through preservation, creation and enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystems, measured through additional hectares delivered improved air and water quality, mitigation of climate change impacts; and increased resilience to natural hazards; social impact (e.g. creation of inclusive and accessible green spaces for all individuals and communities, improved physical and mental health outcomes through increased access to nature, enhanced social cohesion and community engagement, opportunities for education, recreation, and cultural activities) and economic impact (e.g. creation of green jobs and business opportunities in the green infrastructure sector, increased property values and attractiveness of neighbourhoods, improved retention in both residential and commercial development, and cost savings through nature-based design solutions and reduced management regimes.

A short video explaining the BwN Stewardship project can be found here: https://www.buildingwithnature.org.uk/newsblog1/2023/11/24/building-with-nature-named-winners-of-clarions-william-sutton-prize

[1] https://www.susdrain.org/delivering-suds/using-suds/background/sustainable-drainage.html

https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/placemaking-and-green-infrastructure/green-infrastructure/sustainable-drainage-systems-suds

https://www.ciwem.org/the-environment/suds-in-2030-cleaner-greener-towns-and-cities