Publications

Griffiths, V.F., Bull, J.W., Baker, J. and Milner-Gulland, E.J. (2018). No net loss for people and biodiversity. Conservation Biology.

Badly planned offsets can exacerbate poverty, and development and offset impacts can vary across spatial-temporal scales and by location, gender, and livelihood. We conceptualize the no-worse-off principle in the context of NNL of biodiversity, by exploring for whom and how the principle can be achieved.

BULL, J.W., GORDON, A., LAW, E.A., SUTTLE, K.B. and MILNER-GULLAND, E.J (2016). Importance of Baseline Specification in Evaluating Conservation Interventions and Achieving No Net Loss of Biodiversity. Conservation Biology.

When setting objectives for conservation activities, or judging their efficacy after implementation, an appropriate frame of reference against which evaluation is made should be specified.  We developed 2 models to investigate the implications of setting different frames of reference in regions subject to various biodiversity trends and anthropogenic impacts.

Bull JW, Suttle KB, Gordon A, Singh NJ, Milner-Gulland EJ. (2016). Biodiversity offsets in theory and practice. Oryx. .

This review of biodiversity offsetting evaluates implementation to date and synthesizes outstanding theoretical and practical problems.

SMITH, A.CA., BAKER, J.B, BERRY, P.M.A, BUTTERWORTH, T.C, CHAPMAN, A.E, HARLE, T. E, HEAVER, M.F, HÖLZINGER, O.C, HOWARD, BG., NORTON, L.R.H, RICE, P. E, SCOTT, A. I, THOMPSON, A E., WARBURTON, C E. AND WEBB, J E (2021). The Environmental Benefits from Nature Tool – Beta Test Version. Access to Evidence.

The Environmental Benefits from Nature tool is designed to work alongside Biodiversity metric 3.0 and provide developers, planners and other interested parties with a means of enabling wider benefits for people and nature from biodiversity net gain.

Nature seminar Series: Boldly reimagining our approaches to nature recovery – Justin Adams

In this provocative talk Justin will argue that while the increased awareness and understanding of the decline of biodiversity is to be welcomed. Our current approaches and responses at both the global and local levels are woefully inadequate. We are stuck in a cycle of incremental gains that are failing to address the roots causes of the ‘nature crisis’. Moving forward we will need to be much bolder in reimagining the future we want to help build.

Caitlin Hafferty (2024). Harnessing the power of digital tools for community engagement in rewilding. LCNR website.

Social science researchers from the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery are collaborating with Highlands Rewilding to explore innovative digital technologies for enhancing community engagement in rewilding.

To help bring multiple partners together across the landscapes, Highlands Rewilding and the LCNR have co-developed three digital community engagement platforms using software called Commonplace. The Commonplace team provides innovative digital solutions for creating positive change for thriving and resilient places, powered by data and collaboration between diverse groups.

Sophus zu Ermgassen and Sara Löfqvist (2024). Financing ecosystem restoration. Current Biology.

Here, we outline the high-level policy landscape driving restoration finance and explore the roles and potential of both public and private investment in restoration. We explain how some common mechanisms for drawing private investment into restoration work in practice. Then, we discuss some of the shortcomings of past private finance initiatives for ecosystem restoration and highlight essential lessons for how to safeguard the ecological and social outcomes of private investments in ecosystem restoration.

Webinar: Everything you need to know about biodiversity credits

“Everything you need to know about biodiversity credits”, an Impact Mitigation and Ecological Compensation (IMEC) webinar presented by Dr Sophus zu Ermgassen of Oxford University on 16 April 2024.

Nature seminar Series: Does science impact nature conservation policy? Stories of success and failure – Hugh Possingham

Hugh in semi-retirement has 3 jobs: Biodiversity Council’s Co-chief Councillor, Chief Scientist of Accounting for Nature and The University of Queensland. He was the founding Director of The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, the National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species hub and an Australian Research Council Professorial, Laureate and Federation Fellow.

Nature Seminar Series: Global Ecological Shift: for the protection and restoration of biodiversity – Thomas Crowther

Ecologist Thomas Crowther underscores the vital role of nature conservation and restoration in combating biodiversity loss and climate change. In his talk, Crowther will highlight recent scientific advancements, such as the groundbreaking evaluation of global forest carbon potential, and the launch of the SEED, a biocomplexity index, which enables us to understand the variation in biological health across the globe. These initiatives aim to enhance our commitment to nature and empower individuals, companies and governments to make positive contributions towards biodiversity conservation. Through collective action and informed stewardship, Crowther inspires hope for a sustainable future where nature thrives alongside humanity.

Oxfordshire’s greenspace-deprived neighbourhoods

Coordinating author: Martha Crockatt

This report explores Natural England’s Green Infrastructure data to identify neighbourhoods in Oxfordshire experiencing both socio-economic deprivation and poor provision of accessible greenspace, with a view to these neighbourhoods being prioritised in terms of planning, allocation of funding, and effort for improving quality and quantity of accessible greenspace.

Contributors: Matt Witney (Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership), Alison Smith (University of Oxford), Rosie Rowe (Oxfordshire County Council), Mark Hirons (University of Oxford),  Constance McDermott (University of Oxford), Camilla Burrow (Wild Oxfordshire) and Joseph Gent (University of Oxford).

Oxfordshire’s greenspace-deprived neighbourhoods

A new report which has just been launched explores Natural England’s Green Infrastructure data to identify neighbourhoods in Oxfordshire experiencing both socio-economic deprivation and poor provision of accessible greenspace, with a view to these neighbourhoods being prioritised in terms of planning, allocation of funding, and effort for improving quality and quantity of accessible greenspace.