Developing a natural capital evidence baseline for Nature Recovery Projects

Developing a natural capital baseline for the NRPs

We know we need to do more to recover nature and increase the benefits it provides to our people and our economy. Defra and Natural England are bringing together partners, legislation, and funding to create the Nature Recovery Network (NRN). Together, we will deliver the Network by restoring and enhancing England's wildlife-rich places.

Nature Recovery Projects (NRPs) are one of the delivery elements of the Nature Recovery Network (NRN). 12 multi-partnership Nature Recovery Projects will see newly created and restored wildlife-rich habitats, corridors and stepping-stones which will help wildlife populations to move and thrive across urban and rural landscapes. They will improve the landscape's resilience to climate change, providing natural solutions to reduce carbon and manage flood risk, while also providing multiple, wider benefits to people.

Natural capital refers to the elements of the natural environment that provide benefits to people. Enhancing natural capital is a core element of the UK Government 25 Year Environment Plan, and Natural England's Conservation Strategy. Working through a natural capital lens allows you to make decisions which simultaneously enhance nature recovery and people's wellbeing.

This project aims to provide the NRPs with national and publicly available natural capital evidence to establish their baseline through an existing online app. The project will also provide guidance and support to the NRPs on how to use and interpret this baseline to plan and deliver for nature and wider benefits to people.

As part of Natural England's natural capital evidence base, we have developed a set of indicators to report on ecosystem asset quantity, quality, and location. These attributes act as an early warning system for declines in the natural environment, and subsequent declines in ecosystem service provision. Where national and publicly available spatial data exists for indicators, they were mapped first to a national scale in our National Natural Capital Atlases, and then at a county- and city-scale for the whole of England.

In this project we now want to incorporate these data sets and natural capital interpretation in an online app for use by NRPs, tailoring guidance to using this baseline for planning and decision-making at this project scale.

An ArcGIS Instant App web application has already been developed in-house by Natural England for use in place-based delivery. It brings together a number of spatial data sets which can be switched on and off to visualise and area and produces summary statistics for that area. The successful contractors will work with the in-house team to add in additional natural capital data sets and provide natural capital interpretation for these within, and linked to the app.

Additional information: To apply for this opportunity you must submit your quotation meeting the requirements detailed in the Request for Quotation (RFQ) attached.

Your response must be sent to Deanna.Auker@naturalengland.org.uk by 23:59 on 13/11/2023 .

If you have any clarification questions linked to this opportunity or the procurement process please submit these via email to Deanna.Auker@naturalengland.org.uk. Please note that, unless commercially sensitive, both the question and the response will be circulated to all tenderers.