Funding for a research project to enhance biodiversity in cities has been granted

UK research and innovation funding has been confirmed for Biurbs, a two-and half-year research project to protect and enhance natural capital in urban areas.

Co-conceived by architecture company Stolon Studio, the project will consider various approaches to introducing biodiversity and where they could be best implemented.

To begin the process, researchers from Manchester University will examine 20 urban sites to assess the challenges and opportunities that stakeholders have experienced with integrating and sustaining biodiversity.

Two sites will be examined in-depth to assess how a state-of-the-art approach to biodiversity gain can be integrated into planning and how this impacts the economics of urban land-uses.

The project involves extensive collaboration with UK stakeholders to ensure the work is relevant to decision making and addresses the nature conservation and greening objectives, as well as climate adaptation.

Manchester University says biodiversity can improve the environment, climate resilience, health and well-being, but often the economic value of these benefits is undercounted in existing planning tools.

Critically, biodiversity must be preserved in areas as it may help combat the effects of climate change, as conserved habitats can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

According to the State of Nature report, the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world despite increasing awareness of the social and environmental benefits of biodiversity.

Robert Barker, Co-Founder of Stolon Studio, said: ‘As the government’s Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) policy is expected to become mandatory from November 2023 and will apply to almost all planning applications, Biurbs will contribute to real transformative change in how we value and manage our landscapes, closing the significant gap between ambition and implementation.’

BNG states natural habitats will be extended or improved as part of a development or project.

‘Biurbs’ is one of nine that is being funded by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Researchers from the University of West England and the University of East London are also involved in completing the research.

Photo by Coralie Meurice