The Valuing Nature Network was established between 2011 and 2014 to bring together natural scientists and economists, alongside decision-makers in business and policy, with an interest in valuing nature. This initial phase of the Network (VNN1) established the network membership and ran ten interdisciplinary projects. The current Valuing Nature Programme builds on VNN1 and aims to develop the Network to encompass broader research areas and further engage businesses, policymakers and practitioners as research users.
VNN1 aims
- Articulate the challenge of valuing the contribution that the stock of natural capital and the flow of ecosystem services make to human well-being, and developing meaningful methods of valuation.
- Identify and develop the underpinning socio-ecological system knowledge that will enable robust monetary and non-monetary valuation to be achieved.
The four VNN1 Challenges
Activities were focused on four Challenges identified during participatory scoping exercises:
- How can the complexity of socio-ecological systems be incorporated into valuations of biodiversity, ecosystem services and natural resource use?
- How can stock sustainability be incorporated within valuations of biodiversity, ecosystem services and natural resource use?
- How can issues of scale be incorporated within valuations of biodiversity, ecosystem services and natural resource use?
- How do we integrate natural and social science information on values for biodiversity, ecosystem services and natural resources into governance and so improve decision-making and implementation?
The VNN1 research projects contributed to addressing these challenges, guided by the VNN1 Conceptual Model.
The VNN1 Team
The VNN1 Management Team was led by Ian Bateman and included Steve Albon (James Hutton Institute) Andrew Balmford (University of Cambridge), Rosie Hails (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology), Roy Haines-Young (University of Nottingham), Georgina Mace (Imperial College London) and Dave Raffaelli (University of York).
Dr Ruth Welters established the vibrant VNN1 communications platform - you can join the current Valuing Nature Network for updates on VN activities here.
VNN1 was funded by NERC, Defra and the Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership.