Nature-Based Solutions

There is a growing recognition that nature-based solutions provide a rich and diverse series of benefits to humankind, in terms of quality of life, and to the environment, be it on a local or global scale. As more land is taken by farming, the built environment and infrastructure, the need to protect and enhance our natural spaces and biodiversity increases.

Nature-based solutions provide protection and sustainable management for natural environments. They are able to restore or modify natural ecosystems to enhance the world we live in and contribute to the solution to global warming. The biodiversity they bring and the improvements in local and regional communities are clear.

Urban solutions can include provision of connected green spaces, parks, ponds, trees, green roofs and allotments. These enhance air quality, cool towns and cities, and enhance our well-being. In rural environments, solutions can include restorative measures for rivers and marshes, planting trees in cropped areas or supplementing hedgerows to enhance biodiversity and provide a longer-term sustainable solution, while also tackling the challenges of river flood management and combined sewer overflow spillage.

Binnies has experience and expertise in the optioneering, economic modelling and design of nature-based solutions in rural and urban spaces. Our catchment-based approach considers the wider context of the solution and the specifics of the particular site. We can undertake all enabling ecological surveys and model the benefits from economic, environmental, biodiversity net gain and nutrient neutrality perspectives. For the River Thames Scheme and working for the Environment Agency, we identified £48 million of hidden economic benefits that generated an additional £3 million of funding to restore and create habitats at scale using the green infrastructure approach.

Our relationships with third parties can also support environmental bonds and site matching, by which we can link those seeking to offset with those seeking funding to improve and enhance.

We have significant capability in natural capital solutions and have blended this with extensive stakeholder engagement for larger projects to generate award-winning solutions that reflect the community’s desires and provide nature-based solutions and environmental enhancements to support scheme developments. For the Burton Washlands project, our work attracted an additional £2.5 million of funding for nature recovery based on improvements in air and water quality, and amenity and health benefits.