Pinned Stories

Image of paper on top of forest photo — Restoring forests can be a valuable nature-based solution, delivering wider benefits for people and biodiversity as well as carbon sequestration.

Diverse tropical forests sequester more carbon than monocultures

New research has found that diverse tropical planted forests store 57% more carbon than monoculture forests.

21 March 2025

Landscape of agriculture — Agriculture is both a fundamental pillar of our food system and a major driver of biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

Introducing the Agricultural Resilience Impact and Innovation Hub (AGRIIH)

A new agricultural research hub seeks to co-develop cutting-edge, industry-relevant research and innovation that supports the transformation of agriculture towards a more sustainable and resilient future.

18 March 2025

Aerial view of road and greenspace — A new menu of standards for green infrastructure in England aims to help deliver green space that is accessible, connected, multifunctional, and reflects local character.

Making green infrastructure work for nature, climate and people

NbSI's researcher Alison Smith has been working with Natural England to help curate existing standards and guidelines into a comprehensive framework consisting of a ‘Core Menu’ and five ‘Headline Standards’.

20 February 2025

Waterfall and bridge — New paper shows NbS stand out as transformative pathways to sustainable economic recovery.

Supporting the economy with nature-based solutions

Our new research just out in PLOS Climate shows how NbS have the potential to drive job creation, boost income, whilst also supporting climate and sustainable development goals.

29 October 2024

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Description coming soon — Professor Seddon at the UNFCCC COP28 conference in 2023

NbSI Director receives Marsh Award for Ecology

We are delighted to announce that our founding director, Professor Nathalie Seddon, has been awarded the Marsh Award for Ecology by the British Ecological Society.

06 September 2024

Warm welcome to new team members

NbSI welcomes newcomers, bringing exciting new research directions. We are delighted to introduce Dr Jennifer Lucey as Deputy Director of NbSI.

04 September 2024

Peatland grass covered moor with small pool of water and stone tower — Peatlands can play a crucial role in achieving Net Zero goals. These unique ecosystems act as natural carbon sinks, capturing and storing vast amounts of greenhouse gases. However, data on restoration projects needs to be accurately reported to facilitate policy development and access to funding.

Overlooked potential of peatland restoration

Ongoing work by the Nature-based Solutions Initiative’s John Lynch and Xiao Zhang in collaboration with The Wildlife Trusts, as part of the Agile Initiative, is quantifying the climate benefits of vital peatland restoration work that may have been omitted from official greenhouse gas statistics.

02 September 2024

NbSI Researchers conducted fieldwork in Scotland, including assessing Birch regeneration in Glen Loyne.

Investigating the importance of soil health for woodland regeneration in the Scottish Highlands

Postdoc Emily Warner, MBiol student Jon Harper, and Research Assistant Thomas Richardson spent six weeks this summer collecting data to explore the relationship between mature trees, regenerating seedlings, and soil in three Caledonian pinewood remnants in Scotland’s West Highlands.

30 August 2024

Image of overlapping tropical leaves — IAMs are invaluable tools for exploring linkages and feedbacks among social, economic, and ecological systems, but further development is needed for them to more effectively inform policy.

A new research agenda for exploring nature’s contribution to wellbeing

Integrated assessment models incorporating biodiversity and ecosystem services can guide sustainable development, but significant gaps hinder timely decision-making. This new study identifies five research priorities to improve these models, focusing on ecosystem impacts, feedbacks, equity, and human well-being.

14 August 2024

tropical forest — NbS have great potential, but their success depends on a nuanced understanding of where and how they should be implemented.

Win-wins or trade-offs? Finding the balance in nature-based solutions

A new study finds that there is a need for comprehensive, site-specific planning to leverage the dual potential of NbS for climate mitigation and human wellbeing—moving beyond the "one-size-fits-all" narrative and embracing the complexity of our shared environment.

12 August 2024

Logging overhead image — While logging in tropical forests often leads to habitat degradation and biodiversity loss, research suggests that logged forests can still retain significant ecological value.

Balancing conservation in the face of a dynamic environment

While logging in tropical forests often leads to habitat degradation and biodiversity loss, research suggests that logged forests can still retain significant ecological value.

30 July 2024

Abstract colorful illustration of a Howler monkey — Effective climate action requires reducing emissions at the source, while conservation should focus on preserving and restoring the full spectrum of ecosystem services that animals provide.

The dangers of framing animals as climate solutions

The concept of using animals as climate solutions has gained momentum in recent years, with rewilding and conservation touted as nature-based ways to mitigate climate change. A recent Nature Climate Change article, titled “Resisting the Carbonization of Animals as Climate Solutions,” challenges this narrative, cautioning against overstating the role of large animals in carbon sequestration. […]

27 July 2024

Overhead of Brazilian landscape — A new study simulated the effects of various restoration policies to assess their impact on biodiversity and agricultural production.

Smallholder farmers and efficient ranching practices critical for Brazil’s Atlantic Forest

The simulation study highlights that supporting smallholder farmers to restore native vegetation on their land would be necessary to reach the ambitious target of restoring 15 million hectares by 2050.

23 July 2024

team-photo-knepp — Some of the NbSI and WWT teams at Knepp, July 2024

NbSI visits Knepp Rewilding Estate

The NbSI team enjoyed a field trip to Knepp Rewilding Estate, to witness nature restoration in action.

23 July 2024

Brazil spotlight on agriculture, biodiversity, and ecosystem services

New study reveals that climate change projections could render large agricultural areas in Brazil unviable by 2060, particularly in the Amazon-Cerrado region, calling for the adoption of more sustainable agricultural models that make better use of natural resources and focus on restoring degraded lands.

21 July 2024

Poster showing themes of the talk — Alison Smith gave an overview of the challenges around multifunctional land use.

Solving the land-use jigsaw in Scotland: poetry, music, farmers and science

Art, science, farming and nature came together in a tent in a field in Scotland this summer, as NbSI took part in a unique event organised by SEDA Land, the Scottish Ecological Design Association.

18 July 2024

Holding up magnifying glass ball to forest — A new report finds that Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are now widely viewed as an effective way of helping to address climate adaptation and mitigation, although many are concerned about their misuse in greenwashing and violations of human rights.

Narratives around nature-based dolutions

A new report finds that Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are now widely viewed as an effective way of helping to address climate adaptation and mitigation, although many are concerned about their misuse in greenwashing and violations of human rights.

03 July 2024

Highlighting the importance of agroforestry for addressing societal challenges at event for the President of Zambia

NbSI’s Lubasi Limweta participated in a panel discussion on climate change at the Rhodes Scholarship event "Standing Up for Zambia", marking Zambia's 60th year of independence.

30 June 2024

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