The National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise at Newcastle University has been commissioned by the Environment Agency and Natural England, through the Nature Returns programme, to deliver the scoping phase of a new project, Nature for People and Place in the Wansbeck catchment. Northumberland Rivers Trust and Community Action Northumberland (CAN) are also supporting us as local partners for the project.
Our aim is to map and connect initiatives and organisations that help people and communities to understand, enjoy and protect nature along the River Wansbeck: building a full picture from source to sea. Alongside this mapping, we will be carrying out research to learn more about how people and community groups in the Wansbeck catchment currently engage with the green and blue spaces around them and what they would like for future. This will help weave socio-economic and environmental objectives together so that communities can thrive alongside nature.
NICRE’s research will launch fully in January 2025, but we are contacting individuals and organisations that we think may be interested in the project to let you know about our plans. We would really value your input and any help you can give us to reach as many key stakeholders as possible across the Wansbeck catchment.
Here’s a summary of what we have planned:
· w/c 13 Jan: full launch of the research phase – sharing a prototype mapping of existing projects and promoting an online survey inviting people to share their experiences and aspirations for future.
· Late Jan – early Feb (dates and locations tbc): ‘pop-up’ engagement to gather views in person at a range of locations across the catchment. Focus groups with community organisations to gather more in-depth views of opportunities to strengthen networks and connect socio-economic and environmental objectives.
· End Feb (date tbc): key stakeholder workshop to review research findings and co-create plans for the next phase of the Nature for People and Place project.
· End Mar: final research report and methodology for the next phase of the project complete, with a summary available on our website.
The online survey is already live at www.nicre.co.uk/wansbecknature
We’d also love any feedback and suggestions of existing initiatives and case studies to include in our mapping, and expressions of interest in being part of focus groups and the key stakeholder workshop. Email us at nicre@newcastle.ac.uk and we will be in touch
