Our Science, Evidence & Analysis Framework succeeds our Science, Evidence & Evaluation Strategy (2020-2025) and it describes our strategic direction for science, evidence and analysis over the next five years, including where we expect to make the biggest investments.
It is a commitment to ensure delivery of Natural England’s strategy is powered by science. This is essential for delivering nature recovery at scale and meeting statutory environmental and climate commitments.
The future is uncertain, but we can prepare for it. By using futures methods, we’ve identified several important trends including changing research priorities, new ways of managing land and sea, and faster development of technologies that help restore nature and address climate change. These trends create both opportunities and challenges for the science behind nature recovery. Our framework outlines how we will strengthen our approach and build resilience for what lies ahead.
We will:
Build our Scientific Capability: grow core and emerging skills, including systems thinking and restoration ecology.
Develop our Data Science and Digital Innovation: modernise data infrastructure, harness AI, and improve data quality.
Build Strategic Scientific Partnerships: share evidence openly, unlock funding, and influence future research agendas.
Strengthen our Science Communication and Impact: tailor outputs for impact, improve accessibility, and counter misinformation.
Bolster Monitoring & Evaluation: embed evaluation from the start, use AI and remote sensing, and empower citizen science.
Our SEAF also outlines our Areas of Research Interest, highlighting our core research priorities and the evidence we most need to achieve our Strategic Outcomes. This helps external partners identify where their work aligns with ours, opening opportunities for collaboration and shared impact.