This project was initiated at the beginning of the North Devon Landscape Pioneer in early 2017. The Pioneer was one of four partnership initiatives, tasked by Defra to explore new approaches set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan (HM Government 2018). The Pioneers had four aims:
a. Explore tools, analysis and trial applying a natural capital approach in practice
b. Demonstrate a joined-up, integrated approach to planning and delivery
c. Develop new funding opportunities for the environment
d. Grow our understanding of ‘what works’, sharing lessons and best practice
This project aimed to provide an understanding of the quantity and spatial distribution of investment used to manage natural capital within the Pioneer boundary, to progress thinking across all four aims. Pioneer partner organisations provided their natural capital investment data, for investments within the Pioneer boundary. This was analysed to provide a partnership-wide overview of how much was invested in natural capital management, where, within which broad natural asset type and how much investment was spent collaboratively amongst partners.
A heat map was produced to show variation of investment across the landscape. As well as analysis of investment, the report also sets out a number of recommendations to improve the method used for others to learn from and repeat in their own place.