BEERN Programme
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Evidence and Research Needs (BEERN) Programme
The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Evidence and Research Needs (BEERN) Programme aims to identify and address biodiversity and ecosystem evidence and research needs that will deliver and impact on Welsh policy and delivery priorities, particularly those set out by the Nature Recovery Action Plan.
The programme engages with the research community in Wales and beyond, delivers new approaches and integrates with existing mechanisms to ensure good provision of evidence and advice to the Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, the broader environmental sector and others.
The programme seeks to:
- Bring together practitioners, policy-makers and academics from across Wales to identify gaps in our evidence base;
- Provide a mechanism and route for translating these gaps into deliverable research projects;
- Prioritise and fund projects according to need (based on policy and delivery priorities)
Read more about the programme:
The programme takes forward, refreshes and strengthens the work of the WBP Evidence Gaps Project. We thank all those who contributed to the project.
Steering Group
A steering group oversees the implementation of the programme. Its members include Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, Cardiff University Sustainable Places Research Institute, Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, JNCC, Plantlife, RSPB, Wales Environment Link and the Wildlife Trust.
Workshops
The programme is holding a series of themed workshops that will help facilitate collaboration and the identification of evidence and research gaps and needs. The first of these is on ‘Ecosystem Resilience and its practical application to Wales’ on the 11th June 2018.
Natural Resources Wales Marine Biodiversity Evidence Needs
Natural Resources Wales have recently identified priority evidence needs relating to some of their marine biodiversity work. For further information please visit the NRW website. The document below outlines the projects that NRW consider to be of high priority, and where they wish to explore opportunities for collaborative working.
Submit a Project
We are pleased to invite project submissions that fulfil policy and/or delivery priorities, particularly those that meet the objectives of the Nature Recovery Action Plan or a State of Natural Resources Report (SoNaRR) gap.
While formulating a project, please follow the project submission flowchart and project submission guidance. Projects can be of any form or scale, and might include field or desk research, surveys, literature reviews, citizen science activities, contracted work or in-house work by an environmental or other organisation. Projects may be undertaken by the submitter or be available to be undertaken by others.
To submit a project, please complete the project submission template and email us. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the project with an academic before submitting, please get in touch.
WBP will confirm receipt of the project submission and keep you informed of progress. All submitted projects will be prioritised and funding (subject to available funds) will be awarded competitively to the highest priority projects first and where a deliverer has been assigned (either prior to or following project submission).
- Prioritisation information note (coming soon)
