Beyond RENEW: Building BaPN, a Community for Biodiversity Action

The Biodiversity and People Network (BaPN) is one of the key outputs of the RENEW programme. Created to connect researchers, practitioners, businesses, policymakers and communities, the network provides a space for collaboration, knowledge exchange and collective action on biodiversity renewal. As RENEW enters its final stages, the network is increasingly seen as an important legacy, and we, Charlie Masquelier and Becca Lovell, are delighted to be reviving it as a living platform for interdisciplinary collaboration at the intersection of nature and society.

Our vision is to place biodiversity centre stage

From the boardroom to the community garden, from scientific measurement to cultural wonder, one of the most important lessons emerging from the RENEW programme is that biodiversity renewal cannot be achieved by any one organisation, sector, or discipline alone. Addressing the biodiversity crisis requires collaboration between researchers, businesses, policymakers, practitioners, land managers, and communities. It requires people working together. We believe that connecting rigorous discovery with a sense of shared awe at the natural world is how we change the future. Doing so requires an integrated, inclusive approach that brings together the full breadth of expertise the University of Exeter has to offer.

We aim to convene a solutions-oriented, action-focused network

We aim to unite researchers, practitioners, businesses and communities with a commitment to renewing biodiversity. The network is deliberately outward-looking, designed to bridge Exeter colleagues and external partners as they tackle complex, real-world problems where people and nature meet. Our current plans include developing interdisciplinary thematic clusters, such as biodiversity and environmental justice, health, climate, and land-use change, led by a steering group drawn from a wide range of disciplines across the university.

Image Credit: Bingshu Zhao

We are deeply committed to cultivating the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists

Our mission is to support all interested researchers and professional colleagues; sharing information on collaborative opportunities, funding, and dissemination events. Early career researchers will be central to the network’s life, not an afterthought: we want to involve them in substantive conversations with external partners, whether through workshops, short presentations of their work, or other collaborative formats that give them genuine visibility and connection.

Upcoming events include workshops on future funding and key biodiversity debates

We have two exciting events coming up over the next few months. On 10th July, we are hosting a workshop on large-scale funding opportunities for Exeter researchers (registration is now closed). Then on 14th September, we will convene an Environmental Amnesia workshop bringing together Catriona McKinnon, Peter Kahn, Stephen Gardiner and Kevin Gaston for what promises to be a rich and timely conversation. Details on how to join the Environmental Amnesia workshop will be shared soon.

A refreshed website is on the way

Information on the BaPN network – including who we are, what we offer, and upcoming events, alongside a searchable directory of community members – will be hosted in the refreshed network website which will be launched soon. By creating opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange, the network helps bridge the gap between research and practice, ensuring that new ideas and evidence can inform action on the ground. The network welcomes anyone who shares a concern for biodiversity loss and wants to contribute their skills, knowledge, or experience to reversing the crisis.

Get involved

We hope we have given you a sense of the kind of community we are trying to build: collaborative, cross-disciplinary, and genuinely solution-focused across all career stages. We would love for you to join us on this journey. Whether you are a researcher, practitioner, policymaker, business leader, community organisation, or simply someone passionate about nature, the Biodiversity and People Network offers opportunities to connect, collaborate, and contribute.

To join the network and hear first about events and more, please email Biodiversity@exeter.ac.uk

Becca Lovell and Charlie Masquelier