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Finding My Place at the RENEW Biodiversity Parliament

Finding My Place at the RENEW Biodiversity Parliament

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Published on 2 December 2024

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A profile photograph of Ryan NolanBlog post by: Ryan Nolan, RENEW Postdoctoral Researcher


The power of collective intelligence

This year’s Biodiversity Parliament, orchestrated by the ExCASES team, exemplified why large-scale research projects are so vital in addressing complex societal challenges. These events serve as crucial intersections where academic disciplines converge with industry expertise and policy insights. In the daily grind of data analysis, grant writing, and navigating peer review, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. This was my introduction as a new Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Theme 4: Business and Finance Decision-Makers, and this event served as a powerful reminder of why we do what we do.

A photograph of Kevin Gaston standing in front of a presentation slide with an image of the biologist EO Wilson.

Above: RENEW Co-Director Kevin Gaston opens proceedings, recounting an early meeting with E. O. Wilson that inspired Kevin’s distinguished career in biodiversity conservation.

Deliberative Democracy in Action

The ExCASES team, known for their agile approach to research, designed the event under the title ‘The Future of Biodiversity Renewal’ and around a fascinating methodology. Their ‘mission’ focused on understanding how different stakeholders within the RENEW programme conceptualise and approach biodiversity renewal. Using an adapted version of the Restoration Partnership Development Tool (developed by the Universities of Edinburgh and Cambridge), they collected survey responses that captured diverse perspectives on biodiversity renewal.

The workshop sessions were particularly enlightening. In our groups, we analysed and debated various positions revealed through the survey data, examining areas of consensus and disagreement across the RENEW community. What made these discussions so valuable was their ability to surface unexpected connections and challenges.

Above: RENEW Biodiversity Parliament speakers. Featured in order: Louisa Adjoa ParkerDan Raven-Ellison joins James Bullock and ExCASES Co-Lead Sarah Crowley | Naomi Oakley joins Paul Powlesland | Jyoti Fernandes (Image credit Landworkers Alliance)

Rich Discussions and Surprising Intersections

In my group, what started as a structured discussion about survey responses quickly evolved into a wide-ranging debate that touched on fundamental questions about environmental stewardship and academic responsibility. We found ourselves grappling with provocative topics, spanning the role of academia in direct environmental action, questions of free and open access to land, the governance of UK footpaths and the intersection of policy, practice, and research.

And on the topic of provocation, each day began with thought-provoking talks from designated ‘provocateurs’ who lived up to their title, challenging our assumptions and pushing us to think beyond conventional boundaries. Speakers included: Jyoti Fernandes from the Land Workers’ Alliance, James Bullock from UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Dan Raven-Ellison of Slow Ways, Paul Powlesland from Lawyers for Nature, Naomi Oakley from Natural England, and Louisa Adjoa Parker, a poet and EDI consultant. Their diverse perspectives – spanning agriculture, ecology, law, policy, and the arts – created a rich tapestry of viewpoints on biodiversity renewal.

What emerged from these sessions was a powerful reminder of how language shapes our understanding of biodiversity and our relationship with nature. Phrases that surfaced throughout (and hastily jotted down in my notebook) the discussions captured this beautifully – the idea that regenerative farming creates time to spend in nature, the vision of our urban landscapes as ‘a mosaic of gardens’, the concept of ‘agro-ecological food webs’, as opposed to rigid chains replete with weak links. These weren’t just poetic turns of phrase, but windows into different ways of seeing and being with nature.

A photograph of researchers from different disciplines including poetry, land management, business and mathematics.

Above: Interdisciplinary teamwork: Gavin Stark from Natural England joins Poet & RENEW PhD student Caleb Parkin with mathematician & RENEW Postdoctoral Research Fellow Siddharth Unnithan Kumar.

Building Bridges Across Disciplines

What struck me most about the Parliament was its embodiment of RENEW’s core mission: bringing together a range of perspectives from across sciences, arts, humanities, policy, business, conservation, land management, and community groups. (And on a lighter collaborative note, there was a creative backdrop to our networking breaks, with poetry, photography and oral histories to interact with, and foraged mocktails thrown in. A diverse group of us made a zine, and though I take no credit for the creative direction of the narrative, the activity was a fantastic way to network. I think we set a high bar for the inevitable 2025 RENEW zine competition!)

While different viewpoints can sometimes create challenges in designing collaborative actions, they also add a crucial richness of interpretation that’s essential for effective biodiversity renewal. The ExCASES team’s approach, using a combination of surveys and participatory workshops, created a structured space for deliberation that helped participants understand each other’s perspectives. This understanding is crucial for developing fairer and more effective biodiversity renewal practices, strategies, and policies.

A photograph of researchers looking at a presentation slide about different biodiversity perspectives.

Above: RENEW Co-Investigator, Professor of Poetry John Wedgwood Clarke, RENEW Co-Investigator Xiaoyu Yan & RENEW Knowledge Broker Impact Fellow, Carolyn Petersen.

Looking Forward

As I reflect on my somewhat dramatic entrance to the RENEW programme, I’m struck by how fitting it was to begin my journey at an event dedicated to building shared understanding across different perspectives – which, as I understand it, is the core function of the annual Biodiversity Parliament. In our effort to address biodiversity loss and promote renewal, we need exactly this kind of collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach that acknowledges and works with our differences rather than against them.

RENEW Biodiversity Parliament photojournal

Parliament Resources

An exhibition space currated by RENEW project Administrator Kelly Stevens.

Above: A biodiversity renewal exhibition space part of the RENEW Biodiversity Parliament curated by RENEW Project Administrator Kelly Stevens

Thank you

RENEW would like to thank everyone who attended this year’s RENEW Biodiversity Parliament at the London Wetland Centre.  Thanks to our speakers and the ExCASES team for creating an engaging, participatory programme and facilitating several stimulating workshop discussions.


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