The selection of biodiversity indicators for business landholdings

Businesses are seen as the next stage in delivering biodiversity improvements linked to local and UK Biodiversity Action Plans. Global discussion of biodiversity continues to grow, with the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, updates to the Convention on Biological Diversity and The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity being published during the time of this project. These publications and others detail the importance of biodiversity protection and also the lack of strategies to deliver this at an operational level. Pressure on UK landholding businesses is combined with significant business opportunities associated with biodiversity engagement. However, the measurement and reporting of biodiversity by business is currently limited by the complexity of the term and the lack of suitable procedures for the selection of metrics. Literature reviews identified confusion surrounding biodiversity as a term, limited academic literature regarding business and choice of biodiversity indicators. The aim of the project was to develop a methodology to enable companies to identify, quantify and monitor biodiversity. Research case studies interviews were undertaken with 10 collaborating organisations, selected to represent =best practice‘ examples and various situations. Information gained through case studies was combined with that from existing literature. This was used to develop a methodology for the selection of biodiversity indicators for company landholdings. The indicator selection methodology was discussed during a second stage of case study interviews with 4 collaborating companies. The information and opinions gained during this research was used to modify the methodology and provide the final biodiversity indicator selection methodology. The methodology was then tested through implementation at a mineral extraction site operated by a multi-national aggregates company. It was found that the methodology was a suitable process for implementation of global and national systems and conceptual frameworks at the practitioner scale. Further testing of robustness by independent parties is recommended to improve the system.

The Digital Observatory for Protected Areas (DOPA) Explorer 1.0

The Digital Observatory for Protected Areas (DOPA) has been developed to support the European Union’s efforts in strengthening our capacity to mobilize and use biodiversity data, information and forecasts so that they are readily accessible to policymakers, managers, experts and other users. Conceived as a set of web based services, DOPA provides a broad set of free and open source tools to assess, monitor and even forecast the state of and pressure on protected areas at local, regional and global scale. DOPA Explorer 1.0 is a web based interface available in four languages (EN, FR, ES, PT) providing simple means to explore the nearly 16,000 protected areas that are at least as large as 100 km2. Distinguishing between terrestrial, marine and mixed protected areas, DOPA Explorer 1.0 can help end users to identify those with most unique ecosystems and species, and assess the pressures they are exposed to because of human development. Recognized by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as a reference information system, DOPA Explorer is based on the best global data sets available and provides means to rank protected areas at the country and ecoregion levels. Inversely, DOPA Explorer indirectly highlights the protected areas for which information is incomplete. We finally invite the end-users of DOPA to engage with us through the proposed communication platforms to help improve our work to support the safeguarding of biodiversity.

Expanding the biomass resource:sustainable oil production via fast pyrolysis of low input high diversity biomass and the potential integration of thermochemical and biological conversion routes

Waste biomass is generated during the conservation management of semi-natural habitats, and represents an unused resource and potential bioenergy feedstock that does not compete with food production. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to characterise a representative range of biomass generated during conservation management in Wales. Of the biomass types assessed, those dominated by rush (Juncus effuses) and bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) exhibited the highest and lowest volatile compositions respectively and were selected for bench scale conversion via fast pyrolysis. Each biomass type was ensiled and a sub-sample of silage was washed and pressed. Demineralization of conservation biomass through washing and pressing was associated with higher oil yields following fast pyrolysis. The oil yields were within the published range established for the dedicated energy crops miscanthus and willow. In order to examine the potential a multiple output energy system was developed with gross power production estimates following valorisation of the press fluid, char and oil. If used in multi fuel industrial burners the char and oil alone would displace 3.9 × 105 tonnes per year of No. 2 light oil using Welsh biomass from conservation management. Bioenergy and product development using these feedstocks could simultaneously support biodiversity management and displace fossil fuels, thereby reducing GHG emissions. Gross power generation predictions show good potential.