Nurturing urban biodiversity provides a wide range of important benefits to the health of city inhabitants from protecting natural ecosystems to improving the wellbeing and social cohesion of human residents. Greening in our cities can even assist with essential services like water drainage and reducing the urban heat island effect which can result in decreased costs on energy, property maintenance and healthcare.
The UK is actively taking measures to encourage increased urban biodiversity. Last year, the pioneering Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements were introduced which made it mandatory for all major developments in the UK to increase measurable biodiversity value by 10% on their sites. In London, striking the balance of increasing urban green space while densifying is key to green growth with a goal to make more than half of London’s area covered by green space by 2050.
In this Evening Talk, our speakers will discuss the London Local Nature Recovery Strategy, London Green Infrastructure Framework, and their implications for BNG.
18:15 Arrivals
18:45 Welcome from Chair
Sophie Goff, Head of Communications, NLA
18:50 Biodiversity Net Gain
Dr Iain Boulton, Biodiversity and Environmental Compliance Manager, Lambeth Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Service
19:05 System Thinking Approach
Rhys Williams, Associate Director Civil Engineer, Civic Engineers
19:15 Greening the City
Stephen Richards, Partner, Gillespies
19:22 Panel Discussion
Speakers above plus:
Ivan Jovanovic, Director, Atelier Ten
19:35 Q&A
19:45 Drinks & Networking
20:15 End
