Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery

What is good about “nature”: locating value in the nonhuman world

Event ended: 12 May 2023

There is a long list of things people value about the natural world: diversity, complexity, integrity, naturalness, wildness, native species, and of the sentient and even non-sentient individuals that make up an ecosystem. Often, these values conflict. How are we to proceed?

Can Biodiversity Net Gain help us reach England’s biodiversity goals?

Event ended: 09 May 2023

At the end of 2023 new legislation will be enacted making it mandatory for nearly every new development in England to leave nature in a better state than before (so it achieves a mandatory “Biodiversity Net Gain” (BNG)).

man in black tshirt stands in front f a paiting of a flower

The Art of Plant Conservation

Event ended: 05 May 2023

Chris Thorogood is a botanist and artist who has travelled the world in pursuit of plants. In this talk, Chris will take us on some of his hair-raising, global adventures over clifftops, up erupting volcanoes, through typhoons, and out into the very heart of the world’s vast, green wilderness, all for the love of plants.

The search for a healthy environment

Event ended: 10 March 2023

It has long been recognised that the environments in which we live have an enormous influence on our physical and mental health. Equally, it has become clear to all in recent years that human activities can have profoundly damaging impacts of natural ecosystems and the biodiversity they support.

Recording available

Phantom credits: why rainforests offsets are not working.

Event ended: 06 March 2023

In January, a joint investigation by the Guardian, Die Zeit and Source Material found that the forest carbon offsets approved by the world’s leading certifier and used by major corporations for climate claims are largely worthless.

Recording available

Changes in the Great Plains as indicated by insect ecological responses

Event ended: 10 February 2023

The biota of the Great Plains of North America face numerous challenges. These include massive habitat conversion to row crop agriculture, loss of large native vertebrates, and altered biogeochemistry.

Nature-based solutions conference

Event ended: 18 November 2022

We brought together researchers with practitioners and policymakers from across government and industry to discuss the values, governance, metrics and financing of nature-based solutions to address climate change, biodiversity loss and major socio- economic challenges, locally, regionally and globally.