Partners, stakeholders and local experts across Gwent have taken part in the second in a series of co-design workshops to support the development of Resilient Ecological Networks (RENs) across the region.
Led by Blaenau Gwent Council - in collaboration with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Gwent Green Grid Partnership and regional partners - the RENs programme, supported by the Nature Networks Fund, is developing a shared, evidence-based framework to guide nature recovery, strengthen climate resilience and deliver wider benefits for communities and landscapes.
The recent workshops build on the success of previous workshops, which focused on the ecological evidence underpinning the network mapping. This second workshop widened the focus to explore how ecosystem services, such as flood regulation, carbon storage, recreation and biodiversity, can help shape network design and inform delivery on the ground.
RENs are designed as connected networks of habitats that support resilient, functioning ecosystems. They identify core areas of high-quality habitat alongside surrounding nature recovery zones, helping guide land management, planning decisions, and investment at a landscape scale.
Participants had the opportunity to engage with:
- Baseline findings from the Ecosystem Services Analysis (ESA)
- Key pressures affecting nature, natural resources and ecosystem services across landscapes in Gwent
- Draft REN boundaries and mapping, including key decision points
- Interactive sessions designed to capture local knowledge and priorities
Councillor Tommy Smith, Blaenau Gwent Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Environment:
“We all know the environmental world is changing. This project is taking a collaborative, place-based approach which brings together ecological data, stakeholder insight and local expertise to deliver what will be practical solutions for nature recovery in Gwent. It is also helping to inform potential solutions to making communities more resilient to climate challenges such as flooding. Gwent is a Marmot region, committed to designing environments that support sustainability and promote health equity.”
Note:
The project is supported by the Nature Networks Fund delivered by the Heritage Fund on behalf of Welsh Government. A £250,000 grant has been awarded to Blaenau Gwent Council to lead REN mapping and stakeholder engagement across Gwent.
The RENS project continues to provide a valuable opportunity for stakeholders to help shape how nature recovery is planned and delivered across Gwent, ensuring that local knowledge, priorities and challenges are reflected in future decision-making.
