Last week (25-26 April, 2023), Natural Course hosted a successful international engagement event that connected a wide range of over 40 key stakeholders from across Europe.  Delegates from LIFE Projects in Austria, Belgium, Estonia, France, Ireland, Latvia, Poland, Sweden and Wales attended to network and learn from Natural Course about…

Using a natural capital approach to understand and value the benefits to society from the natural environment has gained momentum and grown in prominence over the past few years. It has been a significant area of focus for Natural Course over both Phases 3 and 4 of our work, and…

Here at Natural Course, we have an extensive monitoring and evaluation programme which includes detailed interim reports and the hosting of formal ‘Mission’ visits from NEEMO (the external monitors for LIFE Projects). At the start of May, we hosted a very successful two-day Mission in Penrith.  We were joined in…

We caught up with Krista Patrick, Natural Capital Coordinator at GMCA to learn how the natural capital approach has evolved in Greater Manchester. Background The growing need to conserve and enhance natural capital is well documented. We know that we are depleting natural resources faster than the earth can replenish them. …

New Action Plan developed to bring the River Irk to life The Action Plan identifies and prioritises restoration projects and provides a funding strategy A new Action Plan has been launched (22nd October 2021) for the River Irk, that will help transform this neglected river into a thriving waterway that…

Greater Manchester Combined Authority commission a River Corridor Study of the Whittle Brook Catchment in Bury and Rochdale. Findings and recommendations will inform the strategic and detailed planning of the Heywood-Pilsworth development. Whittle Brook runs through mostly agricultural land between Bury and Rochdale in Greater Manchester and the catchment includes…

Mark Turner, Natural Course Greater Manchester Team Leader, gives us an overview of what happened at the inaugural Greater Manchester Water Forum…  The Greater Manchester Water Forum met for the first time on Friday 18th June 2021 as part of the Greater Manchester Natural Capital Group annual conference and as…

Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Natural Course have just launched a new Natural Capital User Guide. Natural capital tools provide decision makers with the information and evidence to make more informed, joined-up decisions on the protection of the natural environment and investment projects. Natural Course has been supporting Greater Manchester…

Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Natural Course launches new Natural Capital User Guide It is designed to be the ‘go to’ reference point for all things natural capital across Greater Manchester. Natural capital tools give decision makers at all levels the tools and evidence to make more informed, joined-up decisions.…

Background: A core theme of Natural Course is using a Natural Capital approach to generate new and greater resources for natural environment projects. In Phase 2 of the Natural Course project, accounts of the Irwell Catchment’s existing Natural Capital and a series of Ecosystem Services Opportunity tools were created. These…