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The project
Water Resources East commissioned the University of East Anglia to develop guidance on in-field monitoring of specific nature-based solutions (NbS) for water security including:
- runoff attenuation features;
- land use change (arable conversion to grassland);
- soil management practices;
- riparian restoration; and
- floodplain reconnection.
The resulting guidance informs standard monitoring procedures for the Norfolk Water Fund, especially those that align with requirements for recording key performance indicators (KPIs), alongside natural capital revenues including replenish, biodiversity net gain, and nutrient neutrality.
Background
WRE is committed to promoting nature-based solutions (NbS) as part of the package of solutions in the regional plan. It has therefore formed a number of partnerships to improve research and investment in NbS to benefit water availability as well as other water security challenges, including the Norfolk Water Strategy Programme (NWSP).
At present, the Norfolk Water Strategy Programme is transitioning into a delivery phase in which it seeks to support on the ground implementation of NbS through the establishment of a Norfolk Water Fund. The delivery of these NbS should achieve specific measurable outcomes for the natural environment, several of which can be tied to funding streams.
This phase includes significant work on implementation and operations, with work divided into several workstreams. These include:
- Prioritisation of interventions
- Creation of project pipeline
- Project selection and design
- Project implementation
- Tracking of delivery and performance
This work focused on Point 5 – Tracking of Delivery and Performance, and more specifically on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) activities associated to this.
Objectives of this assignment
• Best practice guidance was produced for monitoring the performance of specific NbS against selected environmental outcomes.
• A menu of monitoring options with outlined costs was developed for each type of NbS.
