PROCESS, POLICY & IMPLEMENTATION TO ENSURE BIODIVERSITY

Four years ago I began working as a landscape architect in the UK. Two years later I became Chartered. I have worked, studied and immersed myself completely in the profession.

One of the biggest professional realisations I’ve had since moving here is just how differently layered and structured the built environment industry is in the UK. The extent of legislation, process & policy guidance exceptionally detailed.

From the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the National Design Guide, to detailed Local Plans and Supplementary Planning Documents across cities such as London, Bristol and Cambridge, the expectations around reporting, metrics, environmental accountability and design justification are intense. Add to that mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain under the Environment Act 2021, increasingly sophisticated Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments, and complex masterplanning processes.

This isn’t simply about outcomes always being “better.” There is always room for improvement. But the process & structure behind design decisions are heavily weighted. The level of evidence required is extensive.

At the same time, working here has sharpened my awareness of another reality: The UK is now considered one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Research from the Natural History Museum places the UK in the bottom 10% globally for biodiversity intactness, while the State of Nature report documents long-term declines in species abundance across many taxa. One subtle but telling sign is the dramatic reduction in insects — something many of us notice simply from the lack of insect life on car windscreens compared to decades ago. Scientific studies across Europe have documented significant insect biomass declines, raising profound ecological concerns.

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has made clear that biodiversity loss directly affects human wellbeing — from food security and climate regulation to physical and mental health. Ecological collapse is not an abstract environmental issue; it is a human one.

Having grown up in South Africa, I carry with me a deep appreciation for the extraordinary abundance of wildlife there — something that can easily be taken for granted. That contrast has profoundly shaped how I approach design. Regeneration cannot simply be a buzzword. It must be measurable, accountable and intentional. This is reflected in the UK's approach regarding process, pilicy and new approaches to implementation of projects that prioritises biodiversity.

Even small choices matter. Before using insecticides or pesticides in our homes, gardens, developments or public spaces, it is worth asking what the long-term ecological cost might be.

Here’s to raising standards — and prioritising the restoration of nature.

Lackford Lakes Nature Reserve - Insect Information Plaques