Tottenham Hotspur, a Premier League club aiming to lead the way not only on the pitch but also in sustainability, has become the first sports organisation to introduce smart biodiversity monitoring at its training facilities in Enfield. Building on initiatives like offering vegan food at all stadium kiosks, using 100% renewable electricity, and including sustainability in employee inductions, the Club has deployed two innovative systems: one capturing the dawn chorus of birds, the other measuring pollination activity. Positioned in the garden areas and flower beds that surround the training pitches, both feed real-time data into dashboards, which the Club analyses with ecologists to assess trends and understand how land use and maintenance affect biodiversity. These insights will guide a long-term ecological strategy that embeds biodiversity into site management and supports Spurs’ wider environmental goals—leading the way for other sports clubs in biodiversity conservation.

La agricultura depende en gran medida de la biodiversidad y los servicios ecosistémicos, sin embargo, el sector agrícola a menudo suele no tomar en cuenta su valor y los costos ambientales de prácticas no sostenibles dentro de las políticas y la toma de decisiones. Por esta razón se diseñó una estrategia para sensibilizar a personal de la Secretaría de Agricultura, a cerca del valor que representa la biodiversidad dentro del sector y su importancia dentro de las cadenas de valor en el sector rural. Para ello se desarrollaron e instalaron dos capacitaciones virtuales, una para servidores públicos sobre integración de la biodiversidad y los servicios ecosistémicos (ISE) en la agricultura y otra para técnicos sobre cadenas de valor sostenibles. Su fin es integrar el valor de la biodiversidad y los servicios de los ecosistemas en los instrumentos de toma de decisiones, al igual que ayudar a productores a implementar proyectos de producción sustentable y amigable con la biodiversidad.

The Peusangan watershed has an abundance of natural resources and supports the livelihoods of more than 180,000 local communities. It has been threatened by destructive businesses such as sand and gravel extraction. Hundreds of illegal extraction activities are found along the Krueng Peusangan river. This has led to frequent flooding, severe damages on riverbank and a decrease of water quality. It also contributes to more human–elephant conflicts which occurs in surrounding villages.  

WWF Indonesia worked with Peusangan Watershed Forum to improve their current situation by strengthening capacities of local people. After raising the awareness of customary leaders about mining regulations, they worked hand in hand with us to engage business owners. At the grassroots level, local communities are trained to send information and pictures to an online news agency. They are equipped with cameras, writing manuals, and skills to capture pictures and write articles about irresponsible practices.

Zooterra is reimagining how we support nature through a patent-pending product that gives users a direct, transparent and fun way to help protect wildlife and natural habitats. On the platform, users can buy a digital token called terra associated with natural areas and wildlife from around the world. Proceeds from terra sales directly support projects linked to the areas and wildlife selected. Zooterra transforms the existing user experience for people who want to support nature conservation by providing:  

• Ownership and gamification through digital collectibles called terras linked to specific natural areas and wildlife

• Transparency by funding specific projects

• Understanding impact through stories and project updates 

• Personalization through a unique experience for each user

By associating defined areas of natural land into unique collectibles, Zooterra gives people a window into nature and a stake into its survival.

The new integrated spatial plan of Bontang City has been adopted by the local parliament in 2012 and is being implemented in parts. It now includes both land and marine areas with its mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds located within four miles from the shoreline. It is the first example of the implementation of the Indonesian Law No 26/2007 on Spatial Planning and Law No 27/2007 on Coastal Area and Small Islands Management to be applied in coastal districts/cities in Indonesia.

Ireland is known for its landscapes, influenced by agriculture, food, traditions, culture, climate and wild Atlantic location. The real influence on the Irish landscape is its geodiversity, a result of a complex geological history spanning 1.8bn years; a journey from the southern hemisphere, to the opening and closing of an ocean and the opening of a new ocean, to more recent shaping by glaciers and ice sheets. A report in 2017 showed that geotourism was worth €240m/yr to Irish economy, and over 8000 jobs. How do we support economic development of Ireland while protecting and promoting our geoheritage?

Over the last 17 years, Geological Survey Ireland, in association with local government, the Heritage Council of Ireland, and National Parks and Wildlife, has commissioned geoheritage audits of each local administration area. The audits are based on 16 geological themes; original lists of sites were drawn by panels of theme experts. This process is nearing completion, with 27 of the 31 local authority areas finished.  

Since 2013, ICOMOS and IUCN have been conducting Connecting Practice, a joint project aimed at developing new methods and conservation strategies that recognise and sustain the interconnected character of the natural, cultural, and social values of World Heritage sites. The project aims to develop practical strategies for a more integrated conservation approach and to improve coordination and deepen collaboration between cultural and natural sectors to achieve better conservation outcomes. A more ambitious goal is to gain a deeper understanding of interconnections of culture and nature and influence shifts in the conceptual and practical approaches for values assessment, governance and management within the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and beyond. This collaborative project is designed to learn from practice by having interdisciplinary teams work with staff and partners from World Heritage sites that illustrate the interlinkage of cultural and natural heritage.

Utilising smartphone technology to develop the first dedicated digital outdoor recreational and environmental site management system. It replaces the current general disparate and mainly paper based management systems outdoor recreation sites with an integrated digital system. It ensures that multiple bodies, agencies and community groups who are all involved in managing an outdoors recreational site can use the one system. The system is offered on a “fremium” model to community groups and this is subsidised by Government agencies who pay for the system.
positive impacts:
– smartphone based transcribing from paper.

Works on android and apple devices and has built in maps so no mobile coverage is needed out in the field

– all users of the system are linked back to a user ID so recording can be authenticated

– all monitoring reports and remedial actions are stored securely in “the cloud

– geolocating all data allows detailed reporting and makes year on year comparisons (i.e viewing effects of programs tacking invasive species)

The Upper Middle Rhine Valley is a cultural landscape characteristic for its castles, historic towns and vineyards. In 2002, a 67km stretch of the valley between Bingen, Rüdesheim und Koblenz was inscribed on the World Heritage List for its values as an evolved organic cultural landscape made of 48 small towns, extensive terraced vineyards and the ruins of castles that once secured one of the most important trade routes in Europe. The site is associated with centuries-long history and legends that have exercised a powerful influence on writers, artists and composers throughout time.

The management and conservation of this cultural landscape is highly dependent on the wellbeing and sustainability of its people and communities. The solution focuses on the participatory governance model and various projects created to support local communities and businesses in shaping a virtuous sustainable region.