wales environment research hub dr shaun russell director, werh

Wales Environment Research Hub

Dr Shaun Russell

Director, WERH

The Wales Environment Research Hub (WERH) is located on the ground floor of the Environment Centre Wales building in Bangor

Building officially opened by Rt Hon Gordon Brownon 15th February, 2008

WERH is sponsored by:

The Welsh Assembly Government, Department for Environment and Sustainability (DES)

Countryside Council for Wales (CCW)

Environment Agency Wales (EAW)

Forestry Commission Wales (FCW).

WERH also receives in-kind support from:

Bangor University and CEH

Director – Dr Shaun Russell Temporary Research Assistant – Dr Saskia Pagella

Part-time Administrative Assistant – Jane Smith

Part-time Administrative Assistant –Lindsey Rogers

WERHSTAFF

The purpose of WERH is to:

“Provide coordination and promote collaboration in the environmental research sector, to strengthen the evidence base for practical policies and actions in support of

the Wales Environment Strategy”

Hub’s Overarching Roles (from Hub legal agreement, 2011-2013)

informing the science-policy Interface

identification of immediate evidence needs and futures-orientated assessments

developing an overview of collaborative ventures and identification of opportunities

Contributing to Welsh datasets

knowledge translation and exchange

WERH products and services:

Databases of environmental research, organisations and funding opportunities

Website to disseminate information about environmental research in Wales

Themed reviews and reports

Hosting of workshops and conferences, including joint-useof Environment Centre Wales(ECW) facilities

“Hot-desks” in Hub officefor use by visiting researchers

Hub to develop a system of regular updates and e-mail alerts – “Quarterly Digest”

Hosting of workshops and conferences

New Wales Ministerial Team

Hub Priority Work Themes

1) Ecosystem Services and Valuation

2) Climate Change – Mitigation, Impacts and Adaptation

3) Environmental Monitoring in Wales

4) Integrated Land and Water Management

Biodiversity Trends - WalesNative and non-native plant species richness of repeat survey plots in Wales, from the Countryside Survey (2009).

Wales butterflies - habitat specialists declining

Wales wild birds population index (WAG Statistical Directorate 2009)

Figure 20.32: Rivers of good biological quality: 1990 - 2009

Regulating Services – water quality

Figure20. 30 Areas important for carbon storage (in soil or vegetation. Crown Copyright. All rights reserved Countryside Council for Wales 2010

Regulating Services – carbon storage

Wales - imports and exports of food commodities (2009)

Wales – reliance on external ecosystem services

Plausible Future Scenarios

Green and

pleasant land Natur

e at work

World marketsNation

al securit

y

Local stewardship

Business as usual

How might ecosystems and their services in the UK change in the future under plausible scenarios? For example under climate change.

What are the future possible effects of changes in ecosystems on human well-being and who might most be affected?

Environment Agency: Land use and Environmental Services Report - 2009

Spatial relationships between Social Deprivation and Environmental Quality in Wales

Index of Multiple Deprivation (8 variables) Index of Environmental Quality (13 variables)

Dr Shaun Russell

Director, Wales Environment Research Hub (WERH)

Website: www.werh.org

E-mail: info@werh.org

Tel: 01248 382918