Nature In A Nutshell

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we take a deep dive into one of the most significant developments in Scottish Environmental Policy: the proposed Scottish Planning Biodiversity Metric.

We're joined by special guest Sarah Macdonald-Smart, Biodiversity Metric Officer at NatureScot, who shares her expertise on the development of the metric, how it differs from England's Biodiversity Net Gain approach, and how it aims to support better outcomes for nature through Scotland's planning system. We explore key questions around irreplaceable habitats, habitat creation and enhancement, invasive non-native species, long-term monitoring, watercourse assessments and what practitioners should consider when responding to the current consultation.

We also discuss the Scottish Government's new Programme for Government 2026-31, including proposals to accelerate planning and regulation, and the potentially far-reaching plans to merge several environmental bodies, including NatureScot and SEPA, into a single environmental organisation. We examine what this could mean for biodiversity delivery, regulation, protected areas and environmental governance in Scotland, as well as CIEEM's response to the proposals.

To round off the episode, we bring you some positive news as the Bank of England announces that future UK banknotes will feature native wildlife, with a buff-tailed bumblebee, barn owl, Atlantic puffin and European hedgehog set to appear on redesigned notes following a public vote.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• Scottish Planning Biodiversity Metric Consultation – open until 30th November
• Proposed merger of environmental bodies
• Next UK banknotes to feature barn owls, bumblebees, puffins and hedgehogs

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we chat with Daniel Lock, Director of the Nature Service Wales, about the ambitious vision for the initiative, designed to help drive nature recovery across Wales by creating opportunities for people to learn, participate and build careers in the environmental sector.

We discuss why nature recovery is as much a people challenge as an ecological one, the skills and capacity Wales will need to meet its environmental ambitions, and how barriers to accessing nature careers can be removed. The conversation also examines workforce development, fairer pathways into ecology, the role of professional bodies such as CIEEM, and whether Wales is ready to deliver emerging policy commitments such as Net Benefits for Biodiversity.

Jason also reflects on his three days at the Labour Party Conference where CIEEM was a partner in a full day of nature-focused events as well as a delegate at the main conference.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• CIEEM at the Labour Party Conference 2026 – by Jason Reeves

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we're joined by CIEEM Vice President (Wales), Harri Webb, to explore the rising wildfire risks in the UK. We explore the ecological impacts of wildfires and what can be done to reduce their risk before they start. Beyond the immediate damage seen in the headlines, we discuss the long-term effects on habitats, species, peatlands, and water quality, and why ecologists are becoming an increasingly important part of wildfire resilience planning.

We also take a look at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)'s recently revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for England.

Nature In A Nutshell is brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). We are the leading professional membership body representing and supporting ecologists and environmental managers in the UK, Ireland and abroad.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• Revised National Planning Policy Framework published: what it means for ecology and environmental management
• ‘I love it. It’s hope’: the mysterious self-willed wildflower meadow that seeded itself

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Baroness Natalie Bennett discusses the ground-breaking Nature's Rights Bill, exploring how recognising nature's rights can transform environmental policy, law, and culture.

Baroness Natalie Bennett sits in the House of Lords as one of two Green Party Peers. A former journalist, Natalie led the Green Party of England and Wales from 2012 to 2016, before being given a peerage in 2019. Baroness Bennett is currently sponsoring the Nature’s Rights Bill in the House of Lords, which recently received its second reading and which you can hear all about in this episode.

Nature In A Nutshell is brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). We are the leading professional membership body representing and supporting ecologists and environmental managers in the UK, Ireland and abroad.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• Natalie's new book: Green Thinking, Unlearning Outdated Ideas in Science, Economics and Politics
• Natalie's website
• Adrian Ramsey’s EDM on the Nature’s Rights Bill
• CIEEM Members: Access the new and enhanced Wellbeing Gateway platform
• New Prime Minister, New Cabinet
• CIEEM writes to new Secretaries of State on the value of ecological expertise
• CIEEM Reaches Landmark 10,000 Member Milestone

This episode may contain dynamically inserted advertisements served by our hosting platform, Acast. These advertisements are not selected by, affiliated with, or endorsed by CIEEM, and do not necessarily reflect our views or values.

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we break down Biodiversity Net Gain, or Biodiversity Enhancement, in Ireland and what this means for people and nature and some positive news about a rare plant making a remarkable comeback in Kent. With special guests Liz O’Reilly, CIEEM’s Ireland Coordinator and part of CIEEM’s Policy Team, Senator Malcolm Noonan of the Green Party and Hannah Sheridan, Senior Ecologist at Arup

Nature In A Nutshell is brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). We are the leading professional membership body representing and supporting ecologists and environmental managers in the UK, Ireland and abroad.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended) - Regulation 3ZA: implementation report 2019 to 2024
• Habitats Regulations Report underscores the need for urgent action to restore nature in Northern Ireland
• IBGC Recommendations for the Enhancement of Biodiversity in New Residential Developments
• CIEEM BNG in the Island of Ireland: Survey results report (August 2025)
• CIEEM Position paper: Implementation of a biodiversity metric in Scotland (September 2025)
• CIEEM Response to Ireland’s draft National Nature Restoration Plan (1 July 2026)
• CIEEM Ecology Skills & Capacity in Ireland
• CIEEM Briefing Paper: Biodiversity Net Gain in Ireland

To find out more please go to TIIPublications.ie and search ‘Biodiversity Metric’ and for access to the full Metric Package email biodiversitymetric@tii.ie for access.

This episode may contain dynamically inserted advertisements served by our hosting platform, Acast. These advertisements are not selected by, affiliated with, or endorsed by CIEEM, and do not necessarily reflect our views or values.

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we look at a new report on nature and the economy, review the Welsh and Scottish election results and what they mean for the environment, and finish with some good news about a first-of-its-kind infrastructure project.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

We’d love your feedback on Nature In A Nutshell. This short survey will take 2-3 minutes to complete and will help us shape future episodes.

Show notes:

• Planetary Solvency: Tipping into the Wild Unknown – Global Nature Risk Management
• Plaid Cymru’s Environmental Policies
• Wildlife using new UK’s first heathland wildlife bridge within days of opening

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we’re joined by Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) expert, Dr Julia Baker from Mott MacDonald, to unpack the latest BNG developments and what they could mean for ecologists, planners, developers, and land managers across the sector.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

We’d love your feedback on Nature In A Nutshell. This short survey will take 2-3 minutes to complete and will help us shape future episodes.

Show notes:

• Government publishes new announcements on BNG
• Government confirms forthcoming changes to Biodiversity Net Gain rules
• Government confirms Biodiversity Net Gain for major infrastructure from November 2026
• The fast-track tree breeding method that is restoring ash to the landscape

This episode may contain dynamically inserted advertisements served by our hosting platform, Acast. These advertisements are not selected by, affiliated with, or endorsed by CIEEM, and do not necessarily reflect our views or values.

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we discuss the new approach to bat licensing in England; an overview of the upcoming national elections in Wales and Scotland, which could potentially be pretty seismic; a short piece on Northern Ireland's Nature Recovery Strategy; we’ll cover the Westminster Government’s response to the Fingleton Review; and, as always, we’ll end with some positive news from the last month.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

We’d love your feedback on Nature In A Nutshell. This short survey will take 2-3 minutes to complete and will help us shape future episodes.

Show notes:

• Natural England exploring new approaches to bat licensing
• CIEEM Manifesto for the Senedd Election 2026
• CIEEM Manifesto for the Scottish Election 2026
• Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025: Major Gaps in Understanding of Environmental Law and Ecology
• Government responds to the Fingleton Review
• The Government’s Response to the Fingleton Review: Progress and Continuing Concerns – by Sally Hayns CEcol FCIEEM
• Public Accounts Committee publishes report saying Defra does not have necessary resources

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we update you on the Wales Environment Act, the reports on implementation of Habitats Regulations across the UK and Ireland, a new national security and biodiversity report, an update on IPBES-12, and we finish with our usual good news.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

We’d love your feedback on Nature In A Nutshell. This short survey will take 2-3 minutes and will help us shape future episodes. You can also submit a question for our upcoming Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) episode!

Show notes:

• Landmark national security report on biodiversity loss released with little public attention
• IPBES-12: a scientific reality check for the global economy – and a blueprint for business action on nature
• The RACE Report 2025 Sees Racial Diversity Boost

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we are joined by special guests to talk honestly about life as a parent working in the ecology sector. From career paths and fieldwork realities to flexibility, support, and shared caregiving, we explore how becoming a parent can shape professional choices - and how the sector is (slowly) changing in response.

Our guests share their experiences of juggling unsociable hours and seasonal pressures, the compromises they’ve made along the way, and what workplace practices have made the biggest positive difference for their families.

We also look ahead, asking what still needs to change to better support parents and carers in ecology, and what advice they’d give to those considering parenthood.

Thank you to our guests:

• Anita Hogan CEcol CEnv MCIEEM
• Nick Marchant MCIEEM
• Laura Sanderson CEcol CEnv MCIEEM
• Hannah Williams MCIEEM

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we are joined by CIEEM's CEO, Sally Hayns, CIEEM's Vice President for Scotland, Caroline McParland, and Chair of CIEEM's Strategic Policy Panel, Ben Kite, to review the ecology and environmental management news of 2025, and look ahead to 2026.

2025 was a very busy year - the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, BNG, Scotland's Natural Environment Bill and Wales Environment Bill were all on centre stage. We also discuss what we expect to happen next with these major pieces of policy work in 2026, as well as COP26...it's looking like an equally busy year!

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we welcome Ellie Strike - Head of Regulatory Programmes - at the Office for Environmental Protection (the OEP) to talk about their report on Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS). The report came out in July but the Government have just responded.

We also cover the first discussion of Stage 2 amendments to the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill and the latest on England's Planning and Infrastructure Bill (as of the date of recording on 19 November).

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• OEP Report on Local Nature Recovery Strategies and their contribution toward nature recovery commitments (June 2025)
• Government response to the Office for Environmental Protection review of Local Nature Recovery Strategies and their role in contributing to nature recovery commitments in England (October 2025)
• Update on Scotland's Natural Environment Bill
• CIEEM's Planning and Infrastructure Bill webpage
• EU to integrate climate education into school curriculum

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we welcome our CIEEM colleagues Brian Heppenstall and Annie Robinson to talk about our Green Jobs for Nature project, which aims to encourage young people to consider pursuing a job in the environment sector.

We also discuss the latest updates to the Natural Environmental Bill in Scotland and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill in England.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• Green Jobs for Nature website
• Green Jobs for Nature submit a job profile
• Green Careers Week Festival
• What you should know about part 2 of Scotland's Natural Environment Bill
• Planning and Infrastructure Bill updates
• Seven beavers released in Glen Affric
• Beavers released in Glen Affric 400 years after extinction in Scotland

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we welcome James Hicks, Associate Director at RSK Wilding and founding member of the CIEEM Ecological Restoration Special Interest Group, on the podcast to discuss the recently published Rebuilding Nature: Good Practice Principles on Ecological Restoration.

We also cover the Environment Link report on the UK's progress towards protecting 30% of land, freshwater and marine areas, and our usual Planning and Infrastructure Bill updates.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• Good Practice Guidance for Ecological Restoration
• Environment Link 30by30 report
• Planning and Infrastructure Bill updates

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we welcome CIEEM's CEO, Sally Hayns, and a member of CIEEM’s Strategic Policy Panel and Wales Policy Working Group, Craig Llewllyn to discuss where we are and what's happening next with England's Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

We also cover the latest announcements on the Sustainable Farming Scheme in Wales, and the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill, before ending on a couple of good news stories.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• CIEEM's Planning and Infrastructure Bill webpage
• Sustainable Farming Scheme: final proposals published ahead of launch in 2026
• Local government and legal responsibilities to act on climate change: An LGA open consultation
• UK Government announces ban on lead ammunition

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we are joined by Dr Sam Reynolds from the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge for a fascinating, in-depth discussion on how we can use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the ecology and environment sector.

We also discuss the new Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill, Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) consultations and a brief update on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• Book your Summer Conference ticket
• Briefings on the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets) (Wales) Bill
• Our dedicated Planning and Infrastructure update page
• 2025 CIEEM Awards

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Nature In A Nutshell, we are joined by Ashleigh Whiffin, Curator of Entomology at National Museums Scotland, who talks to us about the importance of insects and recording. We also have CIEEM's CEO, Sally Hayns, on the pod who breaks down the key findings from our State of the Profession survey report. We also have a quick update on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and Scotland's draft Natural Environment Bill.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• CIEEM State of the Profession Survey report
• CIEEM updates on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill
• Bird Island’s Cape Gannet Population Signals Ocean Health Recovery

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we chat with Kath Allen about eco-anxiety and how to manage it. We also discuss an update to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the current Land Use Framework and finally, the first use of NatureScot's compulsory deer control power.

In our positive news segment, we share that a family of beavers are thriving in their new woodland home in Worcestershire, and Orkney curlew numbers are bouncing back.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• Kath Allen's website
• Kath Allen's 'Sustainable Hope' resource
• CIEEM members have access to our Member Assistance Programme
• CIEEM encourages members to engage MPs on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Committee
• CIEEM publishes briefing on Planning and Infrastructure Bill amendments
• Agency could intervene to cull estate's red deer
• Call for members’ input: responding to proposals for powers to change environmental assessment legislation in Scotland
• Beavers thriving in new woodland home
• Orkney curlew numbers bouncing back

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we discuss the Planning and Infrastructure Bill in England and the Call for Evidence on Scotland's Natural Environment Bill.

We also cover the Welsh Government's Good Practice Guidance for Dark Skies.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• CIEEM responds to Planning and Infrastructure Bill
• Responding to the Call for evidence on Scotland’s Natural Environment Bill
• https://www.gov.wales/stars-align-wales-leads-uk-dark-skies-protection
• https://www.gov.wales/dark-skies-guidance

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In line with the theme of the March edition of In Practice, we speak to Jo Riggall from Plantlife about the value of grasslands and Plantlife's Grassland Strategy. We also discuss the latest updates to land and planning in England, and also Net Benefits for Nature in Wales.

We also talk about species new to science being discovered in the Congo and Humpback Whales bouncing back in UK waters.

Nature In A Nutshell is brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). We are the leading professional membership body representing and supporting ecologists and environmental managers in the UK, Ireland and abroad.

Visit our website: https://cieem.net/

Show notes:

• Plantlife
• Humpback Whales bouncing back in UK waters

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.