Ecosystem Approach Working Group

The main role of the Ecosystem Approach Working Group is to facilitate research partnerships, knowledge exchange and collaboration.

The Ecosystem Approach Working Group (EAWG) is part of the Ecosystem Services Theme, which is one of eight themes in the Scottish Government’s two strategic research programmes [1] Environmental Change and Food and Rural Industries (2011-2016).

The Ecosystem Services Theme builds on the recent UK National Ecosystem Assessment [2] and plans to develop cutting edge methods and approaches to understand the structure, function and interactions of Scottish ecosystems and how these deliver human benefits on a national, regional and local scale.

The main role of the EAWG is to facilitate research partnerships, knowledge exchange and collaboration within the two Research Programmes and with government agencies, NGOs and research consortia, as well as policymakers working in the areas of natural resource management and ecosystem services. In doing so, we strive to make our research on ecosystem services and the ecosystem approach up-to-date, responsive and relevant to policy and practice in Scotland.

Who is involved in EAWG?

Scottish Research Institutes

• James Hutton Institute [3]
• Moredun Research Institute [4] (MRI)
• Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health [5] (RINH)
• Scotland's Rural College [6] (SRUC)
• Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh [7] (RBGE)
• Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland [8] (BioSS)

Partners

• Centre for Ecology and Hydrology [9] (CEH)
• Cairngorms National Park Authority [10] (CNPA)
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs [11] (DEFRA)
• Food Standards Agency [12] (FSA)
• Forestry Commission [13] (FC)
• Forest Research [14] (FR)
• Natural England [15] (NE)
• Natural Environment Research Council [16] (NERC)
• Royal Society for Protection of Birds [17] (RSPB)
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency [18] (SEPA)
• Scottish Land & Estates [19] (SLE)
• Scottish Natural Heritage [20] (SNH)
• Scottish Wildlife Trust [21] (SWT)

From 2014, the EAWG will hold one workshop per year [22] as well as supporting engagement with policy teams and other events under the EAWG banner. The workshop will be hosted by one of the member organisations, with briefing papers circulated before each one, and a workshop report produced afterwards.

We welcome new members to the EAWG. Please contact us [23] if you would like more information or to attend one of our meetings.