Nature's Architects – Details, episodes & analysis

This week it's a doubleheader, as we chat with the Principal Advisor on Net Gain to Natural England and champion of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) plus a good friend and expert on BNG. So welcome to Nick White of Natural England and Paul Whitby of The Ecology Co-op. With the full mandating of BNG on 12th February 2024 timing is everything, so if you want to learn more about BNG and the impact it might have on your work stay tuned.

We’re going to be looking at biodiversity net gain in detail and how it can be implemented effectively on individual development sites of all scales and then what the joined-up approach is for Local Nature Recovery. This is a subject that has never been more talked about and we are seeing get implemented across sites, with so many benefits. The big take home is early planning, understand what you have on-site and then you can plan for the 10% net gain. 

We will try to cover a wide topic base including:

• how Nick and Paul got into their current roles
• the impact of Covid and peoples need for good well designed and local places
• the simple view of what BNG is and how it can be implemented
• the importance of BNG and how anyone can make small impacts
• the Environment Bill

We will end with:

• what does great look like in relation to net gain and the future of the natural environment look like to you... 

Find out more about we can help you secure the relationship between the natural and built environments and ultimately increase the value of your site at https://www.wnic.co.uk/.

Follow us on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter 
• Facebook

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.

We all know the impact of green space has been on our mental health particularly in the last 15 months and how much we appreciate it due to the pandemic, but how important is it to our actual health and psychology!

Dr Liz Sparkes personal friend and expert in heart-based meditation  and compassion practices, a health and spiritual coach.  She is a real-life Doctor with PhD is in pain psychology and has extensively explored ways to change the experience of pain on world meditation day.

We cover so many topics in such a short amount of time so I hope you all enjoy this one. I  learnt a lot. So grab a drink and enjoy listening to Dr Liz Sparkes, if you find this as interesting as I did you'll probably want to implement this into your business.

Liz is an amazing practitioner and is the director of a great company which is simply Dr Liz Sparkes. Her training sessions, courses and training are all around heart-based living. Coaching sessions support you to move forward, towards personal growth and change. 

We have a great chat about mental health, mindset and the impact that green space has on all of this. Liz is a firm believer in meditation and what we do plus the impact it can have on teams and team building. So if you want to book a session with her after listening to the podcast or want to chat with her visit her website https://www.drlizsparkes.com/

We  try to cover a wide topic base including:

• How has the business developed;
• which is mindfulness and compassion;
• how can you implement meditation within your own business;
• being grateful for your teams;
• the importance of green space to mental health;

We will end with:

• what does great look like in relation to mental health and green infrastructure

Find out more about we can help you secure the relationship between the natural and built environments and ultimately increase the value of your site at https://www.wnic.co.uk/.

Follow us on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter 
• Facebook

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.

Now this is a fascinating chat, with a good friend and director. We cover so many topics in such a short amount of time and I hope you all enjoy this one. I learnt a lot. So grab a #Yorkshire tea and enjoy this.
 
This week we chat to Jonathan Cocking Director of JCA and President of the European Arboricultural Council (EAC) . We spoke to technical director Charles a couple of weeks back. Jonathan has successfully steered JCA to huge growth over the years and also has an inherent passion for arboriculture and the wider industry.  Jonathan is a Registered Consultant with the Arboricultural Association, expert witness, Chartered Biologist and Chartered Forester. It's fair to say he knows his stuff.

This discussion goes in a great direction and if you are in a family run business, want to understand how people start in the industry, or simply want to understand more about business management, this is the podcast for you. Clearly arboriculture and running businesses is so intertwined in his life and seeing the success of the business. 

We  try to cover a wide topic base including:

• what their plans are;
• where it all started;
• culture;
• willingness and motivation;
• work streams;
• travelling the world;
• what is the future for the industry.

We will end with:

• what do they look for in new team members
• what is the biggest challenge for the industry

Find out more about we can help you secure the relationship between the natural and built environments and ultimately increase the value of your site at https://www.wnic.co.uk/.

Follow us on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter 
• Facebook

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.

Now this is a great chat, with urban forester and real tech entrepreneur from PlanIT Geo and TreePlotter. This is a system as a company we have been using for 18 months and see it as the most powerful tree data capture system for both our team and most importantly our clients. 

This week we CEO and Founder of PlanIT Geo, a person who is passionate about the recovery of nature in cities across the world, via the use of technology and the drive to promote the benefits of urban trees to the masses. Him and the PlantIT team challenge clients, decision-makers and citizens to elevate the critical importance and value of urban forests in creating vibrant, liveable cities. So welcome to Ian Hanou, Director and Founder PlanIT Geo & TreePlotter

It was great to get to know the person behind the technology drive in arboriculture Ian as his enthusiasm for strategic approaches to improve our understanding of the importance of data relating to canopy cover. As a company we rely on TreePlotter and all of the work done by Ian and his team including Russell, Cherry and Theri in the UK.  TreePlotter increases surveying efficiency, can be used across multiple devices by multiple people, it integrates tree risk, BS5837, CAVAT and many other surveying elements and iTree integration is on the horizon.

We  try to cover a wide topic base including:

• why urban forestry is vital;
• how iTree can be integrated;
• how simple and effective TreePlotter is;
• the differences between the UK and USA arboriculture scenes

We will end with:

• the need for integration of systems
• canopy cover assessments

Find out more about we can help you secure the relationship between the natural and built environments and ultimately increase the value of your site at https://www.wnic.co.uk/.

Follow us on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter 
• Facebook

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.

Now this is a fascinating chat, with a man who has travelled the world both managing and assessing parks from Dudley to the desert parks in the United Arab Emirates.
 
This week we  welcome to the Parks & Grounds manager from Rugby Borough Council, someone with enormous passion for green space and its use, and has been recognised by royalty for his exceptional work with Green Flag for delivering exceptional green space for over 35 years, it is an absolute pleasure to be speaking with Chris Worman MBE. Chris has also spent many years with the Midlands Park Forum and in a nutshell wants to ensure every person has access to useable green space.

I could have spent all day speaking with Chris as his enthusiasm for green space, integration of the public with it and strategic approaches are ingrained with everything that he does. The work he has done has taken him around the world. He explains how he got into the green space and infrastructure industry and the changes that he has seen.  

We  try to cover a wide topic base including:

• why connecting green space is so important;
• collaborative approaches to green space development;
• community engagement;
• the benefits of green space to health and wellbeing;
• Green Flag awards and the standard it sets;
• career paths through the industry;
• what is the future for the industry.

We will end with:

• what comes from crisis and the pandemic in terms of the vital role that green space plays in everyday lives
• what is the biggest challenge for the industry

Find out more about we can help you secure the relationship between the natural and built environments and ultimately increase the value of your site at https://www.wnic.co.uk/.

Follow us on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter 
• Facebook

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.

Now this is a fascinating chat, with two good friends and company directors. We cover so many topics in such a short amount of time and I hope you all enjoy this one. I learnt a lot. So grab a drink and enjoy this.
 
This week we chat to two great company directors, Charles Cocking of JCA and Luke Fay of Treework Environment Practice. Both have successfully steered their respective companies to huge growth over the years and also have an inherent passion passed down from a previous generation.  Both are real characters and enthusiasts within the industry.

This discussion goes in a great direction and if you are in a family run business, looking at succession in it, or simply want to understand more about business management, this is the podcast for you. Clearly arboriculture and running businesses is so intertwined in their lives and seeing the success of their teams. 

We  try to cover a wide topic base including:

• what their plans are;
• what their plans are for the other directors;
• succession planning:
• being grateful for your teams;
• career paths through the industry;
• willingness and motivation;
• what is the future for the industry.

We will end with:

• what do they look for in new team members
• what is the biggest challenge for the industry

Find out more about we can help you secure the relationship between the natural and built environments and ultimately increase the value of your site at https://www.wnic.co.uk/.

Follow us on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter 
• Facebook

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.

This week we chat with Design Director of Barton Willmore, a real character and enthusiast within the urban design world and someone who truly has a passion for promoting a completely holistic approach to urban design and place making, which is designed and developed to provide many multifunctional purposes. So welcome to Luke Hillson, Urban Designer.

We’re going to be looking at, how we as professionals can actively promote green infrastructure and its importance to how we live, work and play and what steps the RTPI are taking to inspire great places.

We will try to cover a wide topic base including:

• how Luke got into masterplanning and urban design, plus what it really is
• the impact of Covid and peoples need for good well designed and local places
• how urban design works in practice and how masterplanners contribute to the delivery of a better place?
• why is urban design important and how can it make a real difference to people?
• plus the importance of community building and how well Urban&Civic have got Alconbury Weald functioning so well

We will end with:

• what does great look like in relation to urban design and the future of the natural environment look like to you... 

We also manage to get a little promo in for the Institute of Chartered Foresters #TPBE4 and the great work Tree Lady Talks is doing interviewing all the main speakers.
Find out more about we can help you secure the relationship between the natural and built environments and ultimately increase the value of your site at https://www.wnic.co.uk/.

Follow us on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter 
• Facebook

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.

And for this, our first ever episode, we are setting the bar high with our guest. I have personally watched and admired the work of Jane Findlay from afar for many years, and I was delighted when I saw the announcement during the lockdown in June, that she had become President of the Landscape Institute. 

We’re going to be looking at, how we as professionals can actively promote green infrastructure and its importance to how we live, work and play and what steps the Landscape Institute are taking to inspire great places.

Introducing to you the President of the Landscape Institute, Director of Fira Landscape Architects and someone who truly has a passion for promoting the psychological and physical benefits that quality landscape design plays in our everyday lives... Jane Findlay

We will try to cover a wide topic base including 

• how Jane got into landscape architecture, 
• what the Landscape Institute is and their mantra of 'inspiring great places' really means
• the impact of Covid and peoples need for good quality and accessible green space
• why do we allow dead landscapes to be implemented
• how people get into landscape architecture

We will end with:

• what does great look like in relation to landscape architecture and the future of the natural environment look like to you and how do you want your presidency of the Landscape Institute to be remembered? 

Find out more about we can help you secure the relationship between the natural and built environments and ultimately increase the value of your site at https://www.wnic.co.uk/.

Follow us on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter 
• Facebook

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.

And for this, our first ever episode, we are setting the bar high with our guest. I have personally watched and admired the work of Jane Findlay from afar for many years, and I was delighted when I saw the announcement during the lockdown in June, that she had become President of the Landscape Institute. 

We’re going to be looking at, how we as professionals can actively promote green infrastructure and its importance to how we live, work and play and what steps the Landscape Institute are taking to inspire great places.

Introducing to you the President of the Landscape Institute, Director of Fira Landscape Architects and someone who truly has a passion for promoting the psychological and physical benefits that quality landscape design plays in our everyday lives... Jane Findlay

We will try to cover a wide topic base including 

• how Jane got into landscape architecture, 
• what the Landscape Institute is and their mantra of 'inspiring great places' really means
• the impact of Covid and peoples need for good quality and accessible green space
• why do we allow dead landscapes to be implemented
• how people get into landscape architecture

We will end with:

• what does great look like in relation to landscape architecture and the future of the natural environment look like to you and how do you want your presidency of the Landscape Institute to be remembered? 

Find out more about we can help you secure the relationship between the natural and built environments and ultimately increase the value of your site at https://www.wnic.co.uk/.

Follow us on social media:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter 
• Facebook

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.

Hello and welcome to 'Nature's Architects', you’re in the right place if you want to understand more about the interaction between the natural and built environments.

2020 was a strange year for many of us, and the start of 2021 looks pretty similar. It has resulted in so much change and many new challenges, with many of us working from home, home-schooling again and possibly reviewing what our personal and professional aspirations are. 

One thing that I’m sure all of us have in common is the increased awareness and appreciation for nature and the landscape, where we live, work and play.

• Do you think there's been a positive impact on what we expect from green space?
• Have you personally witnessed seasonal environmental changes, whether it be noticing the garden birds feeding and calling, hedgehogs roaming your garden, the scent of spring and summer flowers or the change in leaf colour on the trees in autumn?

Can this positivity now be applied through all sectors involved within the planning and development worlds, to combine great architectural design, with well planned, delivered and maintained green and blue infrastructure, which provides both quantifiable and unquantifiable benefits to the final users? 

We're going to chatting some really interesting industry experts from the housing developers, planning consultant, architects, landscape architects and environmental sector consultants, plus most importantly hearing from what the next generation think and want. 

So you’re in the right place if you want to understand more about how to create great place and space and what it requires from us to act as Nature's Architects.

Thank you for tuning in to Nature's Architects, where we bring together the threads of the natural and the man-made, exploring the natural environment in passionate and dynamic fashion to positively disrupt how it is viewed. If today’s conversation has planted a seed of curiosity or if there’s a specific environmental topic you’re burning to hear more about, we’re all ears. Reach out to us at hello@wnic.co.uk – your insights and questions are the soil from which our discussions grow.

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, download, and follow us on your preferred podcast platform. By doing so, you’re not just keeping the dialogue alive; you’re becoming an integral part of a community dedicated to designing a future in harmony with nature.

From all of us at Nature's Architects, thank you for listening, for engaging, and for being the change our planet needs. Until next time, keep building bridges between the natural and built environments.