Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Research Strategy 2027-2032 – consultation
Formed in 1972, the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI) represents the interests of
approximately 1800 member businesses and over 950 accredited members. Members include
landscape contractors, suppliers, garden designers, arboriculturists, training providers, students, and
other related professionals.
Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Research Strategy 2027-2032 – consultation
Summary
BALI welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture
Research Strategy 2027-2032. We have responded to questions 5, 7, and 11 of the consultation in
detail below but also briefly summarise our thoughts here.
Landscaping is integral to natural and built environments, closely tied to natural resources, and
dependant on environmental horticulture so highly relevant to the Strategy. Indeed, well designed,
built, and maintained landscapes could help deliver each of the five Missions, particularly:
- Delivering climate-positive and resilient landscapes
- Delivering sustainable and regenerative agriculture and food systems
- Restoring nature and protecting our environment
However, we believe there are opportunities for the Strategy to better address some of the key
knowledge gaps in landscaping. For instance, the inclusion of research aimed at widening uptake of
peat-free growing media, boosting the environmental horticulture sector, and increasing biodiversity
in gardens could all play a significant role in achieving the Missions above
We are also keen to underline the importance of co-production in research and the appetite of BALI
and its members to get involved, particularly using the Living Labs approach.
Responses
Question 5: Do you think the proposed Impact Framework is an appropriate way of defining,
monitoring, and evaluating the impact of research funded through this programme?
We broadly support the proposed Impact Framework and would like to underline the importance of
policy engagement and co-production. As the Framework says, evidence suggests that involving
stakeholders in research can lead to greater impacts – we would point to the likely benefit of early
and ongoing involvement too. And, given the potential role of landscaping in delivering several of the
Strategy’s Missions, we would urge researchers to reach out to BALI and its members for input,
where appropriate. We can bring practical and theoretical to relevant projects, gained from many
decades of landscaping experience, and help put research findings into practice.
Question 7: Do you agree that the key ARI questions are captured within the strategy?
We believe landscaping can play a major role in delivering many of the Strategy’s Missions and
Challenges but feel this is not fully recognised by the proposed ARI. Indeed, we believe BALI and its
members could be pivotal in delivering climate-positive and resilient landscapes, delivering
sustainable and regenerative agriculture and food systems, and restoring nature and protecting our
environment, as well as a lesser role in the other two Missions. Yet, these links and the associated
research needs are not always recognised in the ARI, for instance:
Delivering climate-positive and resilient landscapes: landscaping can help meet all of the
Challenges listed under this Mission, including protecting and restoring soils & peatland
through adopting peat-free growing mediums more quickly. Further research could help
accelerate the move away from peat by finding more effective alternative products and ways
of encouraging wider adoption.
Delivering sustainable and regenerative agriculture and food systems: landscaping is the
largest part of the wider environmental horticulture industry, producing the plants which
deliver multiple benefits in our private and public green spaces. As demonstrated by the
Horticulture Trades Association, environmental horticulture has great potential to deliver for
Scotland, and research could help support the further roll out of this highly sustainable
industry.
Restoring nature and protecting our environment: again, landscaping can help meet all of
the Challenges listed under this Mission, and we believe there is an excellent opportunity to
do so in Scotland’s gardens. A recent study in Germany found there was potential to
significantly increase biodiversity in most gardens and conducting a similar study in Scotland
could help unlock policy delivery in this space.qwe
Question 11: Is the Living Labs approach for co-production appropriate, and how could it be
enhanced or adapted?
The Living Labs approach to co-production is appropriate for this Strategy and we believe it is also
well-suited to researching landscaping solutions. As set out in response to question 5, BALI places a
lot of weight on policy engagement and co-production, which is embodied by the Living Labs
approach. In response to question 5, we also set out the potential role of landscaping in delivering
the Strategy’s Missions, as well as the ability of BALI and its members to co-produce research.
However, we note that the case study and examples of Living Labs in the Strategy all seem to be
focused on agriculture and, therefore, may not demonstrate the potential scope of the approach. We
suggest that at least one landscaping-focused Living Lab is established under the Strategy, as part of
a wider effort to better account for the role of the industry and wider environmental horticulture
sector to contribute towards the Missions.
