CASE STUDIES
Case Studies are central to the work of the Task Force. They provide the primary means for examining the current role of social science within nature recovery policy; for identifying examples of best practice; and for exploring opportunities, with policy colleagues, for greater social science integration and impact going forward.
Case studies currently underway:
1. Mapping social science within a range of environment policy and practice organisations: past and present
(Leads: Carol Morris & Nick Kirsop-Taylor)
This case study explores where and how social science expertise is currently deployed within a range of UK environment policy and practice (EPP) organisations involved in nature recovery, and investigates the barriers and opportunities for greater integration. It also undertakes a historical deep dive into the role of social science within Natural England, tracing how its use has evolved over time. Through interviews with current and former staff, collaborators, and researchers, the study aims to capture institutional memory, inform future organisational change, and support wider efforts to embed social science in nature recovery work. The findings will provide a valuable foundation for understanding how EPP organisations can strengthen their capacity to address complex socio-ecological challenges.
2. Office of Environmental Protection Evaluation of Local Nature Recovery Strategies
(Leads: Michael Winter & Steve Guilbert)
This case study focuses on the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) as a pivotal governance actor within the UK’s nature recovery agenda. While other Task Force case studies, such as the Species Reintroduction Taskforce, emphasize the operationalisation and delivery of nature recovery policies, this study shifts the lens to the governance and oversight mechanisms that underpin effective implementation. The OEP’s statutory role to monitor, review, and enforce environmental laws provides a critical site to examine how social science expertise is mobilised, brokered, and at times constrained within environmental governance structures. Using Local Nature Recovery Strategies as a concrete policy example, this study will explore the OEP’s capacity to deploy social science knowledge, the ways it brokers expertise between government bodies, consultants, and responsible authorities, and the institutional limits shaping this process. By identifying barriers and opportunities for strengthening social science integration, the case study aims to enhance understanding of how social sciences can better support environmental accountability. In doing so, it complements existing Task Force work by illuminating the governance dynamics that both enable and restrict nature recovery efforts across the interface of policy, practice, and scientific knowledge.
3. How are social sciences being deployed in the England Species Reintroduction Taskforce and to what end? With recommendations for further integration
(Leads: Beth Brockett, Isabelle Cardinal & James Hoggett)
This case study examines how social science expertise has been integrated into the England Species Reintroduction Taskforce (ESRT) from its inception, exploring the impacts this has had and identifying opportunities for further use. Through interviews with ESRT members and a dedicated workshop, the study highlights how social sciences are supporting species reintroduction efforts and the benefits of this interdisciplinary approach. By showcasing an example of good practice, it aims to inform other initiatives and provide practical recommendations for deepening the role of social science in delivering effective and inclusive nature recovery.
4. Nature Futures Framework
(Lead: Gary Kass)
This case study explores the role of social science in the development and application of the Nature Futures Framework (NFF), an IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) initiative designed to help shape positive, pluralistic visions for human–nature relationships. Although the NFF has not yet been formally embedded in decision-making, Natural England are in the process of piloting its use, providing a unique opportunity to study how social science can support its operationalisation. Through ongoing engagement with the pilot and analysis of emerging literature, this case study aims to generate insights that can inform the effective integration of the NFF into policy and practice, while also demonstrating how social sciences can enhance strategic approaches to nature recovery.
5. Adding Qualitative Insights to Quantitative Measures on Behaviours
(Lead: Clive Mitchell)
This case study explores how qualitative social science methods can complement existing quantitative approaches to better understand the public’s relationship with nature, particularly in the context of pro-biodiversity behaviours in Scotland. Grounded in the ambitions of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and informed by recent research on system-wide change, it reviews and evaluates a range of in-depth qualitative techniques – such as photo elicitation interviews, participant diaries, and longitudinal cohort studies – that can offer richer insights into how people think, feel, and act in relation to biodiversity. By identifying suitable methods and illustrating their use, the study aims to inform future nature restoration interventions and support policy development under Scotland’s Natural Environment Bill, while contributing to the wider integration of social science in biodiversity strategies at national and global levels.
In addition to these case studies, there are two other strands of work:
1. Policy Mapping of Social Science Expertise for Nature Recovery
(Lead: Carol Morris)
2. Panel Survey of Biodiversity Recovery Stakeholders
(Leads: Birgitta Gatersleben & Alice Moseley)
