Research Workstreams
The project is organised across five interconnected research workstreams spanning operational and decision-making approaches to biodiversity restoration, governance, and impact measurement.
The project is led by primary co-lead Professor Carolyn Hogg (University of Sydney) who oversees workstream design and delivery, leads engagement with external partners, and develops the funding strategy to support the project’s scale and ambition. Together with co-lead Professor Jill Robbie (University of Glasgow), she coordinates project-wide resourcing and implementation across pilot sites, while also supporting opportunities for academic publication and evidence generation.
The project’s interdisciplinary approach is further strengthened through cross-workstream collaboration facilitated by Professor Maria Santos (University of Zurich).
Restoration and Ecology
This workstream applies the State of Nature metrics to real-world restoration and conservation protection projects to assess feasibility, effectiveness, and scalability.
The research aims to develop a globally adaptable toolkit capable of supporting biodiversity recovery while informing investment and policy decisions, particularly in regions with limited resources.
Workstream leads:
- Professor Jacqueline Beggs, University of Auckland
- Professor Chris Elphick, University of Connecticut
- Dr Catherine Price, The University of Sydney
Stewards of the Land
This workstream works directly with landholders, Indigenous groups, and community-led initiatives to examine practical implementation, costs, data burdens, and incentives, with a focus on ensuring smaller or locally led projects are not excluded from emerging nature-positive markets.
Workstream leads:
- Professor Bruce Burns, University of Auckland
- Professor Eleanor Bruce, University of Sydney
Finance
This workstream explores how the State of Nature metrics can support better decision-making across finance, business, policy, and investment sectors, helping to build stronger evidence for why investing in nature matters.
The ultimate goal is to encourage greater investment in nature from both public and private sectors by demonstrating the measurable environmental, social, and economic value of restoration initiatives.
Alongside biodiversity gains, the project also explores the wider co-benefits restoration can generate for communities, including job creation, improved health and wellbeing, strengthened livelihoods, and poverty reduction.
Workstream leads:
- Professor John Finch, University of Glasgow
- Associate Professor Rodrigo Arriagada, UC Chile
Legal
This theme identifies legal barriers and opportunities to support restoration efforts, proposing model governance frameworks that align with ecological and social goals.
Success will mean restoration projects are legally supported, inclusive, and capable of delivering measurable ecological and social benefits across diverse legal contexts.
Workstream leads:
- Professor Jill Robbie, University of Glasgow
- Dr Britta Sjöstedt, Lund University
Socio-political and socio-economic
Restoration initiatives must deliver meaningful benefits for communities as well as ecosystems.
This theme evaluates social return on investment, including health outcomes, livelihood strengthening, poverty alleviation, and community wellbeing. It also explores trade-offs, compensation mechanisms, and approaches that support fairness and inclusivity.
Workstream leads
- Professor Nicholas Ngepah, University of Johannesburg
- Associate Professor Maria Armoudian, University of Auckland