NH Strategic Study Survey

The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) has been awarded a contract to deliver a strategic study for National Highways. This study will be delivered through a partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT – acting secretariat to Rebuilding Nature) to inform Nature Investment Zones, the foundational building blocks of the Strategic Nature Network.

The vision for a Strategic Nature Network stems from the need for a nationally coordinated approach to ecological defragmentation one that operationalises the Lawton Principles of more, bigger, better, and more joined-up nature at scale.

The Strategic Nature Network will draw on and amplify existing work being delivered through the Environment Act 2021 (e.g., Local Nature Recovery Strategies in England), and emerging Land Use frameworks.

It will provide a framework through which the UK’s most important ecological landscapes can be recognised and managed as critical natural infrastructure. By identifying and connecting priority areas for nature protection and restoration at a national scale, the Strategic Nature Network enables landscapes to function as integrated systems that deliver essential ecosystem services such as flood mitigation, water security, climate resilience, and biodiversity recovery.

For businesses and infrastructure owners, a functioning Strategic Nature Network means greater asset resilience, reduced long-term risk, enhanced economic and national security, and a clear opportunity to future-proof prosperity by investing in nature as critical infrastructure.

Nature Investment Zones will be foundational building blocks of the Strategic Nature Network, with each zone serving as localised hubs for investment, governance, and delivery. By bringing together investors, landowners, communities and nature to create large-scale impact.

Whilst Rebuilding Nature is developing a Strategic Nature Network across the UK, the scope and goal of this survey is to draw on specialist expertise across legal, financial, ecological, spatial, and policy domains to inform the development of the Strategic Nature Network in England, and to create a blueprint for Nature Investment Zones by gathering examples of good practice and setting out scopes for emerging Nature Investment Zones to begin their development planning.

Our approach is collaborative to support the ethos of making sense of wide-ranging initiatives, approaches and delivery to convene collective and coordinated cross-boundary delivery.

Submission deadline: 10th April 2026

Find out more about the vision for a Strategic Nature Network here: https://www.rebuildingnature.com/strategic-nature-network/

Register your potential Nature Investment Zone here: https://www.rebuildingnature.com/registering-a-natural-investment-zone/
Section 1: About you
Name*

First NameLast Name
Email*
example@example.com
Company or initiative*
Role*
Please provide detail of the role your company or initiative currently play – this information will contribute to the Rebuilding Nature market stakeholder map.
Role / area of expertise (select all that apply)*

Infrastructure owner/operatorBiodiversity unit providerLandowner/land managerEnvironmental NGOInvestor/asset managerCorporate buyer of nature servicesNature finance specialistLegal/governance expertPolicy/regulatory specialistSpatial/ecological analysisMonitoring/MRV/data providerConsultancy/advisoryOther (please specify below)
Other
Section 2: Strategic Nature Network
1. How important do you believe a nationally coordinated Strategic Nature Network, which recognises nature as critical natural infrastructure, will be for achieving nature recovery at scale in the UK?*

ImportantModerately importantNot importantUnsure
Please provide more details here:
2. In your view, what are the most important benefits of a Strategic Nature Network?*

Strategic vision to engage and inspireRecognised Critical Natural InfrastructureEcological connectivityMeasurable biodiversity upliftClimate resilienceFlood and water managementCarbon sequestration and storageUK adaptation and resilienceInfrastructure resilienceInvestment coordinationPolicy alignment/influenceLand use decision makingLandowner engagementEconomic opportunityOther (please specify below)
Other
3. What do you see as the main risks or challenges in developing a Strategic Nature Network?*
4. What publicly available sources of information should inform the Strategic Nature Network? (e.g. ecological connectivity models, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, Landscape Recovery Project Areas, etc)
Section 3: Nature Investment Zones

Nature Investment Zones are proposed as ecosystem-scale delivery areas that bring together investment, governance and landscape restoration.
4. Which of the following do you believe are the most important characteristics of a successful Nature Investment Zone?*

Ecosystem-scale landscape (10,000+ hectares)Strong ecological connectivity potentialNatural process driven management for ecosystem functionalityClear governance structureMultiple landowners participatingBlended public/private financeLegal structure for opportunity lead financingInfrastructure or corporate demandLong-term stewardship arrangementsEstablished delivery organisationsCommunity supportOther (please specify below)
Other
5. What do you see as the greatest barriers to establishing Nature Investment Zones?*

Fragmented land ownershipPolicy and regulatory barriersLack of investible project scaleLegal complexityUncertain revenue streamsEcological data gapsInvestor confidenceGovernance complexityOther (please specify below)
Other
Section 4: Delivery and Governance
6. What governance model(s) do you believe would best support Nature Investment Zones?*

NGO-led partnershipPublic-private partnershipSpecial purpose vehicleJoint ventureLandowner cooperativeLocal authority/public body ledHybrid modelOther (please specify below)
Other
7. Which stakeholders should play the role of Regional Co-Ordinator for Nature Investment Zones?*

LandownersEnvironmental NGOsInfrastructure ownersInvestorsLocal authoritiesNational governmentStatutory AgenciesCommunitiesIndependent oversight bodyOther (please specify below)
Other
Section 5: Investment and Finance
8. Which funding or investment mechanisms do you believe could support Nature Investment Zones?*

Biodiversity Net Gain marketsVoluntary carbon marketsCompliance water marketsVoluntary biodiversity marketsA rapidly evolved nature market product offerCorporate nature commitmentsInfrastructure resilience investmentPublic grant fundingA more explicit public funding allocation for critical natural infrastructureBlended financePhilanthropyGreen bonds/institutional capitalOther (please specify below)
Other
9. What are the legal considerations or structural pathways you believe could support Nature Investment Zones?*
10. What would make a Nature Investment Zone credible or investable from your perspective?*
Section 6: Policy and Regulatory Context
11. What policy or regulations currently support large-scale investment in nature?*
11. What policy or regulatory barriers currently limit large-scale investment in nature?*
12. What policy changes would most help enable Nature Investment Zones?*

Mandatory standardsProject approval mechanism and spatial targetingRecognition and registration of methodologies and metricsCentralised registryOversight bodyMonitoring and verification reporting to Government or oversight bodyIndependent verificationOther (please specify below)
Other
Section 7: Spatial and Ecological Logic
13. What factors should be prioritised when identifying potential Nature Investment Zones?*

Habitat connectivity potentialExisting restoration initiativesBiodiversity unit demandClimate risk areasInfrastructure risk exposureLandowner readinessLandscape scale opportunitiesOther (please specify below)
Other
Section 8: Future Opportunities
14. Where do you see the strongest opportunities to pilot Nature Investment Zones in the next 2–5 years?*
15. What would undermine confidence in the NIZ model if not addressed early?*
Section 9: Case Studies and Contributions
16. Are you aware of any projects, research, initiatives or landscapes that could serve as case studies for potential Nature Investment Zones?*
17. Would you be willing to participate in follow-up interviews or workshops?*

YesNo
Permissions*

I consent to my responses being used to inform the Strategic Study for National Highways.I give permission for my organisation to be referenced in case studies or engagement summaries.I give permission for my information to appear on a public stakeholder map rebuilding nature is developing
Please provide any partner logos, images or other assets that you are able to provide permission for publication in Rebuilding Nature materials.

LogosProject imagesReports or case studies
File Upload

Cancelof
Strategic Study Survey

Submission deadline: 10th April 2026
Should be Empty:

Section 1: About you

Section 2: Strategic Nature Network

Section 3: Nature Investment Zones

Section 4: Delivery and Governance

Section 5: Investment and Finance

Section 6: Policy and Regulatory Context

Section 7: Spatial and Ecological Logic

Section 8: Future Opportunities

Section 9: Case Studies and Contributions

Strategic Study Survey