1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Doncaster
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Rewetting Sandall Beat Wood
Short description of the intervention
This intervention aimed to address low water levels and low water quality in the Sandall Beat Wood and Cantley Park. The problems have been identified by the council and this project was planned to improve the water levels as well as the water quality. This also helped in improving the gross water flow of the regions and protected the wetland habitats. In addition to the above-mentioned benefits, the project successfully engaged local communities. (Ref 2).
Address

Sandall Beat Wood, Off Leger Way, Doncaster
Doncaster
DN2 5QB
United Kingdom

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
Area boundary
POINT (-1.081762 53.532798)
POINT (-1.075947 53.53183)
POINT (-1.068903 53.521039)
POINT (-1.080217 53.522313)
POINT (-1.084348 53.53083)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
Google maps. Available onhttps://www.google.com/maps/place/Sandall+Beat+Wood/@53.5294389,-1.0868806,1751m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x48790e4ddc4afd63:0x884a8a7f516fa9bb!8m2!3d53.5276026!4d-1.0786681. Accessed on 25th October, 2020.
Total area
700000.00m²
NBS area
700000.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Public Greenspace Area
Website of the intervention
http://naturvation.eu/sites/default/files/nbs/files/river_torn_catchment_partne…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2013
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2015
End date of the intervention
2016
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
The objectives of the project were to address urban diffuse pollution at Sandall Beat and Cantley Park by improving water flow and creating new wetland habitat to the benefit of water quality in Fores drain. The project also aimed to engage local communities, highlighting urban diffuse pollution issues and solutions, through a volunteer survey programme and an interpretation project delivered by local schools. (Ref 1)
Quantitative targets
Deliver 1ha of wetland habitat with macrophyte planting at Sandall Beat and Cantley Park; Deliver 150m river habitat restoration, including de-silting of ditches and installation of coir rolls with marginal planting, at Sandall Beat and Cantley Park; Deliver in channel improvements on Fore's Drain; Engage and train at least 10 volunteers; Engage at least one class from 1 school to produce an interpretation project (Ref 1).
Monitoring indicators defined
Hectares of woodland restoration; m of stream habitat improvements; m of pre-planted coir rolls; number of volunteers; time of volunteering in hours, number of schools engaged with.
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity restoration
Water management (SDG 6)
Flood protection
Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
Improvements to water quality
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental education
What types of restoration goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Ecosystem-focused
What activities are implemented to realize the restoration goals and targets?
Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
Public engagement
Implementation activities
A report commissioned by Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council in 2013 analysed water levels in the drains of Sandall Beat and Cantley Park. With the exception of the two main drainage channels,Mains Drain and Fore’s Drain, the report stated that none of the drains were found to have any water present at any time. This has an impact on the sites SSSI status. Water quality issues were also noted, with road and roof drainage discharged at the pumping station at the head of Fore’s Drain likely to be the cause. The report indicated that cross-connection of domestic waste water into roof
gulley’s could account for some of the water quality issues. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust subsequently co-funded a report in 2014/15 to identify potential measures that could be taken to address these issues at the site. The following measures have been taken. 1. Created wetland habitat with macrophyte planting, 2. De-silting of ditches and installation of coir rolls with marginal planting to improve the water flow and create high-quality habitat, 3. Execution of these activities in engagement with volunteers (Ref 1, 3).
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Blue infrastructure
In-land wetlands, peatlands, swamps, and moors
Parks and urban forests
Large urban parks or forests
Vegetation Type
Trees
Please specify how many trees were planted
Unknown
Amenities offered by the NBS
Educational and research amenities (nature protection centre, monitoring stations)
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Water (surface and ground water for drinking and non-drinking purposes)
Flood regulation
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Cultural services
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Please specify "other cultural service"
Educational purposes
Scale
Spatial scale
Meso-scale: Regional, metropolitan and urban level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Citizens or community groups
Young people and children
Governance
Governance arrangements
Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Private sector/Corporate/Business
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust was in charge of the planning and execution of this project, but it is mentioned that to allign goals with the Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council they were able to pull more funds (Ref 1). The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, key organisation in this project, is part of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts. The not-for-profit business (private sector) WREN partly funded the project (Ref 1).
Key actors - initiating organization
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Non-government organisation/civil society
Citizens or community group
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Dissemination of information and education
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
The restoration of the Sandall Beat Woodland is part of the "Doncaster Green Infrastructure Strategy" and this is the key focus of this project (Ref 2).
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Please specify other type of voluntary intervention
Voluntary habitat improvement
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The Doncaster Green Infrastructure Strategy mentions the restoration of wet woodland in Sandall Beat Wood (Ref 2).
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
City specific green space strategy or plan
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
No
Co-finance for NBS
Yes
Co-financing governance arrangements
No
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
No
Financing
Total cost
€10,000 - €50,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
£15,500 from the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts and the Doncaster City Council + £4000 from Wren Biodiversity Action Fund partner project (Ref 1).
Source(s) of funding
Public local authority budget
Corporate investment
Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Business models
Risk reduction model
Urban offsetting model (biodiversity or water)
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Public actor (e.g. municipality)
Private for-profit actor (e.g. firm, insurer)
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Type of innovation
Technological
Infrastructural innovation
Please specify technological innovation
Addition and improvement of green infrastructure by enhancing and creating a wetland habitat and improving the river flow by de-silting ditches. Sandall Beat Wood has been awarded the Green Flag Award, a national standards for parks and green spaces, and the Council's plan is to "continue with the successes of recent Green Flag awards in the Borough" (Ref 3). Green Infrastructure concepts are not mentioned, but this statement builds on similar concepts.
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is copied/derived from previous initiative(s) with substantial adaptation
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
The work builds on reports commissioned by the Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council in 2013 and by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust in 2014/2015. The latter identified potential measures that could be taken to address the water-level problems, which inspired this project (Ref 1, 4)
Replicability/Transferability
Ambiguous (e.g. multiple interpretations)
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
Council's plan is to "continue with the successes of recent Green Flag awards in the Borough" (Ref 3).
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Strengthened capacity to address climate hazards/natural disasters
Water management and blue areas
Improved water quality
Increased protection against flooding
Improved stormwater management
Enhanced protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
Reduced biodiversity loss
Description of environmental benefits
The project resulted in several benefits including:
1. Restoration of 2 hectares of SSSI wet woodland,
2. 150m of stream habitat improvements on Fore's drain,
3. 110m of pre-planted coir rolls to protect the shoreline,
4. Improved water quality,
5. Creation of ~718m3 of flood storage,
6. improvement of 2 ha of SSSI habitat and plantation of many trees. The overall impacts of the project were protection from floods and improvements of the biodiversity of the area by protecting the ecosystem of the wetland. (Ref 1)
Economic impacts
Unknown
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Description of social and cultural benefits
The project has enthused local members of the public in an urban SSSI, encouraged volunteering and a sense of ownership in the woodland at Sandall beat. 22 volunteers were engaged. Totalling 201 hours of volunteering time.
Additionally, the project engaged with 71 schools children from 3 classes.
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Improved water quality (not further specified); Creation of 718m3 of flood storage; 2 ha of SSSI habitat improved (Ref 1).
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Water management (SDG 6)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Voluntary work opportunities
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Unknown as of October, 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Focus groups
Measurements of biophysical aspects of the NBS (e.g. temperature, water flow)
Observation (including virtual surveillance methods)
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
Yes
Link to monitoring/evaluation reports
http://www.ywt.org.uk/sites/default/files/170324torneicpjm1.pdf
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown.
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Sandall Beat Environment Centre and Woods Facebook Page
Sandall Beat Community Environment Centre
Documents relevant to the intervention
Attachment Size
Ref 1: River Torne Catchment Partnership. (2016). Progressing our projects. (5.36 MB) 5.36 MB
Ref 2: Doncaster Council. (2014). Doncaster Green Infrastructure Strategy. (3.96 MB) 3.96 MB
Ref 3: Doncaster Council. (nd.). Green spaces, green places; Doncaster's greenspace strategy 2008-2011 (247.16 KB) 247.16 KB
Ref 4: ECUS (2015). Sandall Beat Wood SSSI and Cantley Park Hydrological Assessment and Design Study. Sheffield: Ecus Ltd. (4.38 MB) 4.38 MB
List of references
Ref 1: River Torne Catchment Partnership. (2016). Progressing our projects.
Ref 2: Doncaster Council. (2014). Doncaster Green Infrastructure Strategy.
Ref 3: Doncaster Council. (nd.). Green spaces, green places; Doncaster's greenspace strategy 2008-2011
Ref 4: ECUS (2015). Sandall Beat Wood SSSI and Cantley Park Hydrological Assessment and Design Study. Sheffield: Ecus Ltd.
Ref 5. Doncaster Council (2020) Sandall Beat Wood. Retrieved from https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/culture-leisure-tourism/sandall-beat-wood on 25th October, 2020.
Comments and notes
Public Images
Rewetting Sandall Beat Wood (2017)
Rewetting Sandall Beat Wood (2017)
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, retrieved 08/18/2018 from Jamie McEwan