Could the future of water be grown not built?
Nature-Based Innovation in Water Futures – Event Agenda
9.30am – Registration
Arrival, registration, and a chance to connect before the sessions begin.
10.00am – Opening Remarks
What is today’s overarching theme?
Can we cultivate sustainable water futures through nature, rather than traditional infrastructure?
10.15am – Nature-Based Solutions – What’s Really New?
How do we move beyond “greenwashing” to genuine innovation in nature-based solutions (NBS)?
What makes today’s NBS approaches truly new?
Why do trials matter, and where are the gaps in measurement and evaluation?
10.45am – End-of-Pipe Innovation – Clarity and Certainty
What are the latest developments in end-of-pipe technologies and biological treatment solutions?
How can we quantify their impact — for example, on nitrogen and phosphorus levels?
11.15am – Integrating Nature into the Pipe
Where and how can NBS complement end-of-pipe approaches?
What role do wetlands, SuDS, river rewilding, and urban greening play in this integration?
11.45am – Break
12.00pm – Lessons from Wales – Scaling Nature-Led Approaches
What lessons can be learned from recent developments in Wales?
How can we blend catchment-based thinking with infrastructure delivery?
12.30pm – Metrics That Matter – What Do We Measure for the Future?
What indicators best reflect carbon reduction, nutrient removal, climate resilience, and biodiversity gains?
Should we focus on whole-system health or localised outputs?
How do we align our metrics with long-term environmental outcomes?
1.00pm – Lunch
1.45pm – Biodiversity Net Gain – A Chance to Grow the Future?
What is the current regulatory backdrop for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)?
How can BNG be used to fund and shape water outcomes in practice?
2.15pm – From Pipes to Plants – The Mansfield Project
What does a catchment-scale rethinking look like in action?
How does the Mansfield Project use rewilding to deliver flood resilience and community benefits?
2.45pm – NBS Integration vs End-of-Pipe Innovation (Debate)
In an urbanised, impermeable world, can nature really scale?
What are the trade-offs between these approaches?
What do timelines and current evidence tell us about efficacy?
3.30pm – Reflections: So, Could the Future Be Grown? (Closing Session)
A reflective close to the day – pulling together key insights, provocations, and next steps.
3.45pm – End of Day