creating environmental improvements through biodiversity

2 APPROACH TO REVIEW &
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) research
ALSF projects relevant to biodiversity have been mostly administered by the Mineral Industry Research
Organisation (MIRO) (through MIST - the Mineral Industry Sustainable Technology programme, or with CLG
- Communities and Local Government) and by English Nature (now Natural England); with a small number
of relevant projects managed by local authorities and English Heritage. The type of projects administered by
the different bodies varies enormously, as does provision of information about the projects they fund. Table 1
shows the ALSF funded research reviewed and provides the project codes and reference used with the text of
this report.
Projects funded by MIRO are usually research focused and produce reports which are made available for
download through the two MIRO ALSF websites (www.mi-st.org.uk and www.dclgaggregatefund.co.uk).
Projects funded by English Nature, and now Natural England, are often more practical in nature, such as
building hides or boardwalks, and therefore rarely yield final reports. Where English Nature/ Natural England
funded projects have yielded reports with a research element, they have been considered as part of this
review. However, information about such projects is harder to obtain. A table summarising reviewed papers
can be found in Annex 1.
Sustainable Aggregates Creating Environmental Improvements through Biodiversity
The dissemination of each project reviewed was also investigated, where possible by contacting project staff
or report authors, and enquiring how the report was disseminated and its findings promoted. Combining
information on dissemination with an assessment of the potential and actual impact of a report gives an
indication of the influence of individual projects. This also allows opportunities to be identified for different or
wider promotion.
MIST Programme
All projects at www.mi-st.org.uk were checked for relevance, and those with a biodiversity or ecological
element were reviewed. Each report reviewed is summarised in Annex 2, and findings have been incorporated
into the body of this report.
Sustainable Land-Won and Marine Dredged Aggregate Minerals Programme
All projects at www.dclgaggregatefund.co.uk were checked for relevance, and those with a biodiversity or
ecological element were reviewed. Each report reviewed is summarised in Annex 2, and findings have been
incorporated into the body of this report.
English Nature/Natural England and Local Authority funded projects
Projects administered by Natural England (English Nature) and Local Authorities are included in the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)’s project database at www.alsf.defra.gov.uk. A
brief description of each project and the name and organisation of the applicant are provided for each project.
The database was searched using relevant keywords such as ‘biodiversity’ and ‘wildlife’ to yield projects of
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