Abstract
This research is a case study of the Marine Pioneer, a UK government pilot run by the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs and associated with the cross-department 25-Year Environment Plan to restore nature. The Marine Pioneer was located at two sites in North Devon and Suffolk. The purpose of the research is to investigate the effects of testing local-scale governance alongside the experimental implementation of the Natural Capital Approach in the Marine Pioneer. To explore the intersection between local governance and the use of the Natural Capital Approach the following questions are considered:
1. Are the participants of the Marine Pioneer achieving co-management? If so, how?
2. How was the Natural Capital Approach tested in the Marine Pioneer?
3. What are participants’ perceptions of the use of the Natural Capital Approach in the Pioneer?
The research uses several qualitative methods including interviews, participant observation and Participatory System Mapping. Research participants represent multiple scales and sectors and include national decision-makers (Group 1), Marine Pioneer steering group members (Group 2) and local conservation group members (Group 3). The research findings reveal that UK marine governance displays a hierarchical structure with multiple political constraints which inhibit experimentation and adaptive management. Groups 2 and 3 worked in collaboration to undertake set asks but beyond this they also engaged in double-loop feedback learning to consider the assumptions and constraints in UK marine governance and to identify ways to increase adaptability and resilience. This thesis provides a novel contribution to the field of natural resource management, with precise application to the use of the Natural Capital Approach at a local scale and the importance of supporting local governance, knowledge and values. In addition to academic application the research is policy relevant, with recommendations for future use of local decision-making, the Natural Capital Approach and pilots.