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We're pleased to bring you the Biodiversity Challenge Awards 2025 winners!

Overall winner

Sponsored by:

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Network for Nature

Network for Nature

National Highways and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts

Judges' comments:
This year's category winners showcased strongly against all aspects of the judging criteria, but the scale and the scope of this particular project, the varying landscapes restored, the sheer number of organisations and volunteers engaged, and strategic significance make this a worthy overall winner.

1. Placemaking for Nature Award: Single Building 
No entries

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2. Placemaking for Nature Award: Multi-property 

Sponsored by:

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Kingsbrook

Kingsbrook

Barratt Redrow

Judges' comments:
Judges commented that this is an exemplar case study showing best practice that could and should be shared with other developers. The synergies between a wide range of organisations and sharing of best practice with residents was something that really elevated this project from the others.

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 3. Placemaking for Nature Award: Mixed Land Use and Ownership

Sponsored by:

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Mansfield Sustainable Flood Resilience Scheme

Mansfield Sustainable Flood Resilience Scheme

Severn Trent and Partners

Judges' comments:
Judges praised this nationally significant project which has delivered large scale reductions in water volumes entering the sewer system, boosted biodiversity throughout the town, and created social value and exemplified innovation.

Highly commended

Green Health Walk

Green Health Walk

Sow the City CIC, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH)

Judges' comments:
Judges commended the focus on health and well-being benefits of biodiversity interventions, an important and often undervalued benefit of nature restoration.

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4. Biodiversity Feature Award: Nature Recovery
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Urban Green Shoots - Cornwall

Urban Green Shoots - Cornwall

Cormac

Judges' comments:
This project has done a fantastic job at transforming underutlised grassland into a biodiversity rich, accessible space, providing connection to nature for surrounding communities with limited local access.

Highly commended

Lower Chew Forest

Lower Chew Forest

Avon Needs Trees

Judges' comments:
While supporting the development of a new large woodland, judges were particularly impressed with the collaborative efforts and community and volunteer engagement throughout this project.

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5. Biodiversity Feature Award: Coastal Eco-engineering

Sponsored by:

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Lower Otter Restoration Project

Lower Otter Restoration Project

Kier, Environment Agency, Clinton Devon Estates, Jacobs

Judges' comments:
Judges were impressed with how the scheme worked with nature rather than trying to control it. This is an ambitious project with a wide range of monitoring measures that are now being used to verify and justify this nature-based approach.

Highly commended

Avonmouth Severnside Strategic Enterprise Area ecology mitigation and flood defence project

Avonmouth Severnside Strategic Enterprise Area ecology mitigation and flood defence project

BAM-Mott Macdonald Joint Venture on behalf of client partnership

Judges' comments:
Judges were impressed with the planning and execution of this flood defence scheme that delivered for nature while protecting communities.

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6. Biodiversity Feature Award: Infrastructure Networks 

Sponsored by: 

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Network for Nature

Network for Nature

National Highways and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts

Judges' comments:
Judges stated that this project should inspire and encourage other organisations with wide landownership to take action to protect, restore and enhance habitats at a landscape scale. The project reflects a proactive approach, with a clear decision pathway on their design and review process, moving from concept development to delivery at scale, providing extensive multi-benefits for nature and people.

Highly commended

Heathrow Biodiversity Sites

Heathrow Biodiversity Sites

Heathrow

Judges' comments:
Judges were impressed with the well conceptualised and planned delivery of biodiversity interventions across a wide estate.

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7. Biodiversity Feature Award: Water Management

Sponsored by:

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Upstream Thinking

Upstream Thinking

South West Water, Cornwall and Devon Wildlife Trusts, Westcountry Rivers Trust, and other Partners

Judges' comments:
The judges praised the scale of restoration and resilience that has been enabled through this project. Ongoing monitoring and maintenance, secured through close collaboration with landowners ensures this project leaves a clear legacy.

Highly commended

Conningbrook Wetland

Conningbrook Wetland

Redrow, Quinn Estate, Natural England, Water Environment Ltd, Water Design Engineers Ltd, Aspect Ecology

Judges' comments:
The Judges recognised this as a technically excellent intervention. It provides nutrient neutrality and biodiversity benefits, transforming a previously intensively farmed field into a functioning aquatic habitat.

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8. Innovation for Nature Award
 
Sponsored by:

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The Round

The Round

Hines and Lipton Rogers

Judges' comments:
The judges were impressed by this project, specially by the opportunity to replicate it around the world, reclaiming space for nature in even the most urbanised and unlikely areas.

Highly commended

Indicator of Blue-Green Infrastructure in Warsaw Green Building Stanard Award

Indicator of Blue-Green Infrastructure in Warsaw Green Building Stanard Award

City of Warsaw, Air Protection and Climate Policy Department

Judges' comments:
Judges found the project to be a tangible, measurable and unique approach to addressing the challenge of biodiversity being undervalued in cities.

Stronger Shores

Stronger Shores

South Tyneside Council, Environment Agency, Newcastle University, North Sea Wildlife Trusts, Tees Rivers Trust, University of Plymouth, and The Wild Oysters Project

Judges' comments:
Judges were encouraged by this project that will provide a mechanism for incorporating nature-based solutions in future coastline management strategies through a transformative natural capital and ecosystem services framework.

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9. Biodiversity Champion Award: Early Career Professional
(Up to 5 years in biodiversity-related work)

Finley Wisdom

Finley Wisdom

Trustgreen

Judges' comments:
Judges were impressed with this person's clear passion for biodiversity. They demonstrate a high level of professional competency and an impressive delivery of CPD training, as well as championing biodiversity initiatives throughout their organisation.

Highly commended

Kelly Strange

Kelly Strange

Cormac

Judges' comments:
Judges praised this person's commitment to volunteering and action to educate and engage younger generations with the outdoors, to help instill environmental stewardship as they grow.

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10. Biodiversity Champion Award: Established Professional
(Over 5 years in biodiversity-related work)

Helen Nyul

Helen Nyul

Barratt Redrow

Judges' comments:
A very impressive leader with great knowledge and passion that has delivered real meaningful change in their sector. Beyond pushing for greater biodiversity benefits within their own organisation's operations, they contributed to design guides and specialist products, supporting the implementation of biodiversity and habitat interventions across the industry.

Highly commended

Dr Larissa Naylor

Dr Larissa Naylor

University of Glasgow

Judges' comments:
Judges wanted to recognise their outstanding achievements and contributions to research, and delivery of work to protect and restore marine environments.

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