Call 3 Funded Projects
Five projects were selected to undertake knowledge exchange activities to accelerate and amplify the impact of research from the Future of UK Treescapes programme. They each received up to £85,000 in funding from UK Research and Innovation. The projects were selected to engage with UK Treescapes research projects and ensure that the research reaches as many different audiences as possible.
Branching Beyond (£82k)
The project aims to extend the impact of the Branching Out initiative by enhancing the understanding of social and cultural values associated with urban treescapes. It is developing practical tools and methods for local authorities and community groups to integrate these values into decision-making regarding tree management and expansion.
Contact: Jasper Kenter, Aberystwyth University
Digital Voices of the Future (£82k)
Rooted in the research insights of Voices of the Future, this project extends beyond conventional paradigms. It seeks to amplify the voices of children, forging a novel pathway where their visions, narratives and aspirations intertwine with scientific knowledge to craft immersive gaming environments.
Contact: Simon Carr, University of Cumbria
Future Treescapes in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (£76k)
Driven by academics and NGO officers, this project aims to connect research discoveries with practical applications in the Chilterns’ woodland landscape. By uniting researchers with NGOs, conservationists and local land managers, the project intends to explore and apply treescapes research in collaboration with stakeholders.
Contact: Dr Paddy Bullard, University of Reading
Improving public engagement for maximised benefits of forest and woodland expansion and creation (£80k)
This project bridges the gap between researchers, practitioners, policymakers and local communities. It aims to share knowledge on maximizing the benefits and minimizing the challenges of forest and woodland expansion.
Contact: Sarah Greenwood, University of Stirling
The Tree of Knowledge (£85k)
This project brings together expertise from DiversiTree, newLEAF, and MEMBRA, to explain why diverse forests are more resilient. It aims to clarify the importance of both visible (species diversity) and invisible (genetic diversity and epigenetics) aspects of forest resilience for people who manage forests.
Contact: Dr Ruth Mitchell, The James Hutton Institute
Enhancing the impact of Future of UK Treescapes research
Please note that this call ended in May 2023 all details here are a historical record for information purposes only.
NERC is now accepting applications for funding to undertake knowledge exchange activities to accelerate and amplify the impact of research from the Future of UK Treescapes programme.
Applicants from a range of disciplines, including environmental science, economics, social science, art and humanities are invited to apply for funding towards projects that will build on or complement the current knowledge exchange activities of the programme. The projects are encouraged to engage and partner with at least one of the projects already funded within the programme. Applicants do not need to have previously received programme funding.
The funding is supported by NERC, AHRC and ESRC. Applicants may apply for projects that cost up to £100,000, and successful projects will be funded 80% of the total cost. Projects can run for up to 12 months and must start by 1st November 2023.
Read the full funding call here
Key dates
Opening date 12:00, 23 Feb 2023
Closing date 16:00, 25 May 2023
Assessment panel Mid-July 2023
Awards announced August 2023
Latest grant start 1 November 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQs will be updated soon for Call 3. If you have specific questions not answered here or you would like to seek further clarification, please contact the UK Treescapes programme team at uktreescapes@nerc.ukri.org
Q1: Was it essential that research proposals span the remits of all three research councils?
All proposals must cross the remits of at least two of the three funding research councils (NERC, AHRC and ESRC) and show clear evidence of interdisciplinarity. Any that do not will be out of scope and will be rejected.
Q2: Will each proposal be assessed by people from the each of the three research councils to ensure that they are multi-disciplinary?
Where possible, each application will be assessed by panel members with relevant expertise to the proposal. Panel members will be drawn from research areas represented by the relevant research councils, in order to ensure that all elements are properly assessed.
Q3: To what extent are stakeholders expected to be involved in the development of proposals?
Engagement with wider stakeholders and potential end-users is a critical requirement of all Call Two applications. Proposals must demonstrate that at least one stakeholder has been involved in the development and design of the research and will be involved in its subsequent execution. We further expect applicants to have considered the different routes to impact of their work as part of their Case for Support.
Q4: Is it necessary to involve Forest Research (FR) in all proposals, either as co-investigators or sub-contractors in proposals submitted to the current funding opportunity (call 2)?
No. Note FR is now eligible for UKRI funding and can be involved with Call Two projects as Principal Investigators or Co-Investigators but their involvement is not a requirement of the call. FR costings should be included in the Je-S form in the usual way.
Q5: Do all projects in Call Two need to have a UK-wide focus?
Individual projects do not necessarily need to have a UK-wide focus. However, our aim is to build on Call One to establish a portfolio of projects that have applications within the UK. The funders reserve the right to use the recommendations from the assessment panel to create a balanced portfolio of research projects.
Q6: Is it possible to allocate resources to private companies to cover any costs they may incur as project partners?
Businesses can participate as ‘Project Partners’. The Principal Investigator can request minor directly incurred costs for Project Partners to facilitate collaboration, such as travel and subsistence. However, Project Partners are expected to provide specific contributions (in-cash or in-kind) to the project.
Businesses can also participate as a sub-contractor to carry out aspects of the proposed work, e.g. if there is a lack of expertise in eligible institutions. They will be deemed to be providing a service rather than collaborating in the research as partners. An organisation cannot be listed as both a Project Partner and a sub-contractor. Detailed guidance on Project Partners and sub-contracting can be found in section C of the NERC research grants handbook. It is recommended that applicants read section J on exploitation and intellectual property.
Q7: Can community-based organisations be involved as project partners and receive funding?
Yes, community-based organisations can be involved as project partners and receive funding. Community organisations can receive funding at 100% of direct costs, rather than the usual 80% full economic cost. Please refer to the announcement of opportunity for details on stakeholders or non-academic partners involvement and costs.
Q8: How can artists and arts-based researchers be involved in project proposals?
Artists and arts-based researchers may be involved in projects in a variety of roles, including in the case of arts-based researchers, as PIs. We would expect to see a clear definition of these different roles, however. Hence, while it is possible to include professional artists in proposals, their role will be different to that of arts researchers (i.e. trained researchers whose methods are in creative/practice-based research). Proposals need to ensure that the research element of the projects span the remits of at least two of the research council’s remits.
Q9: Will proposals involving investigators from the same institution be penalised?
No, provided that interdisciplinarity can be fully demonstrated in the proposal.