Brilliant news from the Isle of Wight Biosphere in the run-up to COP26 as Island businesses Arc and Artecology and their corporate partners LaSalle Investment Management were awarded the top accolade at the construction industry thinktank CIRIA’s BIG Biodiversity Awards last week.
The Sandown Bay-based team’s influence and impact was recognised along with clients and university partners throughout the virtual ceremony with a hat-trick of awards including Community Engagement and Habitat Creation, for rewilding urban retail centres and for bringing biodiversity to marine infrastructure.
Vennix: Many congratulations are truly in order
Dirk Vennix, Chief Executive, CIRIA said,
“We were delighted to see that our independent judging panel recognised the pioneering work undertaken by Arc Consulting and Artecology at our 7th BIG Biodiversity Challenge Awards. A triple award-winning feat is also very uncommon in our awards’ history so many congratulations are truly in order.
“The awards also reflect the consultancies’ ground-breaking achievements which have made a huge difference on a local, national and international stage.”
Wild Glades – Overall Winner, Community Engagement Award, Highly Commended for Habitat Creation, for LaSalle Investment Management
LaSalle and Arc’s Wild Glades project was recognised for its wide-angled approach to rewilding retail, combining strategic ecological and ESG advice with the delivery of real natural and social impact via green roofs, a pop-up natural history museum in a London shopping centre and an online biodiversity festival.
This work brought together a whole network of nature and arts experts, corporate partners and local residents, from the Biosphere, Bromley and beyond to win the Biodiversity Award for Community Engagement too.
Why it was chosen
Judges from across the industry chose Wild Glades over entries from Heathrow Airport, Siemens, Atkins and more, explaining that the revitalisation of an ‘industry standard green roof through ecological enhancement, the proximity to city shoppers (over 4 million a year) and the fantastic community engagement undertaken including school and borough council engagement has brought nature to people who may not have had this opportunity’.
Boyd: Demonstrating a major company can successfully move ‘beyond compliance’
Ian Boyd, Director at Arc, explains the purpose of the project,
“Wild Glades followed Arc’s original rewilding and social impact audit commissioned by LaSalle. Direct action for wildlife, enhancing the ecosystem of the shopping centre’s urban habitats and enriching the ecosystem of local organizations, companies and communities that surround and permeate the centre, have been LaSalle’s twin strategic objectives and are the basis of our own Shaping Better Places framework.
“Our collective aim has also been firstly, to demonstrate that a major company can successfully move ‘beyond compliance’ and into positive social and ecological impact in its approach to the environment it manages.
“Secondly, we wanted to demonstrate that imaginative work for wildlife and community can not only be integrated into effective asset management, but can become a significant advantage in a competitive business field, boosting ESG performance and opening new opportunities for investment. Huge congratulations to the Glades and LaSalle teams for this beacon of hope, and for taking this whole initiative forwards, onwards and upwards!”
Haynes: Helping Bromley become greener and more biodiverse
Mark Haynes, Centre Manager at The Glades explains,
“We’re honoured to be part of the winning collaboration between LaSalle, Arc and Artecology.
“The Wild Glades is close to our hearts because it represents so many things: our commitment to sustainability, our role in helping Bromley become greener and more biodiverse, and our long-term goal to be carbon neutral by 2030.
“These are deep commitments for The Glades, so it means a great deal to have our efforts recognised by the BIG Biodiversity Challenge.”
Building Living Seawalls
Artecology’s eco-engineers and researchers at Bournemouth University’s teamwork on an international research project MARINEFF was rewarded with the Biodiversity Award for Habitat Creation (Small Scale), with Jess Bone, researcher at Bournemouth University receiving the award on behalf of the collaboration.
MARINEFF is a cross-Channel collaboration between industry-based and academic partners which explores habitat creation on manmade coastal structures. One of the project’s workstreams grew out of Artecology’s innovation, cement-cast artificial rockpools, now known as Vertipools™, and the team are delighted to see this very Biosphere-born project receive industry recognition.
George: Absolutely brilliant to share this environmental award
Nigel George, Director at Artecology said,
“It’s absolutely brilliant to share this environmental award with our academic partners at Bournemouth University Marine Sciences. Us folks at Arc and Artecology are delighted our Island innovation – artificial rockpools or VertipoolsTM – have inspired and are playing such an important part in this multi-faceted international research project.
“Huge congratulations to Dr Roger Herbert and Jess Bone from Bournemouth Uni, ‘Best BIG Biodiversity Award for Small Scale Habitat’ is a superb win!”
Sustainable futures for people and for wildlife
Bringing nature, community and place together to shape better sustainable futures for people and for wildlife is now top of the global agenda at long last. Often however, the meaningful, practical knowhow and application to make change both strategically AND on the ground is missing.
The core, inimitable expertise recognised by the CIRIA Awards this year demonstrates the importance of the Isle of Wight’s wildlife, arts and creative community, making it essential that we continue to support and export this impact, influence and delivery.
News shared By Claire on behalf of Arc Consulting. Ed
