Our Vision and Strategy
The Welsh Policy Group/Grŵp Polisi Cymru (WPG) finalised a Vision and Strategy in March 2022 to guide our work for 2022-2025. If there are activities listed here that you would like to get involved with or collaborate on please get in touch with rebecca@britishecologicalsociety.org
Vision
Ensuring policy and management in Wales is informed by appropriate ecological information and understanding
Strategic Aims
1) Provide technical expertise and robust ecological evidence
WPG members have expertise that spans many different taxa, habitats, disciplines and mechanisms of governance. We also have connections into the wider ecological community in Wales, including academics, professionals and consultants. We can therefore gather evidence and expertise on many different ecological and environmental topics in order to provide robust evidence to the Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales and wider society. We respond to consultations, prepare proactive briefings and guides and respond to requests for information.
2) Achieve a closer working relationship between ecological policy-makers, researchers and professionals
We believe that policy should be evidence-based and utilise the most up-to-date ecological knowledge. This can be made more difficult by separation between scientists and policy-makers. The worlds of academia and ecological consultancy also often operate independently, and each one could learn a lot from the other. We are planning a variety of events and activities that connect these communities, including Caffi Ecology (previously called Pie and a Pint). We also want to give ecologists the tools and knowledge to engage with policy, and provide training for Welsh ecologists, including events hosted by experts and shadowing schemes.
3) Communicate ecological knowledge and its relevance for effective policy and management and advise how policy and management are impacting on ecological outcomes
For ecologists and policy-makers to effectively engage with each other, each must know how the other community operates and what its upcoming priorities are. We carry out horizon scanning to identify important future topics, and policy communication tools that outline policy processes and priorities in innovative ways and help ecologists to engage with policy that requires their expertise. We also interact with the media and public to raise the profile of ecology in wider society.
Gweledigaeth a Strategaeth 2022 – 2025
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