Urban Regeneration and the Environment (URGENT)
Reports and key findings
The following case studies are linked to this research programme. Full details of each case study are available from NERC's Science Impacts Database.
Revitalising degraded urban rivers - an URGENT legacy Synopsis: Geographical research carried out over the last decade has led to new techniques for the restoration and management of neglected river and waterfront environments. This has resulted in significant improvements in urban biodiversity and ecology.
Coordinating environmental information for local planning authorities Synopsis: A web-based software tool that integrates environmental data in a geographic information system is being assessed for commercial production.
Planting the right kinds of trees in towns improves air quality and cuts pollution Synopsis: NERC-funded research shows that planting larch, pine and ash can help remove tiny polluting particles from the air of towns and cities. But other trees, like willow oak and poplar, could exacerbate pollution.
Urban river research helps local authorities manage pollution risks Synopsis: Rainstorms make rivers carry more sediment-related pollution than previously realised, and for longer than expected. But headwater sites can give early warnings of pollution waves downstream.
NERC's Urban Regeneration and the Environment (URGENT) programme is worth £13-£29m to Britain Synopsis: NERC's URGENT programme should deliver benefits worth between £13m and £29m to the UK economy, according to an independent evaluation.
NERC spin-out helps councils predict when to grit and salt the roads Synopsis: Entice Technology, a NERC spin-out company, produces software that saves lives by helping local councils decide when to grit or salt roads in winter, and by predicting weather-related problems on railways, roads and runways.
Urban gardens are important for biodiversity and offer valuable conservation opportunities Synopsis: The Biodiversity in Urban Gardens (BUGS) project highlighted the huge potential of urban gardens for wildlife conservation, gained widespread publicity, and led on to further investigations in five UK cities.
About the programme