ECOV4R pilot assessment - Cotswold Line, United Kingdom

The Ecosystem Valuation for Railways (ECOV4R) Framework document aims to support the assessment of ecosystem services affected by and/or provided by railway infrastructure. To illustrate the practical use of the ECOV4R Framework, two pilot assessments from two project partners have been undertaken to demonstrate how ecosystem services assessments can be applied to decision-making at project level. The pilot assessment technical reports are intended to be read together with the Framework to help showcase the steps of ECOV4R. The intended audience for these pilot assessment reports is similar to those listed in Section 1.1.3 of the ECOV4R Framework, but the assessments are specifically aimed at guiding and supporting audiences intending to put the Framework into practice.

This document presents a prospective application of the ECOV4R Framework to the Cotswold Line, managed by Network Rail in the UK. Developed in collaboration with Network Rail and UIC, the assessment demonstrates how the ECOV4R Framework can guide land management beyond the rail corridor to improve asset resilience and enhance ecosystem service provision. It provides background information for the pilot project and demonstrates how each step of the ECOV4R Framework can be achieved, as well as providing recommended next steps for the pilot project as a result of the ecosystem services assessment. This pilot assessment is useful for readers looking to apply the ECOV4R Framework, as it demonstrates both a practical application of the Framework in identifying and valuing nature-based solutions implemented in land adjacent to the railway and the benefits of the Framework when it comes to building the resilience of rail assets.