Community Co-creation of Nature-Based Solutions: a transdisciplinary framework for participatory process monitoring, evaluating and learning applied to the Connecting the Culm project

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are internationally widely recognized as interventions that contribute to climate and environmental adaptation in the face of global change. Uncertainties remain around both their performance and their co-design and co-creation. Focusing on the latter, a range of frameworks for monitoring, evaluating and learning (MEL) from NBS co-creation processes are emerging but there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. In this paper a simple and practical transdisciplinary MEL framework is presented to reflect on the activities and artefacts generated through NBS co-design and co-creation processes. Indicators focus on value, influence and participation and present the results visually in the form of a ‘co-creation constellation’. The framework is applied through the Connecting the Culm (CtC) project, which was undertaken in the South West of England, UK under the EU Co-Adapt Programme. The resulting CtC co-creation constellation highlights some NBS co-creation activities and artefacts may be more efficacious and effective than others at co-creating value, influence and participation in NBS implementation. Additionally, there was the potential for some activities and artefacts to enhance their value, influence and participation contributions through ongoing work. Furthermore, application of the co-creation constellation at the co-creation activity design stage could enhance the overall outcomes and impact achieved through NBS co-design and co-creation projects. Communities, practitioners and policy-makers may need to consider a combination of NBS MEL approaches, depending on benefits, outcomes and impacts sought, as well as investing in parallel team development processes, to maximise NBS success.