Extensive work was undertaken on assessing, mapping and synthesizing NBS knowledge and gaps at European and international level, resulting in a significant expansion of the NBS resources library on the NN platform; Drawing on identified knowledge gaps for content and target audience, NN's knowledge products provide comprehensive information for the most pressing needs of the NBS community in the fields of business, policy and practice (see products listed under objective 2 above); NBS guidance was developed for practitioners, policy makers, and businesses, in a collaborative process with future users (landscape architects, network of national business representatives, policy makers). These knowledge products along with a continuously updated events list and exchanges with the SAB formed the basis for developing 13 sectoral and international events as pertinent awareness raising, networking and dissemination opportunities (also for NBS projects' and TF outputs) with target groups. Audiences reached and the sectoral collaborations ensured are essential for future sectoral collaborations in NN+. They were further disseminated in the NN webinar series. An updated European R&I Roadmap on NbS to 2030 was co-developed with the NBS community and European funders, which identifies core action areas for future NbS research based on key challenges and knowledge needs and will be implemented in NN+. NN consistently promoted internal and external products (NBS projects, outputs of TF), expertise, good practices, guidance materials on NBS via all of its channels (newsletter, task forces, events, social media and website), in addition to partner channels and relevant external outlets (e.g. Euractiv) to advance their reach to target audiences.The NBS projects section was further expanded to 15 projects on the NN platform, and a new NN website section launched for supporting 5 NBS Hubs. A NN Business Plan was co-developed with partners which sets out different options for the ongoing development of NN/NN+ in terms of income, services, operations and governance. It will be further revised in NN+ and pilot, review and evaluate some of the proposed income streams to determine viability.
Facilitation of the NBS Cluster Taskforces through NN contact points successfully continued, resulting in 4 Cluster TF meetings (with learnings to be taken into NN+), an increases in active members across all TF, the proliferation of work streams, the launch of a new TF on NBS education and 7 joint outputs (operational fund). 3 semester themes were run on ecosystem restoration, NBS quality and standards, and NBS education with the support of experts from the NBS community, which were imperative for making connections with NBS experts, raising awareness of NBS with the wider public (NBS comics) and establishing NBS in the European standardisation.
Exchanges with 10 interested regions/countries representatives led to the establishment of 6 national/regional NBS hubs (Nordic, Hungarian, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Italian and Polish) with thematic, strategic and financial support from NN. Developed structural and procedural support in setting up NBS hubs will be taken on into NN+ for the expansion of NBS hubs and their capacity-building.
