IENE 2026 International Conference - Bristol, UK

The IENE 2026 International Conference took place at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), United Kingdom, from 21 to 25 September 2026, marking the 30th anniversary of IENE.

The Value of Nature in Resilient Infrastructure

The conference was organised by IENE in partnership with Rebuilding Nature, together with Natural England, the University of the West of England, National Highways, Network Rail, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and South Gloucestershire Council.

On this page

Key speakers sessions
Book of Abstracts (coming soon)
IENE 2026 Declaration and IENE 2026 Global Vision
IENE Awards 2026
IENE 2026 Photo Competition
About the conference and field trips

Dates : 21-25 September

Bristol, United Kingdom

https://www.iene2026.info/ IENE 2026 Programme – pdf 4.9Mo IENE 2026 – Final declaration – pdf 147Ko IENE2026_Vision_Final – pdf 85Ko

IENE 2026: Key speakers sessions

21 September 2026

IENE 2026 Opening Ceremony: Celebrating 30 years of IENE

Opening speech by Johan Rydlöv, President of IENE

21 September 2026

IENE 2026 Opening keynotes

Tony Juniper CBE, Chair, Natural England

Steve Elderkin OBE, Director of Environmental Sustainability, National Highways, Co-Founder Rebuilding Nature

22 September 2026

IENE 2026 Opening Keynote: The Value of Nature

Erik Gómez-Baggethun, Professor of Environmental Governance (NMBU) and Senior Research Associate (Oxford)

22 September 2026

IENE 2026 Plenary: Green is cheaper than grey

Barriers and solutions to mainstreaming nature into the built environment
Chair: Oliver Harmer (Natural England)
Panellists: Kunle Barker, Jerry Tate, Lisa Palframan, Selina Mason, Louise Clarke

22 September 2026

IENE 2026 Plenary: Natural capital is critical infrastructure

Natural capital is critical infrastructure: evidence, implications and actions
Nichols, J.; Seville, O.

22 September 2026

IENE 2026 Closing Keynote

Sara Santos, Researcher at the University of Évora (MED and CHANGE)

24 September 2026

IENE 2026 Opening Keynote and Plenary: Creating Actionable Knowledge

Jo Bradley, Director of Operations UK, Stormwater Shepherds

Manuela Panzacchi, Senior Research Scientist, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)

24 September 2026

IENE 2026 Workshop: Rebuilding Nature through a Strategic Nature Network

An essential counterpart to our road, rail and energy networks for health, prosperity and resilience
Elderkin, S.

24 September 2026

IENE Awards 2026

Celebrated at the IENE Awards Gala Dinner at Aerospace Bristol, underneath Concorde Alpha Foxtrot.

IENE Personal Award 2026: Niki Voumvoulaki (Egnatia Odos S.A., Greece)
IENE Project Awards 2026: LIFE AMPHICON and LIFE DANUBE FREE SKY

Welcome by Johan Rydlöv, awards presented by Elke Hahn, Radu Moț and Vincent O’Malley

25 September 2026

IENE 2026 Opening Keynote: From Ambition to Action, Transforming Infrastructure for Nature

Jonathan Hess, French Ministry for Ecological Transition

25 September 2026

IENE 2026 Closing Plenary: From Pace over Perfection to Long-Term Transformation

What do we need to see in the next 30 years to maximise the value of nature in resilient infrastructure?
Opening reflection by Johan Rydlöv, President of IENE

IENE 2026 Book of Abstracts

The IENE 2026 Book of Abstracts, bringing together the abstracts of the plenary sessions, oral presentations, lightning talks, workshops and posters presented in Bristol, is coming soon.

IENE 2026 Declaration and IENE 2026 Global Vision

The IENE 2026 Declaration and the IENE 2026 Global Vision are available in full online. Read the IENE 2026 Declaration and Global Vision

IENE Awards 2026

The winners of the IENE Awards 2026 were celebrated at the IENE Awards Gala Dinner, held at Aerospace Bristol underneath Concorde Alpha Foxtrot. Three outstanding contributions to ecological connectivity were recognised. Read the full article

Niki Voumvoulaki receiving the IENE Personal Award 2026 — **IENE Personal Award 2026:** Niki Voumvoulaki, Egnatia Odos S.A., Greece

LIFE AMPHICON team receiving the IENE Project Award 2026 — **IENE Project Award 2026:** LIFE AMPHICON, Slovenia

LIFE DANUBE FREE SKY, IENE Project Award 2026 — **IENE Project Award 2026:** LIFE DANUBE FREE SKY

IENE 2026 Photo Competition

To mark 30 years of harmonising transportation and nature, IENE invited conference participants to share their view of the relationship between infrastructure and the natural world through photography. The winners were revealed during the gala dinner. Read the full article

Photo by Anna Terrade, winner of the Nature in Focus category — **Nature in Focus:** Anna Terrade

The Pyrenean Contrast by Alejandra Franco Saldarriaga — **Nature & Infrastructure:** Alejandra Franco Saldarriaga, *The Pyrenean Contrast*

Cockcrow bridge at sunrise by Victoria Gilbey — **Connecting Landscapes:** Victoria Gilbey

Three Ways to Wander by Gebhard Banko — **Innovation in Action:** Gebhard Banko, *Three Ways to Wander*

Bridging in Different Centuries, Greece by Lazaros Georgiadis — **Special mention:** Lazaros Georgiadis, *Bridging in Different Centuries, Greece*

Transport infrastructure corridors for all by Neil Strong — **Special mention:** Neil Strong, *Transport infrastructure corridors for all*

All the photos of the competition

Discover all the photos submitted to the IENE 2026 Photo Competition. Use the arrows or swipe to browse, and click on a photo to view it in full size. The copyright of each photo remains with its author.

IENE 2026 Photo Competition entry, photo by Masato Sato — © Masato Sato

An AI-designed green bridge: is this a green bridge?, photo by Lazaros Georgiadis — **An AI-designed green bridge: is this a green bridge?**
© Lazaros Georgiadis

Bridging in different centuries in Greece, photo by Lazaros Georgiadis — **Bridging in different centuries in Greece**
© Lazaros Georgiadis

To pass or not to pass? This is the question, photo by Lazaros Georgiadis — **To pass or not to pass? This is the question**
© Lazaros Georgiadis

Small animal in front of a big barrier in a long corridor, photo by Lazaros Georgiadis — **Small animal in front of a big barrier in a long corridor**
© Lazaros Georgiadis

IENE 2026 Photo Competition entry, photo by Anna Terrade — © Anna Terrade

IENE 2026 Photo Competition entry, photo by Pascal Peterman — © Pascal Peterman

IENE 2026 Photo Competition entry, photo by Gonzalo Contreras Pfäfflin — © Gonzalo Contreras Pfäfflin

A Bridge to Survival, photo by Fernanda Abra — **A Bridge to Survival**
© Fernanda Abra

The Hidden Highway, photo by Theresa Walter — **The Hidden Highway**
© Theresa Walter / Environment Agency Austria

Eye Contact across the Tracks, photo by Theresa Walter — **Eye Contact across the Tracks**
© Theresa Walter / Environment Agency Austria

The Small Guardian of the Underpass, photo by Theresa Walter — **The Small Guardian of the Underpass**
© Theresa Walter / Environment Agency Austria

Lifelines Beneath the Road, photo by Theresa Walter — **Lifelines Beneath the Road**
© Theresa Walter / Environment Agency Austria

Echoes of a Collision, photo by Alejandra Franco Saldarriaga — **Echoes of a Collision**
© Alejandra Franco Saldarriaga

The Pyrenean Contrast, photo by Alejandra Franco Saldarriaga — **The Pyrenean Contrast**
© Alejandra Franco Saldarriaga

IENE 2026 Photo Competition entry, photo by Carlo Prislei — © Carlo Prislei

The Mobility Stack: Waterway, Highway, Railway, Wildway, photo by Gebhard Banko — **The Mobility Stack: Waterway, Highway, Railway, Wildway**
© Gebhard Banko

Three Ways to Wander, photo by Gebhard Banko — **Three Ways to Wander**
© Gebhard Banko

IENE 2026 Photo Competition entry, photo by Andreas Schalk — © Andreas Schalk

Meadow on the Verge, photo by Martine Alexandra Andersen Hennig — **Meadow on the Verge**
© Martine Alexandra Andersen Hennig

IENE 2026 Photo Competition entry, photo by Yun Wang — © Yun Wang

IENE 2026 Photo Competition entry, photo by Neil Strong — © Neil Strong

IENE 2026 Photo Competition entry, photo by Victoria Gilbey — © Victoria Gilbey

About the conference

Infrastructure systems must evolve. As climate pressures intensify, infrastructure must not only minimise harm but actively contribute to ecological recovery, connectivity and resilience. Marking the 30th anniversary of IENE, the Bristol conference in September 2026 brought together leading practitioners, researchers, policymakers and industry partners to explore new approaches, share evidence and strengthen the cross-sector partnerships essential for delivery.

📌 The four conference themes:
The Value of Nature: placing ecological and social value at the heart of infrastructure decision-making, and critically assessing investment, valuation and nature-based approaches.
Resilience Through Nature: strengthening climate resilience by working with ecosystem processes, while recognising ecological limits and the risks of maladaptation.
Pace Over Perfection: scaling proven solutions to reduce fragmentation and severance at landscape and network scales, balancing urgency with ecological integrity.
Creating Actionable Knowledge: turning foundational knowledge into action on ecological severance, supporting connected habitats and informed restoration planning.

🌿 Field trips (Wednesday 23 September):
Engineering with Nature: Oxford & Cotswolds (A417 Missing Link, Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme)
Restoring Nature: Wetlands & Energy-Legacy Landscapes (Avonmouth & Severnside, Hallen Marshes, Oldbury Nuclear Power Station)
Bristol Harbour: Engineering Icons & Eco-Innovation (boat trip through Bristol Harbour)
Rewilding & Peatlands: Nature Recovery and BNG in Action (Belmont Estate, Avalon Marshes Nature Reserve)
From Prehistory to Peat Scrapes: Stonehenge & Chalk Grassland Restoration (Stonehenge World Heritage Site, RSPB Winterbourne Downs)
Bristol to Bath Cycle Ride (Bristol and Bath Railway Path)
UWE Campus Walk: Pollinators & Mobility Innovation

Visit the IENE conference website: https://www.iene2026.info/