Core+ NatureInsight – Introduction

You can map and model nature-based solutions anywhere in Great Britain using Core+ NatureInsight. All calculations are pre-computed so insights can be generated in real-time and adjusted dynamically. Information can be viewed on an individual grid square basis, where each grid is 250m by 250m, or you can instantaneously aggregate insights to any watershed scale (e.g. 0.5km2 to 10,000km2). Design rainfall can be simulated to test different scenarios of NbS, with results presented in real-time showing reductions in flood risk and highlighting opportunities for carbon sequestration and biodiversity enhancement.

Note that we have not yet released the Core+ NatureInsight in all countries, please contact us if you have questions about availability. 

This is a user guide. For more detailed information on the methods underpinning NatureInsight, you can read the NatureInsight Whitepaper.

Initiating the Opportunity Map

When you want to run a Nature-based Solutions analysis using NatureInsight, you can can toggle the “NbS Opportunity Map” in the “NatureInsight” layer of the Dock pane on the left hand side. Note that if you can’t see it in the Dock, you can enable it by clicking on “Library” at the bottom left of the screen. Turning this layer on visualises the selected NbS interventions. A “Legend” detailing the NbS interventions is found at the bottom of the right sidebar.

When the “NbS Opportunity Map” is toggled, note that to see the interventions you may need to ‘zoom in’. You can read more about the NbS Opportunity Map by clicking the “i” icon next to it. To alter the map you can adjust the number of interventions displayed with the slider for “Suitability Score”, and also adjust the “Intervention Rank” slider, both in the top right corner.

You can select the “Point Query” tool on the toolbar, and then left-click on any grid square to see information about that grid square. It provides information on the baseline information (left) and scoring of NbS interventions (right), with results displayed in the right sidebar. More information on this can be found in “Using NatureInsight in a Watershed”.

Generating a Watershed

The NatureInsight Opportunity Mapping layer can be used with or without a catchment (watershed) selected. You may find it most useful when a catchment (watershed) is selected because aggregated summary information about the selected NbS interventions is displayed

Flow Paths

The flow routing is based on ‘Depression-Free Flow’ analysis that shows how water flows without taking active depressions into account, visualising flow paths to the sea. You can toggle this by clicking on Flow Accumulation layer, under the heading of Depression-Free Flow in the Spaces & Layers tab in the Dock. You can adjust the size of the flow paths using the slider in the top right corner of the screen.

Watersheds (Catchments)

The Watershed tool allows you to visualise the contributing area at any point on the flow path network. You can use the watershed tool by left-clicking on it on the toolbar, and then left-clicking on a flow pathway of interest with the curser, which will generate a watershed. Once selected, the watershed area will be visualised and connected flow paths can be seen. You can read more about the Watershed tool in the section on Depression-Free Flow.

Watershed (Catchment) Information

For any generated catchment in NatureInsight a range of catchment characteristics can be viewed when the ‘Opportunity Map’ in the dock is not selected. The total upstream area for any chosen catchment is calculated. Information about the flow paths is summarised for the catchment area in ‘Watershed Info’, with the length and slope of the ‘longest flow path’ within the catchment provided. The length of the ‘downstream flow path’ is the flow path from the catchment outlet to the sea. A length/area histogram can be generated for the catchment area. The hydrograph function can be accessed here – which is used in the generation of hydrographs for the catchment. More details on this function can be found in ‘Generating a Hydrograph’ sub-section.