Key Insights from the first Webinar

In this first webinar in the network, a common foundation for the future work was presented. The Theory of Change, is the key approach, because it helps  understand how meaningful transformation can happen within a complex, multi-level governance system.

In this context, the concept of Municipal Agency was highlighted. Agency can be understood as the ability to create room for action and involves clarifying:

• where municipalities can act directly
• where they depend on other actors
• and where collaboration can unlock new opportunities

The key message: municipalities are not just implementers—they are active drivers of change.

Insights from baseline dialogues with municipalities revealed both strong engagement and significant complexity in biodiversity work.

Across participants, common challenges included:

• Biodiversity in municipality planning and strategies
• Political legitimacy and decision support
• Collaboration between sectors and disciplines
• Nature restoration and management
• Establish nature reserves / protected areas
• Citizen involvement, outreach and communication

At the same time, municipalities shared ongoing initiatives and approaches that offer valuable opportunities for mutual learning.

The baseline dialogues and kick-off session with participating municipalities made clear: Across the Nordic region, there is already significant activity, commitment, and experimentation.

At the same time, many municipalities are navigating similar tensions. How do you build political ownership around biodiversity? How do you make decisions when data is incomplete? How do you break down silos between departments? And how do you involve citizens in ways that go beyond consultation?

These are not technical questions alone—they are organizational and cultural challenges. And they are precisely where a network like this can create value, by turning individual struggles into shared learning.

This is why the next phase of the network will focus on so-called mini-pilot projects: small, collaborative learning processes where municipalities work together on concrete challenges. The ambition is not to create perfect solutions, but to test, adapt, and learn—quickly and collectively.

The first webinar marked the beginning of a collaborative process focused on turning shared knowledge into tangible action. What emerged was a direction: build on what already exists, stay grounded in local contexts, and create structures that make action possible. Perhaps most importantly, the work ahead is not about measuring everything - but about measuring what matters, in ways that strengthen the ability of municipalities to act.

With a shared platform, continued exchange, and the launch of mini-pilot projects, the Nordic Nature Network is moving forward.