Advising on more sustainable natural resource use Soils within Catchment Sensitive Farming Client: Defra Location: UK GYA leads this project with Natural England for Defra in six priority CSF catchments across England in this 21 month project.  Using approximately 100 on-farm interviews with farmers we are i) documenting as case studies examples of farming practice that lead to financial benefits from improved soil organic matter management, ii) working with scientists of Rothamsted Research to test their indicator of Active C and iii) piloting an approach to encourage change of soil organic matter management. Quantifying Social and Economic Values of Soil Organic Matter (SOM) in the UK. Client: Defra (contracted by Rothamsted Research) Location: UK Working with Rothamsted Research, Cranfield University and ADAS, GYA undertook a ground breaking socio-economic study.  We interviewed over 120 UK farmers to identify indicators of soil organic matter status and the benefits of managing soil organic matter and worked with these farmers to put financial values on these benefits. Analysis of pyrolysis based energy production and use of biochar as a soil amendment Client: Cornell University Location: US Assess the energy balance of a pyrolysis based energy systems.  Considers the energy and environmental implications of using energy crops and crop wasted as feedstocks for energy production by pyrolysis and considers the trade-offs of using the bio-char products of pyrolysis as a value added soil amendment. Contributing to a forestry programme review in Indonesia Client: Dfid Location: Indionesia GYA provided the natural resource economist for the team.  This study reassessed the proposed sustainable forest management systems and the economic, social, legal and institutional environment in the forestry sector in the light of the financial, economic and political changes, which had occurred in Indonesia since July 1997.  We then sought to identify the opportunities that these changes present for the development of coherent and effective incentives for sustainable management of natural forest in the interests of all stakeholders. Economic growth and sustainable natural resource use Client: Dfid Location: Ghana Working with ISSER and other local consultants in this joint DFID-World Bank supported study we have produced an evidence-based case for the dependence of macro-economic growth on soil, water, forestry, wetland, wildlife and fishery resources.  We have made this case to Ministry of Finance policy makers at the most senior level and brought government and NGO stakeholders together to debate this issue - raising the profile of sustainable development in policy making.  A number of policy recommendations were made to address the major causes of lost growth resulting from current NR use. .