Step 1: Project Identification & Scoping

• What is the nature-based project and can you explain it in plain language?
• Where is the location you are looking to do an engagement process? What are the geographic bounds of the area?
• Who is the target community? Is this a community of interest or a community of place?
• What is the background of the community's wants and needs? Is there a history of engagement or challenges the community have faced on this topic?
• What issues or topics would you like to address through an engagement process?
• What are the project’s parameters? This may include considerations such as budget, delivery timeframes, known challenges, funding non-negotiables. 
• What can realistically be changed through the participation process, and what are the parameters you are working within? If nothing can be changed, is a meaningful participation process able to take place?
• How can the community influence decision-making throughout the life of the project?
• What does the community want and need? How can the project meet this need?
• What are our key questions for the community and what type of engagement will best enable the community to explore these questions?Are the questions for communities clear and specific?
• Do you have an intended or expected outcome? If so, how will you adapt if community deliberation does not match this?
• What existing community plans and projects are taking place with similar ambitions? Where is the starting point for engagement?
• Where are the opportunities to collaborate with other local groups or individuals? For example, could the project be delivered in partnership with local community groups? Are there areas of land suitable for the community to own or manage (if they want to)? Can local businesses or groups be supported or empowered to deliver aspects of the project?
• What are you working towards? For example, a memorandum of understanding, community benefits agreement, sale of land or lease agreement. 
• How does the community want to be kept informed and engaged in the project long-term?
• Are there opportunities for community representatives to sit on decision-making boards or groups?

• Participatory Toolkit for Carbon projects (Plan Vivo)
• UKCC Interested Parties Consultation and Engagement Requirements (UK Carbon Code of Conduct)
• A Recipe for Engagement in Nature-based Solutions and Nature Recovery (Agile Initiative, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford)
• National Standards for Community Engagement (SCDC)
• Green Infrastructure: delivering quality of life and environmental benefits for communities (Natural England)
• Delivering Community Benefits from Land (Scottish Land Commission)
• Guidance on Engaging Communities in Decisions Relating to Land (Scottish Land Commission)
• Community Engagement in Decisions Relating to Land Route Map (Scottish Land Commission

• Highlight the target location on a map which can be shared with the community. Identify the Local Authority and Community Council areas within which the location sits. 
• Define the community (this includes geography and demographics of people) you wish to engage through the project, and what you want to engage them on.
• Identify and document, in a way that can be shared with the community, the parameters the project is working within. This may include funding restraints, landowner wishes, investor priorities, etc.
• Take time to understand local context; local policies which impact land use, historic relationships with the land, community groups with a history of engaging (or not) with local projects, etc.
• Undertake local stakeholder mapping and an asset mapping exercise to identify skills/resourcing already available and where local community structures (e.g. land management group, community council, development trusts, educational programmes, tourism board) are already in existence which can be approached for discussion around collaboration opportunities. Tap into existing funded frameworks/groups. 
• Take time to build relationships with local people and groups, engaging with existing groups where appropriate, but also creating opportunities for people not associated with a local group to engage as an individual.
• Check with any available local community-led plans (e.g. community action plans, local place plans) to identify community priorities which could be addressed by the project.
• Ensure the project has been considered in relation to wider community action plans or other ongoing community projects, identifying areas of crossover and partnership.
• Provide a list of decisions and topics that community stakeholders/participants can have direct influence over. Provide a list of parameters which the community stakeholders/participants can and cannot influence and explain why.
• Ensure scope and outcomes are clearly set – directing conversations in a positive and constructive way.
• Determine with the community the level of impact (both positive and negative) the project may have on the community. Discuss this with the community to ensure all perspectives of impact are considered.
• Highlight opportunities for community wealth building (strengthening local and regional economies) through community benefits. This will support deliberation with the community and help define parameters.
• Set expectations by building into the process what to do if parties are in conflict, have complaints, and/or are dissatisfied with the process.
• If relevant, provide guidance and training to staff on effective facilitation, mediation and building consensus methods and how to manage difficult conversations where there is contention.
• Provide information on when people should expect to see change. Expectation setting – people might not see immediate benefits but will still work towards positive change for future generations. Also be clear where timelines may be unknown, for example, if it is unknown when funding will be made available. Identify where possible risks may result in not seeing any change or the community seeing less change than expected.

• Map of project area and relevant local authorities and community councils
• Research reports on local context (historical, political, social, etc.)
• List of parameters which has been shared with the community
• Stakeholder map visuals
• Copy of relevant community plans with highlighted areas of overlap between community objectives and project aims
• Localised asset map (with relevant organisations/individuals highlighted)
• Timelines shared with community groups
• Clear key questioning for communities
• Staff experience of design and facilitation

Key lines of enquiry are the overarching questions which a community process is aiming to answer. The questions should be clear, concise, and open-ended. Questions should only be asked if the answer will be used to influence change within the project. If the answer to a question has no bearing on the project, it is likely not worth asking.

 As much as possible, provide additional information and context relevant to the question to support informed decision making from community participants.

Example kick-off questions may include:

• What are your community priorities?
• What are some community objectives that could be addressed by the project?
• How would the community measure success?
• Which platforms and methods of communication would the community like the project to make use of?

 Example development questions may include:

• The project is planning to develop a citizen science programme, what training would be required to support volunteers?
• The project is focusing on flood mitigation measures, where are local areas that are particularly vulnerable to flooding which could be protected by the project?
• The project intends to share a percentage of profit with the community after five years of delivery, how would the community want this fund to be managed and distributed?