We are delighted to see the Government’s Land Use Framework recognise innovation such as Landscape Observatory as part of its efforts to ‘make land digital’ and help reform data tools and decision-making systems.
The Land Use Framework for England outlines that by 2030 Protected Landscapes will be critical to nature recovery, 30by30 and increasing access to nature. National Parks and National Landscapes are multifunctional, cultural landscapes and have a leading role to play in delivering nature recovery, climate and health ambition. Our management plans are the essential tools to coordinate cross sector partnership action to deliver these local and national priorities. Landscape Observatory is working with protected landscape teams to radically improve the use of modern information tools by using satellite, aerial data and AI in our decision making and monitoring.
“Together Protected Landscapes cover 25% of England land area. Landscape Observatory will provide digital representation of these landscapes and via a bottom-up approach, building in ‘adaptive by design’ approaches to these important places. We bring together cutting-edge research, technology, climate smart adaptive management and local knowledge to deliver actionable intelligence for nature, people and place.”
Simon Giekie, Director of Landscape Observatory
Enabling protected landscapes to meet the ambition in the report and ‘be flexible enough to incorporate new evidence, respond to emerging needs and challenges, and evolve with changing local and national priorities’. Landscape Observatory will give land managers, conservationists, and policymakers powerful tool and a new monitoring and evidence base to make informed ‘future ready decisions’ about habitat restoration, species recovery, and adapt to the increasing impact of climate change.