With experts across the WILDLABS community working with every type of technology and in every imaginable environment, our platform is a great place to find advice and resources on choosing what tools are right for your conservation project. Whether you're in the market to try a new camera trap model, want to experiment with drones for the first time, or need help weighing the pros and cons of data management tools, there's someone in the WILDLABS community who can help you make a smart and informed choice!
The Community Base is our general gathering group. It's the place where we cover more general, big picture topics in conservation technology - ones that don't fit neatly into our other groups. If you don't know where to post something, just post it in this group. Our moderators will move it if needed!
At our Community Base, you'll find updates from the WILDLABS team on upcoming events and opportunities, and have the chance to shape our programs and platform with your opinions. And most importantly, the Community Base is also home to our Welcome to WILDLABS thread, the best place to introduce yourself to us and the community. Stop by and tell us what you're working on!
Whether you're new to WILDLABS and want to know where to begin, or you're a longtime member looking for a handy bank of resources, our Getting Started on WILDLABS thread will be your one-stop guide to getting the most out of our platform.
Want to find out more about WILDLABS? Check out our recent community call:
Header image: Ana Verahrami/Elephant Listening Project
Group curators
- @StephODonnell
- | She / Her
WILDLABS & Fauna & Flora
I'm the Executive Manager at WILDLABS.
- 152 Resources
- 668 Discussions
- 30 Groups
- @TaliaSpeaker
- | She/her
WILDLABS & World Wide Fund for Nature/ World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
I'm the WILDLABS Research Specialist at WWF-US
- 13 Resources
- 56 Discussions
- 24 Groups
- @EllieW
- | She/Her
- 64 Resources
- 124 Discussions
- 14 Groups
- @SarahEnnett
- | she/her
IoT ambassador looking to test and showcase new tech for good
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 1 Groups
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
- 1 Resources
- 3 Discussions
- 6 Groups
Based in Australia, in the Blue Mountains and working with WWF-Australia on a new program "Eyes on Country". Working on the interface of tech, conservation and First Nations/Ranger groups.
- 0 Resources
- 3 Discussions
- 11 Groups
- @Arno
- | He/Him
I am a master's student currently working on acoustic monitoring of an Endangered frog species in South Africa.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 7 Groups
- @EllieW
- | She/Her
- 64 Resources
- 124 Discussions
- 14 Groups
- @viquilassaga
- | She/her
Im a biologist at the National University of Cordoba and I did my final thesis on mammals in a reserve in my province. Also, I´m PM4R Master certificated for BID and I work as a Project Manager at Natura International, an NGO dedicated to the creation of protected areas.
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 7 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 7 Discussions
- 2 Groups
Sensing Clues Foundation
- 0 Resources
- 44 Discussions
- 9 Groups
Programme Manager, Bahari Hai Conservation
- 0 Resources
- 1 Discussions
- 3 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 11 Groups
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 7 Groups
- @annie2
- | she/her
- 0 Resources
- 0 Discussions
- 16 Groups
To celebrate the start of our 2023 #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge on July 24th, we’re jumping back in time this week to relive past challenges and see how far we’ve come in conservation tech.
20 July 2023
To celebrate the start of our 2023 #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge on July 24th, we’re jumping back in time this week to relive past challenges and see how far we’ve come in conservation tech.
20 July 2023
To celebrate the start of our 2023 #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge on July 24th, we’re jumping back in time this week to relive past challenges and see how far we’ve come in conservation tech.
19 July 2023
To celebrate the start of our 2023 #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge on July 24th, we’re jumping back in time this week to relive past challenges and see how far we’ve come in conservation tech.
18 July 2023
Article
To celebrate the start of our 2023 #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge on July 24th, we’re jumping back in time this week to relive past challenges and see how far we’ve come in conservation tech.
17 July 2023
We are a team of ecologists and technologists who believe good business must be good for nature. We’re building an economy that puts nature and business in balance by incentivising the restoration of nature at scale.
7 July 2023
Applications are now open till 23 July for the 2023 Canon Oceania Grants with the category of the Environmental Grant valued at AU$5,000. The finalist will be selected based on the environmental and social merits of...
7 July 2023
Join our annual #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge from July 24-28 to share your best photos and videos with conservation tech users, makers, and supporters from around the world.
7 July 2023
In this article from Fran Baker, Fiona Riggall, and Ed Miller, you'll learn how tech companies like Arm can incorporate sustainability into their mindset for longterm success.
5 July 2023
Article
Say hello to the WILDLABS community on Instagram and help us highlight conservation tech work happening around the world!
1 July 2023
CBE is recruiting a full-time Senior Wind Engineering Manager to drive the development and implementation of their existing and future wind portfolio.
27 June 2023
The GSMA ClimateTech programme
21 June 2023
June 2024
event
event
August 2024
event
October 2024
June 2025
February 2023
event
event
January 2023
Description | Activity | Replies | Groups | Updated |
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Thanks so much!! |
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Acoustics, AI for Conservation, Biologging, Camera Traps, Community Base, Data management and processing tools, Drones, eDNA & Genomics, Emerging Tech, Open Source Solutions, Remote Sensing & GIS, Software and Mobile Apps | 1 year 8 months ago | |
Eugh me too! Ellie's been working with him to see if we might have him blog here as well.. *FINGERS CROSSED*! |
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Community Base | 1 year 8 months ago | |
Thanks Carly! I'll pop this on the list of features to discuss with developers. Putting broader regions on the existing list might be possible. It could also be useful to get more... |
+14
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Community Base | 1 year 8 months ago | |
I have been waiting for journal club to come back!! 10000% down.I agree with @StephODonnell, would love it to come back!!! And now that variety hour is happening, that's more of... |
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Acoustics, Community Base | 1 year 8 months ago | |
Hello. I am a PhD candidate at Penn State University. I submitted a post to this group back in March and I am resubmitting... |
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Community Base, Data management and processing tools, Remote Sensing & GIS, Wildlife Crime | 1 year 9 months ago | |
Any results coming out of this survey that you would like to share? |
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Community Base, Emerging Tech | 1 year 10 months ago | |
During a volunteer project, I ran into some stupefying experiences with camera traps, one of those 'corner stones', it seems, of nature conservation research. Everybody who... |
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Community Base | 1 year 10 months ago | |
Hi all!Last week we introduced you to our first WILDBEAR Awardee, Alyssa Bohart. We hope you enjoyed learning more about Alyssa's work with... |
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Biologging, Community Base | 1 year 10 months ago | |
Hi all doing some spring cleaning. Just pay shipping.I have: -20 new Taoglas FXUB63 Ultra Wide Band Antenna 698-3000MHz we don't need. ... |
+34
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Community Base | 1 year 10 months ago | |
100%! Also heard many asking about SMART Connect & Mobile, and their integration with other software.Thank you for your input :) |
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Community Base, East Africa Community | 1 year 10 months ago | |
Thanks Akiba, hope you liked the series and found it helpful! Can't wait to see what you share! If you ever need someone to help brainstorm ideas on how to approach specific... |
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Community Base | 1 year 10 months ago | |
Quick report on what we're doing on the technical side:First of all, so sorry that this has happened. We worked hard on spam prevention on the registration system and after lots... |
+2
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Community Base | 1 year 10 months ago |
WILDLABS Virtual Meetup Series – Call for Input
17 September 2018 2:19pm
12 April 2019 12:57pm
Hi everyone,
Friendly bit of community housekeeping here. If you're interested in the What would an open source conservation technology toolkit look like? discussion, it's continued (with enthusiasm) here.
I recommend using the 'reply as new thread' button, as it'll now drop in a link where the conversation diverged that directs people to your new conversation.
Steph
12 April 2019 1:46pm
Hi everyone,
Okay, so I've been going through and compiling all the comments here to double check we're covering off all the ideas and requests that have come out. I think we're doing a pretty good job thus far with Season 1 and what we're planning for the rest of Season 2.
Here's where we stand:
Open Source and Open Tools for Conservation (covered)
'I'd be really interested in seeing our growing community focus efforts on developing cost-effective, modular, open-source designs using a similar principle to Arduino (i.e. a common base or concept module that we can all build around), rather than re-inventing the wheel so-to-speak.'
Explored in Low Cost, Open Source Solutions Meetup. To continue the discussion about this topic (including whether we need further meetups to pick up ideas raised?), join the meetup discussion here. It'll also be covered in the second meetup of season two (tools and space for collabration).
Collaboration (covered)
'How best to collaborate, share resources and spread design and testing loads without doubling up etc., would be fantastic'
To be covered in the upcoming Tools and Spaces for Collaboration (both online and offline, e.g. APIs and makerspaces) Meetup. Are there specific questions/discussion points you want covered? Join the discussion here.
Open Data (partially covered)
I'd be interested in a discussion on Open Data and how that can support wildlife conservation. Eg training in the creation of open data, licensing and publication, accessing open data and the potential risks and benefits. There is pressure for more and more conservation research data to be published openly, what are implications for threatened species? Are there any good examples of the benefits of publishing data?
This was partly covered in our Big Data meetup, and I suspect it's going to part of the discussion in the upcoming Tools and Spaces for Collaboration meetup and the Creative approaches to data-driven storytelling Meetup. I think that a stand alone discussion thread on this topic could help move it forward, @thaliebel . I recommend getting this started in our Data Science group and see who also is interested and start hashing out what's needed. If it emerges that there's a big need to give this stand alone space for a meetup type discussion, we can pick it up from there.
Wildlife Tracking (covered)
'Very cool. I’m in. Telemetry and drones...(remind me to ask you about drones for tag placement after my experience in Niue) happy to participate and pull colleagues in if needed.'
Explored in Next-Gen Wildlife Tracking meetup. There are some follow up activities identified, including the need for a landscape map of who is doing what in developed tracking devices - where they are on the roadmap - if you have ideas for taking this forward, please shout out. And there was a lot of interest in ICARUS. We're talking with the team about potentially doing a one-off Q&A session with the team so you can ask all your questions. Let us know if this would be of interest.
Outstanding ideas: Possibly for Season 3
- Non-invasive Techniques (including DNA)
- GIS
- Camera Trapping
- Bioacoustics
We're starting to think about season three, for the second half of 2019. We're throwing around the idea that it could be focused on field users of some specific technologies, which may be challenging technology/connection wise, but it would be really valuable to hear from a variety of field applications. What do you think? Are there other topics we should cover? Let us know if you are deploying tech and can share your experience, or if you know of someone we should get involved.
Outstanding ideas: For other follow up
Using high resolution satellite imagery
Interested in a session about using high resolution satellite imagery for wildlife monitoring/IWT, principally 'what are the best sources of free high resolution imagery?
@isla and @Thomas+Starnes - as you flagged this topic for discussion, are you still interested in it being covered? I don't know enough about what your open questions are but I'm wondering if there is another format that we could explore for answering this question. Maybe the training materials/videos Akiba is suggesting here? Is a walkthrough what you're looking for, or is it more about a sharing/discussion with peers?
How is everyone powering remote tech?
Also, how is everyone powering remote tech.? I imagine solar is a big one, but doesn't that make systems easily observable/avoidable or worse? - @Rob+Appleby
I think this needs to be a stand alone discussion, possibly building on the discussion @Femke+Hilderink has started about the Battery Challenge - how to reduce battery waste and potentially connected to this thread about extending battery life with solar panels. Rob, what do you think - is there a separate discussion to be broken off here?
Future Gazing
-
If you did future gazing, I think what role could 5G / meshed networks in monitoring, or a meetup to cut through blockchain nonsense and see what exact problems it can address may be useful? - @craigmelson
-
I agree, it would be good to sort out what we have at hand right now, what's just over the horizon (for example, any implications of the recent deal between Iridium and Amazon for cheaper satellite data services?) and what's a bit more distant. A very good idea indeed - @Rob+Appleby
This ties in really nicely with an idea @JoeNash and I have been playing with about a simple series where we call up an expert and ask them to cut through the hype. We're thinking of questions like 'What is an API?', 'What is Blockchain?', 'What is Machine Learning?', 'What is 5G?, 'What is open source?' etc. These pop ups could be a different way to get at these questions - laying the ground work so we all have a common understanding of what we're talking about before we have these more technical futurecasting discussions. More on that very soon - i'll update this comment with a link when we post about it..
Connected to this - I've also been wondering if there's a need for spaces for smaller groups to have more technical discussions. The virtual meetups are awesome in that they create a common ground for everyone to talk about these big picture ideas and throw questions to the experts. I thhink it makes it accessible for both the conservationists and the technologists, and I'm keen to keep them as their own distinct thing, rather than trying to make them try to do everything for everyone. By their very nature they are not going to go into the hardcore technical space, they're more for exploring ideas. So having seperate spaces (smaller meetings/working groups?) that taking ideas forward in more detail (maybe this ties into your nasa idea, @Rob+Appleby ?) - could be complementary. What do you think?
As always, I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas. Thanks for the energy with which you've embraced these meetups, it's made it such a pleasure to be involved with them and to help create a space for you all to make things happen. I'm looking forward to seeing where else we take this.
Stephanie
P&G water purification packets
9 April 2019 5:54pm
WILDLABS.NET Functionality and Features - have your say
7 March 2016 10:02am
23 June 2017 5:30pm
Can I get notifications for a group? I want to get an email each time a new topic is added to 'Drones' without having to keep coming back.
23 June 2017 6:09pm
Thanks for the feedback tom! Yes, giving everyone more options around their email alerts is at the top of my list as well. It's pretty much all or nothing right now, and the lack of email notifications about new threads beginning is a big limitation we'd like to address. Will keep you posted!
9 April 2019 5:40pm
I think there might be room for improvement in the forum layout, and information shown.
Having only 5 threads per page restricts the number of active discussions that can be held simultaneously before one of them loses visibility by being pushed to the next page. Increasing this number, or adding an 'infinite scroll' feature found in other forum software like Discourse might help to facilitate more discussion.
Additionally, knowing which user was the last to respond to a thread would also be quite useful. This would allow users to quickly identify when admins, core contributers, or the original author have added to the discussion.
Cisco - Ecole Polytechnique Symposium, May 13-14
9 April 2019 11:37am
Survey: Technology for Mitigating Impacts to Biodiversity
21 March 2019 5:32pm
Have your say - take the WILDLABS Community Survey 2019
13 February 2019 6:04pm
12 March 2019 11:43am
Hi everyone,
So a quick update on this. We've had 100+ responses so far which lots of really interesting feedback coming through. We're going to close this year's survey at the end of the month, so you still have time to add your perpsective to the mix.
In the meantime, I thought I'd share some of the early results we've had so you can see what trends are coming through. I'll share the results in seperate comments in this thread over the next few days so it's not too overwhelming. I'm very interested to hear any thoughts about these early results - do you agree with them, are they unexpected?
The first one is about the functionality you want us to concentrate on adding to WILDLABS in the next 12 months. From responses so far, the highest priority is for what I'd classify as tools for collaboration. There are a lot of things you'd classify as nice to have, but hands down you'd prioritise new tools that allow you to share information/updates about your work, and make it easier to find people with skills you need or projects that need your skills. are what what you want to see asap.
Conversely, you're not particularly interested in knowing more about how things you post here are doing (e.g. personal analytics or a badging system). This is interesting - I suspect it's because it doesn't really matter how many people see what you post, the main thing that matters is the practical outcome and whether you get the answer or connection that was the reason behind you posting.
What do you think, do the trends about functionality priorities agree with what you think?
Steph
Conservation Hackathon success stories
6 March 2019 8:14pm
SCB ICCB 2019 - travel awards open now
7 February 2019 9:52pm
28 February 2019 5:01am
ICCB 2019 Travel Reimbursement Awards – Applications Open
The deadline to submit an application for ICCB 2019 Travel Awards is 15 March at 11:59 p.m US Eastern Standard Time. All applications must be submitted online.
ICCB Travel Awards will help off-set some of the awardees’ expenses to attend SCB's 29th International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB 2019) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 21-25 July 2019.
The availability of travel reimbursement funds is determined by the amount of money raised through sponsorships and the amount provided to the awardees will vary based on location, need, and priority status.
Applicants need to meet one of the following essential required applicant type:
Full-time graduate (Master or PhD level equally considered), or undergraduate, students currently enrolled at a university based in a developing country (this criterion applies regardless of citizenship). Priority will be given to graduate students over undergraduate students based on a 70/30 ratio.
Early career researchers based in a developing country and whose salary does not come directly from sources in developed countries. This criterion applies regardless of your country of citizenship. An early career researcher is anyone employed and conducting research within three years of having completed a Masters or a PhD degree.
Staff from NGOs based full-time in a developing country. Priority will be given to those travelling internationally on a 70/30 ratio.
To apply for travel awards please click here.
Join the 4th annual #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge!
25 February 2019 12:00am
Upcoming tech4wildlife gatherings
14 February 2019 12:26pm
20 February 2019 3:43pm
Hi Vance
We are organising a Conservation and Technology Conference to take place at the University of Nottingham on Friday 6 September 2019. https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/conferences-symposia/conservation-and-technology-conference
This one day conference will explore conservation and technology for all wildlife (not just bats!)
It aims to:
- bring together wildlife conservationists, ecological consultants, researchers and technology experts to network and share knowledge/products/techniques.
- showcase new technologies, new applications of existing technologies and new developments in best practice
The programme will be talks-based and feature a mix of talk lengths, including some lightning talks to showcase new technologies, longer talks for projects/technologies where there are more results to discuss and a key note talk – speaker to be confirmed soon.
The Programme Selection Team would like to invite the submission of abstracts, particularly for projects using new technologies to support wildlife conservation or projects using existing technologies in new ways for conservation. We are keen to develop a diverse programme, featuring speakers working with a range of wildlife and technologies.
Abstracts should be submitted as a Word or pdf document and emailed to me: [email protected] by 15 March 2019 with the title Conservation and Technology Conference Abstract Submission.
There will also be posters on display at the Conservation and Technology Conference, please email mewith a short abstract or brief overview of the project/topic you would like to present a poster on: [email protected]
Please do share this with any friends or colleagues that you think might be interested or drop me an email with any questions, suggestions of speakers or projects you think might be interested or if you'd like to register your interest in the event.
Best wishes
Naomi
22 February 2019 8:49am
Fantastic. Thank you Naomi. Will share and try to put together an abstract to submit.
Minor Error in Feb 2019 Community Digest
19 February 2019 12:11pm
MOOC on Environmental Security and Sustaining Peace
18 February 2019 10:41am
Take the WILDLABS Community Survey 2019!
13 February 2019 12:00am
Community Office Hours: Wednesdays and Fridays
25 January 2019 3:01pm
[Invite] Digital Naturalism Conference / Residency / Workshop
15 January 2019 9:34pm
Advice for pilot regen project (New Forest, UK)
4 December 2018 12:20pm
15 January 2019 9:04am
I know this might be controversial but why do anything - why not let nature do it's thing and just observe. That way it would establish a baseline and help to formulate acellerator interventions for other sites. Although Knepp has started from a different base it's an interesting story in low intervention rewilding https://knepp.co.uk/
15 January 2019 9:23am
Thanks David,
I understand your point, but we are now collaborating with University research that will be examining (amongst other things) the microbial level, especially in poor and polluted environments. The request still stands, and any relevant collaboration would be welcomed.
All the best.
Conservation X Labs is hiring!
8 January 2019 12:32am
Request for suggestions: Innovative, technology focused conservation projects
23 June 2016 1:02pm
22 November 2018 4:23pm
Hi Kieran,
We should connect and have a chat!
Ross.
Bright Frog Game Studios logging on!
23 June 2017 6:58pm
23 June 2017 11:44pm
Loving the enthuasim Gabriela (and Jaymie), welcome to the WILDLABS community! We're delighted to have you on board.
You're already right amongst it, so I'm pretty much just going to keep our of your way so you can keep doing your thing. Just know that I'm here (via direct message through my profile or at [email protected]) if you need me.
As with all new members, I do recommend checking out our regular digest as a great way to get oriented about the latest conversations that are happening in the community, the most recent issue is available here.
You've done a stellar job introducing yourself to the community here, if you're keen to connect with other members a good starting point is our welcome thread or our member directory.
Other than that, there is nothing more to add from my end. I look forward to seeing your enthusiastic posts in our community!
Steph
24 June 2017 12:21am
Thanks for all your help Steph!
22 November 2018 4:23pm
Welcome! How are you getting on with your game studio?
Small Mammal Specialist Needed Liberia
9 November 2018 2:15pm
What have you been working on recently (2017)?
29 September 2017 12:15pm
31 August 2018 10:43am
EleSense IoT - https://conservationx.com/project/id/159/elesenseiotnetworkforhec
Home for a New Field Station Fab Lab
16 August 2018 9:24am
Make for the Planet - Borneo!
22 February 2018 6:26pm
Have your say in our Community Survey
22 February 2018 12:57pm
Global Resource Bank
21 February 2018 9:27pm
#Tech4Wildlife Friday Roundup - 26th Jan 2018
25 January 2018 10:38pm
27 January 2018 6:49am
Thanks Steph,
I appreciate a semi-regular summary document - it might only occasionally throw up a 'new' story for community members (depends on other media followed / library access) but it could be that one story that gives someone the next bright idea for their project (and is also no doubt appreciated by the developers / contributors).
MJ
Job opportunity Conservation lab manager, Ol Pejeta Kenya
22 November 2017 10:39am
22 November 2017 5:02pm
Oh no thunder was stolen whatsoever, I was just impressed! Great to hear you're heading there next year - you might witness the lab being set up.
22 November 2017 5:14pm
I'll take some pics :-)
22 November 2017 5:18pm
oooh, yes please!
Biodiversity conference, Nov 14-15 Washington DC;
31 October 2017 8:07pm
Shuttleworth fellowship funding
16 October 2017 2:47pm
17 October 2017 8:01am
Thanks for sharing. I see that @Alasdair Davies - ZSL Tech Specialist and co-founder of Naturebytes is a current fellow.
17 October 2017 8:14am
Yes, it was Alisdair Davies who tweeted it...
20 October 2017 9:05am
Hiya,
Feel free to DM me if you want any help and advice applying. The Fellowship really is life changing if you are a free thinker in a closed system and have an idea you want to explore.
I wanted to develop open and affordable conservation technologies to break down the barriers that inhibit access, and so I started the Arribada Initiative (check out the AudioMoth purchase at the moment too). You get $250k a year plus your salary on top, so it's supercharged. Plus, it's like a family. You work with other Fellows to get advice, share experiences and everyone supports each other.
If you have an idea that needs openness injected then go for it, apply today.
Strength of your passwords
25 September 2017 6:50pm
20 March 2019 7:23pm
also, this looks intriguing: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/15297