The UK has lost nearly half of its wildlife and plant species since the 1970s, making it one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world (and don’t take that from us – that’s according to the Environment Agency). And in recent years that trend has been accelerating, partly thanks to mass urbanisation and the expansion of infrastructure like roads and railways.
However, things may soon be looking up. Network Rail, one of the largest public landowners in the country, has teamed up with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Google to begin measuring and monitoring levels of biodiversity across the national rail network.
The trio will use very, very high-tech cameras and acoustic sensors to identify species and monitor their movements. All this data will then be analysed with the help of AI to help us understand our lands better and whether they provide refuge for biodiversity. It all sounds very impressive.
So far, tests are being run in selected areas in Barnes, Twickenham and Lewisham in London and they’ve found more than 30 species of birds and six species of bats, as well as foxes and hedgehogs. Interestingly, they’ve also found that there is a relatively high level of natural noise – as compared to human noise in these areas – which apparently implies that these habitats may be important for biodiversity.
Anthony Dancer, a conservation scientist from the Zoological Society of London told the Guardian: ‘The aim was to show that AI-led technology – linked with acoustic and camera traps – could be used effectively to survey wildlife on Network Rail land but also in other areas in the UK. It will tell us how species are moving in response to climate change and how we should be managing vegetation, not just beside rail lines but on road verges and other places.’
Now ZSL and Network Rail are planning to expand the project to Chobham in Surrey and the New Forest. Hopefully, all this will go towards making our country’s railways much greener, more biodiverse places for wildlife.
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