Vodafone Teams Up with UK National Parks to Use AI for Rapid Nature Restoration

Image Credit: Vodafone and National Parks UK

Today, Vodafone and the UK National Parks have unveiled an exciting new partnership. The partnership combines technology and Vodafone’s network power to safeguard ecosystems, empower local communities, and elevate the future of these treasured landscapes.

Kicking off the initiative, the partnership will deploy AI-driven habitat mapping across all 15 parks — a game-changer in conservation. This innovative approach will allow for the collection of critical habitat and biodiversity data in record time, far surpassing traditional manual methods. But that’s just the beginning. Vodafone will also introduce real-time, high-resolution data streams to track biodiversity, visitor impact, and overall habitat health, building on the success of its recent network-as-a-sensor trial used for flood forecasting along the River Severn.

The multifaceted partnership doesn’t stop at environmental protection. A key component will focus on improving public access to nature and raising awareness of the immense health benefits of the great outdoors. The partnership will roll out projects aimed at making National Parks more accessible, encouraging deeper engagement with nature, and supporting the staggering 90 million annual visitors who explore these majestic spaces every year.

Despite the health benefits of outdoor recreation being valued at a staggering £8.4 billion, recent research commissioned by Vodafone paints a concerning picture of the public’s connection to nature. It reveals that only 8% of Brits can spend time outdoors daily. Even more striking, 82% of people strongly desire more time in nature.

The survey uncovered that just 21% of Brits feel deeply connected to nature. The barriers? Time constraints (34%) and a lack of company (19%) were major obstacles. Interestingly, technology is stepping in as a bridge. Over half of Brits (55%) turn to tech to engage with nature when they can’t experience it in person. Young people, in particular, are leading the charge: 47% of 16–34-year-olds use digital tools, from browsing nature photos to following relevant social media accounts, to stay connected with nature and improve their well-being. This demographic is also the most likely to engage with the outdoors physically, with 35% visiting a National Park in the last two months — the highest rate among all age groups.

As part of the broader effort to tackle UK nature challenges, the research shows that Brits believe businesses have a crucial role in nature conservation. Nearly 80% of those surveyed think companies can help by supporting tech-driven solutions (47%), habitat restoration (45%), or improving public access (40%). With this partnership, Vodafone is contributing to the protection and restoration of nature and aligning with its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.

Nicki Lyons, Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer, Vodafone UK, said: “We all have a role to play in protecting nature for future generations. For more than 40 years, we’ve been connecting our customers to the people, places and things they love. As The Nation’s Network, this also includes our natural environment. This new partnership with the National Parks brings our technology together with on-the-ground initiatives to make a real impact.

Importantly, our research not only shows that people want to engage more with nature but that they expect businesses to play their part too, so we are proud to help meet that challenge.”

Tony Gates, Chief Executive of Northumberland National Park, said: “National Parks are best known for their beauty, but their value goes beyond what you see – they have the potential to help address the three great challenges of our age – the climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis and the health and well-being crisis. Through targeted programmes to recover nature, adapt landscapes to the changing climate, and help people feel more connected to nature, our national parks have a vital role to play.  This new partnership with Vodafone supports at least two of these objectives by widening access to nature for people here in Northumberland and supporting people in mapping nature recovery across all our National Parks.”

This three-year partnership will be pivotal in transforming how we protect and engage with the natural world, using technology as a powerful tool for change.