Who We Are

About EcoSentience

A volunteer-run Charitable Incorporated Organisation protecting ancient woodland through people-powered stewardship, ecological science, and responsible technology.

EcoSentience CIO

EcoSentience is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered in England and Wales (Charity No. 1210865). We exist for a single purpose: to protect and restore ancient woodland ecosystems using practical stewardship, ecological research, careful monitoring, and responsible data tools.

Founded in late 2024, we are at the beginning of our journey. We have no paid staff. Every pound donated goes directly to conservation work, research, and the development of tools that serve nature. Our team is entirely volunteer-driven, guided by three trustees who bring together expertise in conservation, technology, and governance.

Our work is guided by the Triquetra Principle, which keeps people, science, and woodland benefit in balance. It is an ethos for decision-making, not a substitute for evidence, governance, or human responsibility.

Founded with a focus on Mickley Wood and the broader ancient woodland landscape of Northumberland, EcoSentience brings together conservation practitioners, technologists, researchers, and local communities. We believe that the best conservation outcomes arise when diverse perspectives are brought into a shared, practical conservation effort.

Charity Number

1210865

Structure

CIO (England & Wales)

Staff

Volunteer-Run

Leadership

Our Trustees

EcoSentience is governed by three trustees who volunteer their time to guide the charity's direction and ensure good governance. Our trustees bring diverse expertise spanning conservation science, technology development, and organisational management.

As a CIO, we are committed to transparency and accountability. Our trustees meet regularly to review progress, ensure resources are used effectively, and keep the charity aligned with its founding purpose: protecting ancient woodland through stewardship, science, and responsible technology.

Paul Harold is one of our founding trustees. His background in computing and cognitive psychology, combined with three years of hands-on development of the Aurora system, informs our approach to technology in conservation.

Steve Raybould contributes expertise in software testing, ensuring our systems are reliable and robust.

Fiona Morrison contributes expertise in security and financial management, supporting good governance and sustainable operations.

Governance

Transparent Stewardship

Our governance model keeps people accountable for decisions. We reject full automation where ethics, public trust, or ecological impact are concerned. Technology may support the work; trustees and human collaborators remain responsible.

Consent Gates

No high-impact action occurs without recorded human authorisation. All operations require consent and oversight by a human curator or operator.

The Curator Role

Humans review and curate Aurora's memory, ensuring knowledge evolves under wisdom. AI agents may propose; human curators approve.

Audit Trails

Every decision is logged with full lineage and citations, ensuring transparent auditability and accountability.

Our Values

No Hype, No Spin, Just Solid Science

We ground everything in evidence. Our claims are measured, our methods are transparent, and our results speak for themselves.

Rejection of Extraction

We do not mine nature for data. We feed intelligence back into protection. Every interaction with the woodland must leave it better, not diminished.

Ecological Efficiency

"Do no harm." We minimise our resource consumption and carbon footprint. Local-first computing, data sustainability, and impact metrics as core system attributes.

Responsible Innovation

Technology is a powerful enabler, but human wisdom and natural processes remain crucial guides. We steer a middle path between reckless techno-solutionism and reluctance to innovate.

Work With Us

We are looking for partners, collaborators, and supporters who believe in a future where technology heals rather than extracts.

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