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Our Anchor Woodland

Mickley Wood

A living laboratory where ancient ecosystems meet modern conservation science — our teacher, our partner, and the measure of our success.

An Ancient Woodland in Northumberland

Mickley Wood is part of Hyon's Wood, located between Hexham and Newcastle in Northumberland. As an ancient woodland site, it contains ecological complexity refined over centuries — mycelial networks threading through the soil, veteran trees that have witnessed generations, and a community of species that cannot simply be replanted once lost.

This is why we chose Mickley Wood as EcoSentience's anchor site. It is both a subject of study and a teacher. The woodland does not merely host our research — it shapes our understanding of what conservation means.

The woodland is freely provided for our use through a formal agreement for research and monitoring. This generosity allows us to focus resources on conservation work rather than land acquisition.

More Than Trees

Ancient woodland is not defined by trees alone. Beneath the canopy, a complex web of life connects every organism:

Fungal Networks

Mycorrhizal fungi form underground networks — the "Wood-Wide Web" — connecting trees and enabling the exchange of nutrients and information. These networks are the inspiration for Aurora's architecture, and a focal point for our eDNA research.

Canopy & Understorey

From veteran oaks to hazel coppice, from woodland flowers to deadwood invertebrates — each layer supports species that have co-evolved over millennia.

Soil & Water

The woodland's soils hold centuries of organic matter and countless microorganisms. Our environmental monitoring tracks soil moisture, temperature, and chemistry to understand how this foundation supports everything above.

Conservation

Conservation in Practice

EcoSentience's approach combines traditional woodland stewardship with modern monitoring and research:

Habitat Management

We work to maintain and enhance the woodland's ecological value — managing invasive species, supporting natural regeneration, and ensuring that human activity enhances rather than diminishes the ecosystem.

Community Connection

Mickley Wood is not an isolated reserve. It exists within a landscape and a community. We welcome volunteers, students, and researchers who want to contribute to its care.

Minimal Intervention

Sometimes the best action is to let the woodland govern itself. Our monitoring helps us understand when to act and when to step back.

Science

Research & Monitoring

Mickley Wood serves as our primary research site, where the Triquetra Principle comes to life in practice:

Environmental DNA Study

Our flagship research project is an eDNA metabarcoding study focused on fungal biodiversity. By analysing trace DNA in soil samples, we can reveal species that are invisible to traditional survey methods — building a complete picture of the woodland's fungal community.

Status: This study needs funding to proceed.

Support this research →

Microclimate Monitoring

We are establishing a network of sensors to track key environmental indicators: soil moisture, temperature, light levels, and atmospheric conditions. This data feeds into Aurora's environmental memory, creating a continuous record of the woodland's health.

Status: Sensor deployment is in progress.

Computational Analysis

Aurora processes monitoring data alongside human field observations, identifying patterns and correlations that would be invisible to any single researcher. This is the "eagle-eye perspective" — not replacing human judgment, but augmenting it.

Status: Aurora is under active development.

Visit & Get Involved

Mickley Wood is not open to unrestricted public access, but we welcome visits by arrangement:

Volunteer Days

Join working parties for conservation tasks, species surveys, and monitoring work. No experience required — just a willingness to learn from the forest.

Express interest →

Research Collaboration

We welcome enquiries from researchers, students, and institutions interested in collaboration.

Contact us →

Support Our Work

Your donation directly funds research, monitoring, and conservation at Mickley Wood.

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Support This Work

Our conservation work at Mickley Wood depends on the support of people who believe that technology and nature can thrive together.

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