Peak District National Park Foundation secures funding to help address environmental issues

The view from the top of Mam Tor, in the Peak District, Derbyshire. Photo Credit: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Submitted by Fiona Stubbs

Funding has been provided to the Foundation and the Peak District National Park Authority to help address environmental issues.

Funding was provided by the Alan Turing Institute through its first Turing Internship Network (TIN) and Data Study Group (DSG) program.

Data science PhD researchers within organizations will work on data challenges, while interns will use their research and technical skills to find new ways to approach challenges.

The funding will be used in the Peak District to develop an automated land cover classification for the 555 square mile national park, using satellite and aerial photography and a range of data science tools in partnership with the University of Cranfield, Bedfordshire.

David Alexander, Senior Data Research Analyst at Peak District National Park, developed this research with lecturers from Cranfield University.

David said: “No feature of the national park landscape is untouched by past or present human activity.

“However, new technologies, climate change, increasing numbers of people and changing lifestyles mean that our potential to alter the environment and the appearance of the landscape is far greater today. than in any previous generation.

“Understanding land cover change at the landscape scale is fundamental to being able to measure the changes that are already happening, as well as the effect of the improvements we are making.”

The Foundation’s Fundraising Development Manager, Sarah Slowther, said: “Working together, the Foundation and the Peak District National Park Authority were in a unique position to access this exciting new stream of funding. .

“This funding gives us access to the expertise and knowledge of data scientists from across UK universities. This will not only support the priorities of the Foundation, but also the management plan for the national park as well as many other areas of our work.

The new joint initiative demonstrates Turing’s continued commitment to fighting climate change and learning more about its impact through data science and artificial intelligence (AI) research.

Applications for the participation of doctoral students are now open.

Other exciting internship opportunities are also available through the Turing Internship Network. These include internships in data science and responsible AI, cybersecurity, and data science for transportation and mobility.

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