top of page
ArchAi_Main_Neg_RGB.png

Overall, our collaboration with the Forestry Commission has highlighted the potential of AI in environmental planning, conservation, and heritage management. The success of this project serves as a testament to the power of technology in aiding crucial environmental initiatives, paving the way for more innovative applications in the future.

This data can be useful for local authorities, land managers, and developers, in accordance with new governmental policy towards Local Nature Recovery, Biodiversity Net Gain, and Environmental Land Management Schemes. At ArchAI, we are proud to be at the intersection of technology and environmental stewardship. Our work with the Forestry Commission is a prime example of how cutting-edge technology can be harnessed for the greater good, ensuring a greener future while respecting and preserving our rich heritage.

As we continue to innovate and collaborate, we remain committed to our vision of a world where technology, nature, and heritage coexist in harmony, for the benefit of all.

Want to learn more about our historic map products? Email the team at sales@archai.io.

rf-height.png
rf-period.png
rf-heat.png

Meanwhile, our ridge and furrow dataset is based on current national LiDAR data from the Environment Agency. In addition to detecting their characteristic parallel lines in the landscape, their morphology can also be assessed - for example depth of furrows and height of ridges reflect their level of preservation. Additionally, the curvature of the ridge and furrow pattern can indicate its period of origin, as ox-drawn ploughing in the medieval era created a reverse S-shape, as opposed to the straight and narrow patterns that are characteristic of the later method of steam ploughing. This additional data can be used to ensure the most well-preserved and historically significant of these sites are unharmed by woodland creation initiatives. Due to the variance in height between ridges and furrows, the most well-preserved features can also harbour species-rich grassland, one of the rarest and most useful carbon storing habitats in the united Kingdom.

Traditionally subject to inconsistent protection across different local authorities, ridge and furrow patterns are often only recorded by specialist teams prior to development without recognition of their full historic value. ArchAI's method enables a groundbreaking standardisation in the preservation policies for ridge and furrow monuments, which can ensure the protection of ridge and furrow patterns nationwide. This AI-driven detection can similarly be replicated to reduce the risk of inadvertently damaging other types of historical sites in the landscape efficiently and create opportunities for their legislative protection on a scale never before seen.

Classifying Earthworks for
National Sensitivity Assessment
website-lidar-oct-2024.png

With the urgent need to combat climate change, tree planting has become a key strategy outlined in the 2021 Environment Act. The government has set ambitious goals to increase tree canopy and woodland cover from 14.5% to 16.5% by 2050, the highest levels in centuries. However, it's vital that this is done responsibly, balancing ecological needs with the preservation of our historical landscapes.

Our AI-driven approach provides a solution to this complex challenge, offering a method that is both efficient and sensitive to the historical context of the land. Our technology has enabled nationwide-scale historic map digitisation for the first time, quickly identifying potential areas for afforestation and balancing the potential for reforestation with an awareness of archaeological sensitivities and constraints.

ArchAI's historic woodland dataset utilises deep learning to digitise historic OS maps from the turn of the 20th century. This can help specialists determine the most ideal locations for afforestation, utilising existing fungal networks and suitable micro-environments to help woodland regrow naturally.

Woodlands Reviving the Historic Character

As environmental sustainability takes center stage, there is a risk of overlooking historical preservation. ArchAI provides technology that helps the Forestry Commission balance the need for afforestation with the protection of our historic landscapes. Our recent collaboration has been a journey in finding harmony between creating new woodlands and safeguarding our heritage.

archai-lost-woodland_edited.jpg

Supporting the Forestry Commission in Woodland Creation

February 2022 | Iris Kramer
Case studies
bottom of page