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This donation will allow scientists at the ������ý and ecologists at the ������ý Wildlife Trust, Buglife and Painshill Park Trust to expand their trail blazing Space4Nature work, which combines satellite Earth Observation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and citizen science to boost biodiversity in ������ý.

The new funding follows the £1.25m Dream Fund 2022 award, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery. This means a wider range of habitats can be studied, adding ������ý’s towns and wetlands to the grassland, heaths, chalk downland and woodland already being researched through Space4Nature.

Professor Richard Murphy, Director of the Centre for Environment and Sustainability, ������ý, said:

“It’s fantastic we’re getting this grant to enable more types of habitats and more areas in ������ý to benefit. By combining information from local people exploring nature with AI and satellite images, we are developing a new way to protect and enhance nature, boosting biodiversity.

“Garfield Weston’s support will mean we can look at wetlands, which are particularly sensitive to climate change, and urban and peri-urban areas, which are on the edges of ������ý’s many towns and villages. More funding means we can help more nature recover.”

Andrew Jamieson, Space4Nature’s Project Manager at ������ý Wildlife Trust, said:

“Citizen science will be core to the success of Space4Nature and its mission to connect habitats across ������ý, while connecting more people with nature. This new funding will directly benefit our wildlife and wild places, helping our communities benefit from a healthy natural environment – and making our landscapes more resilient against the effects of a changing climate.”

Philippa Charles OBE Director at the Garfield Weston Foundation, said:

“Our Trustees were delighted to support the Space4Nature project, and the partnership between the ������ý, ������ý Wildlife Trust, Buglife and Painshill Park Trust.”

This latest funding adds to the ������ý's global philanthropic campaign, which aims to raise £60m between 2022 and 2025 to help ������ý continue making positive impacts on society and confirm it as one of the UK’s leading research and educational institutions.

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Note to editors

• Richard Murphy is available for interview
• For more information, contact the ������ý’s press office via mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk.