Owletts Ecology
The landscape analysis we built for our own farm — now available for yours.
How It Started
When we needed to understand our hydrology, model flood risk, and work out where to put leaky dams, we discovered two things. First, that much of the data required for indicative designs is freely available — LiDAR, habitat inventories, geology, soils. Second, that whilst there are some things which need expert support and formal paperwork, lots can be DIY.
So we built the tools ourselves, using freely available national datasets, supplemented with the high precision and bespoke data collection we commissioned, plus plenty of research, and trial and error, to determine some rather good algorithms. And once we had them working for our farm, it seemed silly not to make them available to everyone else.
What It Does
Terrain Analysis
Hillshade, slope, and canopy height from 50cm LiDAR. See the shape of your land in a way that'll change how you think about it.
Hydrology
Flow routing, stream networks, topographic wetness, HAND, depression hierarchy. Where the water goes, and where it pools.
Flood Modelling
Full 2D shallow water modelling via LISFLOOD-FP. Design storm scenarios. Before-and-after comparison for your interventions.
BNG Assessment
Biodiversity Net Gain Metric 4.0 baseline. Habitat mapping aligned with Priority Habitat Inventory and UKHab.
NFM Modelling
Leaky dam cascades, bund and scrape interventions, inundation analysis. Work out what difference your interventions will actually make.
Collaborate with Your Neighbours
Incorporate details of neighbouring land holdings across which nature flows.
Three Steps
- Draw your catchment on an interactive map.
- We run the analysis — downloading datasets, processing terrain, running the models. Automatically.
- You get results — interactive maps, site reports, downloadable GIS data. Ready for planning submissions or just understanding your land better.
Who It's For
Farmers & Land Managers
Know your land's hydrology and habitat potential before you spend money on consultants. We built this because we wished it had existed when we started.
Ecologists
Generate baseline data in minutes instead of weeks. Spend your time on the fieldwork and expert judgement that actually needs a human.
Conservation Bodies
Catchment-scale analysis for site identification, NFM cascades, and BNG quantification. Evidence for funding bids and planning.
Interested?
The platform is under active development. If you'd like to have a look or get involved, drop us a line — we'd love to hear from you.