The Nature FIRST project launched in 2022, with University of Staffordshire and 11 global partners working together to improve biodiversity and protect species being threatened by human activity across Europe – including wolf, bear, lynx, and sturgeon.
An event on 25 – 26 June 2025 will mark the culmination of the £4.9m Horizon Europe funded project, bringing together leading conservationists, researchers, policymakers, and innovators to exchange strategies and drive impactful solutions for biodiversity conservation.
Claire Gwinnett, Professor of Forensic and Environmental Science at University of Staffordshire, said: “This has been an ambitious project to address how we can peacefully co-exist with endangered animals, prevent crime and reduce animal-human conflict.
“We are incredibly excited to share the tools and training that we have developed, so that people and animals across the world can benefit. By making use of digital technologies and forensic investigation techniques, these new tools will help rangers, enforcement officers and other professionals to detect and respond more effectively to wildlife crime and other threats.”
Spanning Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia and Spain, the project has focussed on biogeographical regions including the Carpathians, the Danube Delta, the Stara Planina mountains, the Os Ancares and O Courel.
Nature FIRST’s approach draws on real-time data from satellites, drones, cameras and other sources to monitor protected locations.
Tools include an app to map and understand the extent, location, and patterns of human-wildlife conflicts, ranging from property and crop damage to encounters that threaten human safety.
Another has been created for habitat mapping, detecting changes in the environment to support real-time monitoring and decision-making.
University of Staffordshire students have also helped to develop a ‘Wildlife Forensic Toolkit’ to aid rangers on the ground with wildlife crime investigations. The students will showcase the toolkit at the Nature FIRST conference where they will teach visitors how to forensically examine a wildlife crime scene.
The conference is being held in the inspiring setting of Het Berenbos sanctuary at Ouwehands Dierenpark Zoo in the Netherlands, offering a unique and immersive experience where attendees can directly connect with the project’s conservation efforts.
The event will feature keynotes, panels and presentations, plus an exhibition and fair for both attendees and the general public visiting the zoo to experience a range of activities showcasing the project outcomes.
Professor Gwinnett added: “It’s time to prioritise wildlife crime investigations and prevention in all its forms – from terrestrial to marine; this conference will start the next steps of this journey and bring together those who can make a real change.”
Find more information on the Nature FIRST website and booking details for the conference.