Meet The Team
Founder & Director
Daneen Cowling
I am an environmental data and spatial strategy specialist with particular expertise in habitat connectivity modelling and evidence-led nature recovery planning. My work focuses on understanding how landscapes function for nature and how spatial data can be used to design effective, resilient environmental strategies at local, regional and national scales.
I specialise in connectivity and resistance modelling, using tools including Condatis and Circuitscape, supporting projects that bridge science, policy and practical land management.
I am a specialist in environmental spatial strategies and a co-author of the nationally recognised exemplar Isle of Wight Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). My background includes significant experience in the public sector, having worked with Natural England and Defra, giving me strong insight into nature policy, regulation and delivery frameworks, and how to translate complex data into decision-ready outputs. I have influenced national approaches to habitat connectivity and nature recovery through my contribution as a published author on Natural England research, helping embed advanced spatial modelling into policy-relevant evidence. I am also a member of the Strategic Nature Network Advisory Group for Rebuilding Nature, where I provide expert advice on connectivity, spatial prioritisation and delivery at scale.
Alongside my work at Nature Data Solutions, I am Co-Director of The Common Space, an Isle of Wight-based not-for-profit organisation focused on nature recovery and social recovery, working at the intersection of environment, communities and place. I also lead policy and research collaboration with Artecology, a leading eco-engineering organisation, supporting innovation at the boundary between ecology, design and infrastructure.
I am a part-time PhD researcher at the University of Exeter, where my research uses remote sensing to understand the changing resilience of nature across the UK, strengthening the link between academic research and applied environmental decision-making.
GIS and Remote Sensing Specialist
Dr Olly Bartlett
I am an Earth observation and remote sensing specialist with expertise in GIS, UAV surveying and spatial data analysis. My work focuses on understanding how vulnerable ecosystems are changing in a warming world, using satellite, aerial and drone-derived data to generate practical insights for biodiversity conservation, biosecurity and landscape restoration.
My background is rooted in high-impact environmental research, with multiple publications in international peer-reviewed journals covering environmental change and remote sensing. I am a co-lead author of a landmark Nature Geosciencestudy on the greening of the Antarctic Peninsula, which received widespread international attention and was featured by nearly 600 media outlets, including global radio and television broadcasts. I am also passionate about science communication and education, with experience sharing complex environmental research with academic, professional and public audiences. This work reflects my broader commitment to generating robust scientific evidence and communicating it clearly, helping others understand how climate change is transforming our planet.
I specialise in remote sensing approaches that connect fine-scale UAV data with satellite Earth observation to generate ecological insights across scales. Holding a CAA GVC for drone operation, I have designed and delivered complex aerial survey campaigns across the UK and in challenging global environments including Greenland, Nepal, Svalbard and the Peruvian Andes. By integrating UAV, aerial and spaceborne data, my work helps bridge the gap between detailed field observations and landscape-scale monitoring, expanding the capability to understand, measure and protect nature more effectively. Having now moved from academia to Nature Data Solutions, I am focused on applying this expertise to deliver more direct, practical impact for nature recovery and conservation.
At Nature Data Solutions, I apply my expertise in Earth observation, UAV deployment and machine learning to develop innovative tools for investigation, monitoring and reporting on nature. My focus is on turning advanced environmental data into scalable, practical solutions that support nature recovery and resilient landscapes.
