Deep Time
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Mission Summaries

Each Deep Time mission has a goal: to explore a new landscape and to engage new people in the process. From ancient monuments to ecological habitats, we search for environmental clues that can support heritage and nature recovery in our landscapes.

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Cultural Heritage and Landscape Intelligence: Hadrian’s Wall

Participants will map Landscape Intelligence Features alongside the archaeology for the first time on this mission. This will help us examine archaeology's influence on the natural landscape.
  • 1,631 km2 Area
Explore

Live

Screening Priority Ponds at Scale: Freshwater Habitats Trust

This pilot could transform how pond inventories are built and updated at national scale, with Deep Time participants working alongside Freshwater Habitats Trust to remotely assess Priority Ponds across the New Forest using LiDAR, aerial imagery, and a purpose-built assessment workflow.

In partnership with: Freshwater Habitats Trust

Explore

Complete

Revealing Hidden Water: The North Pennines National Landscape

The North Pennines National Landscape urgently needed open water data to guide eDNA sampling and nature recovery planning. Deep Time participants mapped the entire landscape in just two weeks, delivering evidence now supporting the region's restoration strategy.
  • 2,369 km2 Area
  • 547 futurenauts
  • 7,430 Features Found

In partnership with: North Pennines National Landscape

Explore

Complete

Landscape-scale Habitat Intelligence: Hadrian’s Wall Corridor

Citizen scientists prove they can provide a fast and affordable alternative to traditional large-scale surveys across 1,631 km² of England’s most iconic landscape.
  • 1,631 km2 Area
  • 227 futurenauts
  • 32,414 Features Found

In partnership with: Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Northumberland National Park Authority, National Trust

Explore

Wallington Estate 2024

Complete

Comprehensive Habitat and Heritage Data: Wallington Estate 2024

Our return to Wallington Estate created a detailed habitat model which can be used together with our archaeology data from 2023 to explore how history overlaps with nature ahead of reforestation plans and monitor change as the forest grows.
  • 315 km2 Area
  • 470 futurenauts
  • 6,456 Features Found

In partnership with: National Trust

Explore

Complete

Baseline Habitats for Natural Capital: Brightwater 2024

The Brightwater Partnership needed locally specific habitat data to support nature recovery. Participants mapped 483 km², outperforming national datasets in 60% of grids, while building ecological literacy and a lasting sense of connection to their local landscape.
  • 483 km2 Area
  • 742 futurenauts
  • 11,646 Features Found

In partnership with: Durham Wildlife Trust

Explore

Complete

Rapid Coastal Monitoring: Northumberland Coast National Landscape

Coastal ecosystems are changing too fast for traditional monitoring. Deep Time participants mapped 593 km² of dynamic habitat, delivering data aligned with national conservation priorities while building skills and lasting connections to the coastline they helped document.
  • 593 km2 Area
  • 484 futurenauts
  • 12,364 Features Found

In partnership with: Northumberland Coast National Landscape

Explore

Complete

Coastal Archaeology Under Climate Threat: Purbeck and Studland

Coastal erosion along the Jurassic Coast was threatening archaeological features faster than they could be recorded. Participants increased the known record by 367%, many with no prior experience, proving that inclusive participation and rigorous data can go hand in hand.
  • 35 km2 Area
  • 228 pastronauts
  • 2,712 Features Found

In partnership with: National Trust

Explore

Complete

Guiding Reforestation with Archaeology: Wallington Estate

The National Trust needed precise archaeological data to guide tree planting without disturbing buried heritage. Participants increased the known record by 194% at 92.7% accuracy, with many discovering a passion for archaeology they never knew they had.
  • 54 km2 Area
  • 228 pastronauts
  • 2,488 Features Found

In partnership with: National Trust

Explore

Complete

Heritage and Peatland Recovery: Peak District

The National Trust needed archaeological data precise enough to guide peatland recovery. Participants more than doubled the existing record and raised data quality from 63% to 84%, while discovering new ways to explore and value the heritage on their doorstep.
  • 123 km2 Area
  • 296 pastronauts
  • 3,436 Features Found

In partnership with: National Trust

Explore

Complete

Where It All Began: Brightwater Pilot

Launched during the pandemic, this was Deep Time's first mission. 150 participants produced archaeological data at 94% accuracy across 220 km² of County Durham, proving that citizen science could deliver professional-quality results and genuine personal transformation.
  • 220 km2 Area
  • 150 pastronauts
  • 3,670 Features Found

In partnership with: Nesta

Explore

Live

Cultural Heritage and Landscape Intelligence: Hadrian’s Wall

Participants will map Landscape Intelligence Features alongside the archaeology for the first time on this mission. This will help us examine archaeology's influence on the natural landscape.

Live

Screening Priority Ponds at Scale: Freshwater Habitats Trust

This pilot could transform how pond inventories are built and updated at national scale, with Deep Time participants working alongside Freshwater Habitats Trust to remotely assess Priority Ponds across the New Forest using LiDAR, aerial imagery, and a purpose-built assessment workflow.

Complete

Revealing Hidden Water: The North Pennines National Landscape

The North Pennines National Landscape urgently needed open water data to guide eDNA sampling and nature recovery planning. Deep Time participants mapped the entire landscape in just two weeks, delivering evidence now supporting the region's restoration strategy.

Complete

Landscape-scale Habitat Intelligence: Hadrian’s Wall Corridor

Citizen scientists prove they can provide a fast and affordable alternative to traditional large-scale surveys across 1,631 km² of England’s most iconic landscape.

Wallington Estate 2024

Complete

Comprehensive Habitat and Heritage Data: Wallington Estate 2024

Our return to Wallington Estate created a detailed habitat model which can be used together with our archaeology data from 2023 to explore how history overlaps with nature ahead of reforestation plans and monitor change as the forest grows.

Complete

Baseline Habitats for Natural Capital: Brightwater 2024

The Brightwater Partnership needed locally specific habitat data to support nature recovery. Participants mapped 483 km², outperforming national datasets in 60% of grids, while building ecological literacy and a lasting sense of connection to their local landscape.

Complete

Rapid Coastal Monitoring: Northumberland Coast National Landscape

Coastal ecosystems are changing too fast for traditional monitoring. Deep Time participants mapped 593 km² of dynamic habitat, delivering data aligned with national conservation priorities while building skills and lasting connections to the coastline they helped document.

Complete

Coastal Archaeology Under Climate Threat: Purbeck and Studland

Coastal erosion along the Jurassic Coast was threatening archaeological features faster than they could be recorded. Participants increased the known record by 367%, many with no prior experience, proving that inclusive participation and rigorous data can go hand in hand.

Complete

Guiding Reforestation with Archaeology: Wallington Estate

The National Trust needed precise archaeological data to guide tree planting without disturbing buried heritage. Participants increased the known record by 194% at 92.7% accuracy, with many discovering a passion for archaeology they never knew they had.

Complete

Heritage and Peatland Recovery: Peak District

The National Trust needed archaeological data precise enough to guide peatland recovery. Participants more than doubled the existing record and raised data quality from 63% to 84%, while discovering new ways to explore and value the heritage on their doorstep.

Complete

Where It All Began: Brightwater Pilot

Launched during the pandemic, this was Deep Time's first mission. 150 participants produced archaeological data at 94% accuracy across 220 km² of County Durham, proving that citizen science could deliver professional-quality results and genuine personal transformation.

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