Information for Public & Communities

Below is a list of what we hope are interesting links to areas of information about the EVO. If, however, you can’t find what you are looking for, try the search facility at the top of each page.

What is EVO?
The Environmental Virtual Observatory (EVO) is a project trialing the use of innovative web-based technologies. The aim of EVO is to demonstrate how researchers using cloud computing, in collaboration with government, environmental regulators, industry and local communities, can develop better, more effective, and efficient solutions to pressing environmental issues.

Which are the environmental issues?
There are many environmental issues facing us today. EVO is focusing on some of those that are most important for the good functioning of the terrestrial water cycle. These include: sustainable use of natural resources such as soils and water, the effects of diffuse agricultural pollution of rivers and groundwater, and the impacts of major environmental changes including changes induced by climate change and changes in land use and land management practices.

Why cloud technology?
Cloud technology offers significant opportunities to improve how we can share and use data on the web. EVO is developing a range of examples of how this technology can be used to improve how we monitor, and manage the environment.

What is being done?
EVO is building web-based services and tools to enable environmental data to be shared, viewed and investigated across the web. It is also building examples of how such data and information can be brought together from a variety of sources to produce new predictive models of our environment.

How can I get involved?
You can use some of the examples of web services that EVO is developing and provide EVO with feedback. In addition, EVO is working with local communities in a couple of catchments, including the Eden catchment in Cumbria, to trial environmental modelling tools and services. If you live in one of these areas you can get in touch with the EVO team to find out how you can be involved.

Who is working on EVO?
EVO project team is a collaboration between two Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) research centres, a number of UK Universities, and stakeholders from government, environmental regulators and industry.  

How is EVO being funded?
The Environmental Virtual Observatory (EVO) is a pilot project funded by NERC.  NERC is the UK’s main agency for funding and managing research, training and knowledge exchange in the environmental sciences.