Carbon Digital

C8CarbonDigitalReport.pdf (carbonlandscape.org.uk)

Carbon Digital is part of the legacy of the Carbon Landscape. Through a combination of archives, gallery, educational resources, interpretation material, publications and the RoundView game, we have been able to create a virtual platform for the Carbon Landscape Partnership.

Achievements:

• 160 downloadable resources www.carbonlandscape.org.uk/resources
• Games aimed predominantly at primary aged children including the RoundView game
• Films with different purposes accessible from the website and YouTube channel
• Podcasts e.g. Timewalks, Guided Meditation, Beat Stress with Nature
• Geo-located soundscapes usually using the IZI Travel App
• Virtual Reality Film to be viewed through a headset or in a dome
• Augmented Reality App where wildlife “pops” out in the landscape
• Downloadable Landscape Adventurers resources
• Downloadable resources aimed at over 12s include skills training, heritage, running a project, managing habitats, trainee’s reports

Feedback from the 2020 Youth Summit

‘’there is a disconnect for us with green spaces. You [the environment organisations] need to get behind digital projects, you need to enthral and engage a new generation.”

Novel digital assets always involve a leap of faith. As Arts and Event Co-ordinator Bernie Dalrymple said

“We may never know the impact although we do know the resources have been accessed more than 1000 times and we will continually look for ways to promote Carbon Digital since all the resources are free.”

Something that we can evaluate successfully is the programme teams relationships with digital content creators. Several members of the programme team, especially Lydia Dayes (Senior Project Officer) and Bernie Dalrymple, were unique and divergent in their commissions.

Into the future

The digital resources are the legacy of the Carbon Landscape. Everyone has free access to these resources for free. Everything that has been created from educational resources to interpretation material and even an interactive RoundView Game, are supportable across multiple platforms from tablet, phone and laptop.

The AR app has the potential to get children and young people familiar with the wildlife on their doorstep even if they cannot physically see it. This is often a criticism of nature reserves is that you never see the wildlife. The community co-produced AR app has the potential to be a game changer in the way the Carbon Landscape is perceived.

The challenge will always be getting the digital technologies to reach their full potential i.e. spreading the word and confidence building. Our hope for the future is that all the community groups, volunteers and schools that we have worked with over the years will use these resources to their own advantage.