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Thank you Ecology Expo 2026!

Mar 24, 2026

Burton Reid team member Tom Bosner reflects on his experience at Ecology Expo 2026

After a weekend of taking stock of the past week, there’s lots to think about this Monday morning.

We were spoiled with the weather and spoiled by the sheer amount of tech on display.

One of my favourite parts was the night‑time demos. Witnessing drones drifting through the dark and thermal cameras quietly picking up activity. There’s something exciting about seeing all this tech working out in the field instead of on a presentation slide.

What really made the event, though, was the mix of people. Ecologists, arbs, tech developers, everyone genuinely keen to share what they’ve learned and chat about what’s working well and what isn’t. It felt relaxed, open, and properly collaborative.

A few things that stuck with me:

How 3D scans and photogrammetry can capture tiny tree features in incredible detail, and the potential for PRA reporting.

The new bat ID pipelines and programmes tackling the never‑ending battle with by‑catch and tricky calls.

Discovering that soil acoustics is a real (and surprisingly useful) thing, and how it could help with long‑term habitat monitoring.

The abundance of thermal kit, from drones to handheld scopes and all the way up to bespoke thermal imaging options.

Came home with plenty of new ideas, a clearer sense of where the tech is heading, and a good boost of motivation for the year ahead.

Can’t wait for the next one already.

Thanks Ecology Expo