Satellites for Biodiversity Award: Evolving for 2027

The geospatial technology landscape is evolving rapidly, opening up exciting new possibilities for understanding, monitoring and protecting our planet's biodiversity.

To embrace these advances, Connected Conservation Foundation and the Airbus Foundation are using learnings and insights from the last four rounds to focus on where combining very-high-resolution imagery (VHR), artificial intelligence (AI), and field data can make a difference for Biodiversity, where lower-resolution satellite imagery can’t. The next phase of our Satellites for Biodiversity Award will be more focused and relaunched in early 2027 to encompass the changing needs of field teams and the latest innovations in satellite technology, AI and geospatial analysis.

We're also exploring how the next chapter of the award can better support increased participation by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, recognising their invaluable traditional knowledge, leadership, and role in delivering successful ground-truthing insights from satellite monitoring and lasting conservation outcomes. This evolution marks an exciting opportunity to strengthen connections between local expertise, cutting-edge technology, and practical conservation action.

---

What's next? 

We'll be revealing more about the award's new direction in the new year.  Sign up for our e-newsletter or revisit this page in Spring 2027 to see what’s in store. 

---

Discover what our previous awardees have achieved

Explore the remarkable work already underway through the Satellites for Biodiversity Award. From tracking endangered wildlife to mapping invasive species and identifying ecosystem connectivity and suitable habitats, see how our awardees combine satellite imagery, AI and field data to address conservation challenges.

Learn from their work through our Ecosystem Insights Hub, including:

• Protecting one-horned rhinos in Nepal: ZSL used high-resolution satellite imagery to map invasive plants threatening vital rhino grasslands, achieving approximately 83% mapping accuracy and generating new evidence to inform habitat management.

• Understanding Andean bear movements in Peru: Conservación Amazónica and CCF combined satellite imagery with GPS collar data to identify important habitats, wildlife movement patterns and potential human–wildlife conflict hotspots.

• Mapping habitats in South Sudan: Fauna & Flora used satellite imagery and AI to produce detailed land-cover maps of protected areas, revealing forests, wetlands and pressures from deforestation to support conservation planning.

• Supporting Ethiopian wolf conservation: Researchers at Chulalongkorn University used satellite imagery and AI to investigate changes in settlements and agricultural land, helping inform community engagement and conservation interventions.

---

Any other questions? 

Please contact info@connectedconservation.foundation