The Wilderness Society
Watch on Nature Project
Between 2023 and 2024, Upbeat Digital took the lead in the complete redevelopment of Watch on Nature, The Wilderness Society’s flagship platform. This field-leading citizen science tool empowers Australians to monitor, detect, and report on deforestation in near real-time using satellite imagery—from bushland clearing to logging and fire events.
Role & Responsibilities
As Project Manager, Upbeat Digital orchestrated the project’s full lifecycle:
Technical coordination with developers to integrate Google satellite imagery in a user-friendly interface
Iterative rollouts, piloting versions and refining features based on real-world use
User testing to ensure diverse audiences—from citizen scientists to volunteer groups—can easily engage with the platform
Stakeholder alignment across internal campaign teams, analysts, and external volunteer networks
Milestone management, including overseeing launch planning, timelines, and resource allocation
Impact & Recognition
Dramatic increase in detection capacity: In the first five months post-launch, the platform captured over 900 clearing submissions—holding pace with the 340 reports generated across the previous 3.5 years
Reference: Joseph Marks.Media and enforcement outcomes: Clearing alerts triggered drone missions and led to nine national news stories, including an ABC 7:30 Report feature.
Platform adoption across organisations: ENVGOs such as Victoria National Parks Association, Pew Charitable Trusts, Environment Centre NT, Traditional Owner groups, and others began using Watch on Nature as a shared monitoring tool
Reference: The Wilderness Society.Most notably, the platform won the 2023 Australian Good Design Award (Social Impact category) for Excellence in Design and Innovation—praised by the jury for its compelling blend of impact, community empowerment, and technological strength.
Outcomes
The revitalised platform not only improved usability and engagement—it also amplified The Wilderness Society’s capacity to mobilise volunteers, strengthen environmental advocacy, and report deforestation in near real-time.
👉 Click here to learn more about Watch on Nature and The Wilderness Society’s environmental work.