
The irony of me typing this question into ‘Chat GPT’ is not lost on me. The answer I received back? Well, you will need to keep reading to find out! But first, to provide you with the context on why I am asking the question in the first place.
I had the great fortune of joining the MOYO Nature Positive Tourism training in Italy last autumn, which was not only a fantastic learning experience, but also an incredible opportunity to meet like-minded people from across Europe—all with different backgrounds, but all sharing the same passion for nature.

Our final task at the end of the week was to pitch a ‘nature positive’ tourism idea or initiative to the rest of the group, something that we could potentially implement or pursue on our return from the program; something innovative or unique, that would have a positive impact on the natural world.
Working for a large privately-owned wilderness reserve in the Scottish Highlands—which was previously a hunting estate, but acquired by its current custodian with a vision to restore the natural landscape and ecosystems—I had this idea for a guest experience that could help to bring this vision to life. I thought “wouldn’t it be cool if we could literally show people what the fragments of ancient Caledonian Pine Forest looked like in the days of the Celts, or perhaps what it could look like hundreds of years from now, following its extensive restoration and regeneration”.
But how could we go beyond simply showing some illustrations on a screen? How could we really immerse people in the regenerated forest, get them to feel it, and then feel compelled to protect it?
Augmented Reality!
According to TechTarget, Augmented reality (AR) is “the integration of digital information with the user's environment in real time. Unlike virtual reality (VR), which creates a totally artificial environment, AR users experience their real-world environment with generated perceptual information overlaid on top of it.”
Essentially, creating an experience that seamlessly interweaves the physical world so that it’s perceived as an immersive aspect of the real natural environment. I’d played with the idea during an innovation contest at a previous employer, winning with our Reimagine, Rewild concept. But this time, I had an actual use case. And we could add elements in the real world, too; like projection, light and sound. What a unique experience that would be for the guests of our reserve, I thought!

What I didn’t think about, however, was the potential impact on the residents of said forest (that being, the wildlife). Simon and Aukje guided me into thinking about what the increased footfall, noise and light pollution would mean for them. Whilst the idea certainly had merit, and if done sensitively could provide a sensory experience to educate guests on the important work the reserve had undertaken to restore the endangered forest, the potential negative consequences in the process would likely outweigh any nature positivity.
In an increasingly digital world—where fear around the use of AI, and its potential to replace jobs as well as art, is growing—it got me wondering if technology has a role to play in the ‘nature positive’ movement at all, or if it just leaves us feeling even more disconnected from it?
I wanted to find some effective examples of where technology has been used for good, to support nature recovery. Naturally, I turned to AI to find out. Here’s what it had to say…
“Absolutely, technology has a critical role to play in the Nature Positive movement. While this movement is grounded in biodiversity conservation, technology can support it in several ways:
Monitoring and data collection; tools like satellites, drones, and remote sensing can provide real-time data on forests, oceans, and other natural habitats, helps in monitoring biodiversity, detecting illegal deforestation, and assessing the effectiveness of conservation efforts.
Restoration and conservation efforts; drone seeding is being used to help restore degraded landscapes, by planting trees and vegetation in areas that are difficult to reach.
Sustainable agriculture and food systems; AI, sensors, and data analytics, can reduce the environmental footprint of farming by optimising water usage, minimising pesticide and fertiliser use, and reducing soil erosion.
Circular economy; technologies like blockchain can support traceability in supply chains, ensuring that resources are harvested sustainably and ethically.
Public awareness and engagement; raising awareness and engaging people in nature conservation through apps, virtual reality, and gamification; which can drive greater public support for policy changes and conservation initiatives.”
So, in a nutshell, Chat GPT concludes that technology is not just a tool, but a force multiplier in the Nature Positive movement, helping us to both protect and restore the natural world more efficiently and on a larger scale.
Share your thoughts below on whether you think technology helps, or hinders, our mission to create a more nature positive world?

This article was written by Hayley Whyte, Communications Officer for MOYO, and previous participant of the NPT training program.
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