Developing Earth Observation Methods to Monitor Severe Winter Weather for Wildlife Protection

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) seeks a contractor with expertise in Earth Observation (EO) data and processing to develop an improved approach for assessing frozen ground and snow cover across England, Wales, and Scotland. This work will replace the current Met Office weather station data that JNCC uses to operate the Severe Weather Scheme (SWS), which advises on restricting shooting of wildfowl and waders during harsh winter conditions when birds are most vulnerable. Project Background: The SWS has operated since the 1980s, using manual weather station checks and later automated temperature thresholds to determine when shooting restrictions should be recommended. With the Met Office discontinuing their data service, JNCC requires an alternative data source that can reliably identify frozen or snow-covered ground conditions. Key Requirements: You will review available data sources (particularly EO datasets) that meet the following criteria: • Effectively assess ground state through temperature and snow cover metrics • Are freely or low-cost accessible • Provide data before 10:00 each morning for timely decision-making • Cover localised areas across England, Wales, and Scotland • Come from trusted, transparent, publicly available sources • Can be archived for future reference Project Deliverables: Objective 1: Conduct a light-touch literature review of relevant data sources and approaches, following UK government guidance on scoping reviews. Share screening methodology, included/excluded sources, and a summary of findings. Objective 2: Trial the most promising data source(s) using historical SWS data for comparison. Evaluate reliability for operational use and provide a recommendation for the optimal approach. Essential Skills: Advanced knowledge of EO datasets and data processing. Ornithological expertise is not required, as JNCC will provide necessary bird-related guidance. Budget: £25,000 including VAT