Going to the CIEEM Autumn conference? So are we!

From Great Crested Newt, badger and bat surveys to habitat monitoring, surveys are the lifeblood of ecological consultancies.

Traditional pen and paper methods are still the go-to option for data collection in the sector, but with that comes unavoidable challenges.

Many hours are spent transcribing data from paper to digital format. Photos need to be found and associated with records. GIS teams need to interpret, as best they can, information scribbled on mud splattered paper maps. Errors inevitably creep in.

But, there’s a better way.

What is Coreo?

Coreo is the ultimate digital survey tool for ecologists.

Coreo is a platform that enables you to build your own data collection apps, without getting bamboozled by technical… stuff. Its simplicity, flexibility and toolset focused on ecology make it the ideal software solution to replace traditional, and often cumbersome paper-based systems.

With a range of pre-built templates, and an expert team on hand to support you throughout your digital journey, Coreo will be your one stop shop to help you to streamline your data collection and give you more time to do the things that really matter.

Functionality

Using your smartphone or tablet, Coreo enables you to capture the exact data you need:

Location data, including points, polygons and lines.
Photos and other media.

Build your surveys to maximise efficiency and accuracy:

Set mandatory fields.
Use conditional questions, searchable lists and check boxes.

Work offline – never be without the ability to record spatial data in remote locations:

Upload your own base maps or simply save maps for offline use from within the app.
Work with all your records offline.
Sync when online.

Get a headstart:

We know how busy you are. That’s why we’ve created a range of popular ecological survey templates that you can either use as-is, or edit to fit with current organisation requirements.

Never be without a survey:

All your company’s surveys are instantly available in the Coreo app. No more forgetting to print out paper-based survey forms, or turning up on site with the wrong form. Just remember your phone!

The UKHab Survey App

Designed by ecologists, for ecologists, the official UKHab Survey App, exclusive to Coreo supports you in professional habitat surveying and biodiversity net gain (BNG) assessments and calculations.
Trusted by ecologists across the country, the UKHab Survey App is being used both in the field and in the office to help ecologists to streamline their UKHab assessments.
The survey has been created by experts at UKHab.org and is automatically updated in line with any changes made by DEFRA.
Access to habitat codes, names and definitions is at your finger tips. Leave the UKHab print out at home!
The app presents only relevant questions at each step, meaning surveys are intuitive, quick to complete and results are always logical.
Coreo automatically converts submitted UKHab Surveys into two ready-to-use formats:
- the standard UKHab data model format, for use in reports and mapping software such as ArcGIS and QGIS.
- the Condition Assessment format, which is ready to be input into the Biodiversity Metric Calculation Tool

About us

Established in 2013, Natural Apptitude was formed with the core aim of helping to make the world a better place via data collection.

Initially, the business focused on creating easy to use, citizen science apps for large scale projects such as the Big Butterfly Count and Swift Mapper. But we dreamed of putting the power of app creation into the hands of our users. That’s when the idea for Coreo was born. It’s now widely used by both individuals and organisations to support conservation and environmental initiatives.

The Coreo team have a wealth of knowledge and experience that spans beyond technology. With former ecologists, environmental and, of course, computer scientists among our ranks we understand exactly what it takes to make every project a success.

We pride ourselves on our commitment to supporting our customers, no matter what stage they’re at in their Coreo journey. We work closely with each and every one of our clients, ensuring they have everything they need from the start.

Our passion for the environment also goes beyond our work. In Summer 2022, we announced a brand new charity partnership with Curlew Action. As well as providing financial support, we will also be providing pro bono services to the curlew conservation network including consultancy on data collection and access to Coreo, to collect vital data on nesting sites and Curlew numbers, along with supporting various citizen science initiatives.

Photograph by Andy Gregory.

CIEEM 2022