About Forth Environmental Resilience Array (Forth-ERA)

Forth Environmental Resilience Array (Forth-ERA) is the first of its kind – a digital observatory of the Firth of Forth's entire water catchment. A living laboratory providing environmental data and analytics. It will facilitate world-leading scientific research, promote more efficient environmental management and regulation, and stimulate business innovation in support of Scotland’s transition to a net zero carbon society.

The programme will expand to develop a full catchment design, enabling that critical system scale understanding and providing real time data sets on multiple themes. We will measure and analyse environmental data such as water quality/quantity, flooding, peatland restoration, air quality, and emerging themes in biodiversity.

We use near and real-time data flows from sensors, satellites and models to provide a one-stop-shop for environmental data. This enables the Forth catchment’s diverse organisations, from heavy industry to national parks, to take data-led, evidence-based decisions and plan for a sustainable and just transition to a net zero future. This could include catchment management planning and watershed management strategies.

Global impact

The innovative approach of Forth-ERA will be transformative, driving sustainable economic recovery on a local, regional and ultimately global scale.

Technology being deployed can be applied in a wide range of settings and across multiple sectors: from agriculture and fisheries, and food and drink, to shipping and navigation, biodiversity and conservation, oil and gas, renewables and low carbon, green tourism and heritage, local and national governance and public health.

It is scalable and replicable and has the potential to offer intelligent, data-led solutions to support businesses, policymakers and regulators, across the world, transition to a more sustainable future.

Forth-ERA has been recognised as an exemplar for digital water across the UK engaging with government departments and gaining supersite status with the DANUBIUS-RI pan-European research infrastructure on River-Sea systems. On behalf of the UK Water Industry, the UK Water Partnership shine the spotlight on Forth-ERA as an example of best practice, from which the efficacy of digital technologies and interventions can be tested and appropriately scaled up across the UK and internationally to the benefit of all.

Our objectives

Position Scotland and the Forth Valley region as a global leader in, environmental monitoring, earth observation and green data to support the just transition.
Design and operate a world class “digital twin” catchment infrastructure, supporting the green recovery at a regional level, ensuring its outputs are of value to support regional transformation.
Provide a single point of access to open environmental data and analytics for the Forth Valley region (for science, business and communities).
Facilitate world leading research and innovation to support the net zero transition (locally, nationally, and globally).
Create the evidence to support regional climate solutions that can be scaled and replicated.
Stimulate enterprise, entrepreneurship & innovation in new green technologies and data solutions.
Provide a long-term climate asset for multiple stakeholders to utilise to inform and influence decision making, regulation and policy.
Support and promote climate citizenship across the region through the delivery of skills, employability, and educational opportunities through the Region

Welcome to a climate tour of the Firth of Forth

Putting data to practical use

Data applications can support:

Effective monitoring of peatland restoration, coastal stability and salt marshes and remote monitoring of water bodies.
Provide near-real time detection and monitoring of wastewater discharges from treatment works. Assist harbour authorities with information on sedimentation and navigation waterways.
Provide data about marine ocean currents and waves for shipping, optimising routes to improve safety, reduce fuel and improve time efficiencies.
In real-time, monitor changes in soil moisture and river levels provide early warnings of potential flooding.

Supersite status

Supersite status with the DANUBIUS-RI pan-European research infrastructure on River-Sea systems