Digital Tree Regulation

Digital Tree Regulation

From The People's Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast by The People's Countryside

March 8, 2026 · 23 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the reliability of digital systems and the return to paper records, alongside the impact of technology on nature and public spaces.

If you’re looking for the experts, you may be in the wrong place. This week, Stuart “The Wildman” Mabbutt and William Mankelow dive headfirst into two BIG listener questions’ that ask whether we are putting too much faith in the systems around us. First up, Paula from Norfolk, England asks: “I’m seeing companies are being advised to keep hard copies of records and not just digital. We’re being told to back up and not have too much data in our phones. Has the online bubble burst? Are we realising it's not perfect, better or quicker after all, and that we shouldn’t constantly be walking around publicly with headphones in? Have we worked out what social media and online recommendations really are, and that the internet isn’t really regulated and nor will AI be really? Scary when you consider anything on the internet is on there somewhere forever” It is a big question. Has our faith in all things digital started to wobble? Stuart reflects on the quiet return to paper records in some settings, and argues for adaptability. Do not put all your eggs in one digital basket. William adds nuance. Technology can deepen our connection with the natural world, from identifying birds to…

People in this episode

Hosts: Stuart Mabbutt, William Mankelow

Topics covered

  • digital technology
  • environment
  • social media
  • data management
  • nature
  • public spaces

Keywords

  • digital records
  • paper records
  • social media
  • technology
  • environment
  • public spaces
  • data
  • AI
  • nature

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Norfolk, Oxford

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