Open hardware and the commons in wildlife conservation

The role of digital technologies in wildlife conservation is highly contested in both the ecological and social sciences. In this talk, I approach socioenvironmental aspects of conservation technologies through my studies of open technologies for ecological research. I discuss opportunities for commoning within conservation technology networks by examining the sociotechnical actors surrounding the Mothbox, an open source camera trap developed for insect monitoring. Drawing on empirical evidence from multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork across Panama and Indonesia, I describe the human and non-human actors that constitute the Mothbox network and how a hacker-aligned convivial ethos and the craft practices of ecologists negotiate power within it. Analysis of open technology networks, such as the Mothbox project, can provide insights into how commoning occurs within ecological research. 

This research was conducted as a 2026 fellow of the U.S. National Science Foundation “Socio-Environmental Knowledge Commons” (SEEKCommons) project. Presented online at the 2026 SEEKCommons Gathering, May 29 2026.