Forests of Data: Realising the Benefits of being Open and Reproducible in Research
Have you ever used data produced by another researcher? What about sharing the data you collected? Can you share it? Should you share it? Do you know how? Do you have difficult questions about data sharing that you are afraid to ask?
The Forests of Data event provided practical solutions and insights to these challenges. The lively day of speakers, networking, and a guided tour of Wytham Woods was organised to raise awareness about why to share research data, how to do it, and real stories on how it can be done. After four hours of lectures, seminars, and expert discussions, participants extended the conversation — not too loudly — in the woods.
Why discuss data in a forest?
Wytham Woods is one of the most researched woodlands in the world and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The protected setting shows that data sharing can happen in every field of knowledge. Long-term research at Wytham relies on well-documented, reusable data, making it a fitting backdrop for conversations about FAIR and reproducible practices.
What we covered
- Strategies to overcome institutional resistance and make a compelling case for sharing data
- How to work with historic datasets and metadata trapped in paper archives
- Common pitfalls when sharing and describing datasets, and how to avoid them
- Real examples of how to document, organise, and license data so that others can build upon your research
- Time with data-sharing experts, publishers, and researchers to surface honest questions in a supportive setting
As demand for responsible AI and open science grows, communities need spaces to explore the benefits and hesitations that surround data reuse. Forests of Data gave Oxford researchers exactly that—along with tea, fresh air, and a guided woodland walk.