Friday 18th September 2026

Hi EMSA Community,

Latest Monitor App update delivers new features, improvements and fixes

This update introduces several enhancements requested by users, including improved Fauna Ground Counts workflows, easier plot management, direct data backups, and faster data refreshes. It also resolves a number of issues affecting syncing, protocol execution and record editing.

Features

•  Fauna Ground Counts - added Tide and Water Level dropdowns, and a bird sighting notes text field and a widget to record a Survey Disturbances tally
• Plot Selection - new 'Land Tenure' field
• Flagging a tree as dead no longer requires a Floristics voucher in Condition and Basal / DBH
• Download a backup of your data directly from the app
• Quickly adjust a record's plot context

 Fixes

•  Crashes and out-of-memory errors during 'Refresh Projects and Data'
• Projects page spinning forever after upgrading the app
• The app better handles recovering from interrupted syncs
• Data that had just synced could silently fail to reach the app - for example a Plot Selection not being available in Plot Layout and Visit
• Plot links could be lost when two collectors submitted plot selections to the same project at the same time
• The first 'refresh projects and data' after an app update failed when new protocols had been deployed
• Stale records shown after a data update
• Floristics - selecting the 'Plant Tissue' tab created a record on its own
• Floristics voucher picker - deselecting one voucher discarded all the others
• Fauna Ground Counts - Transects - the observation step didn't appear after 'Start survey'
• Fauna Ground Counts - cat coat colour was hidden depending on the track log interval setting
• Vertebrate Trap Check - the setup survey dropdown wasn't in date order and pre-selected the wrong survey
• Condition / Recruitment Survivorship - Hollows fields weren't enforced; existing records have been audited and repaired
• Plot Layout - the exact number of points is now enforced, and Fauna plots are handled better
• Blank Point-intercept step and error popup when starting a protocol straight after a sync
• Deleting a survey left a permanent 'Failed to load protocol' row on your Profile page
• Recollected Voucher summaries showed nested survey, plot visit and visit notes detail
• Crashes when saving a Condition Tree Record, on Sign-based off-plot belt transects, and when uploading a corrupted KMZ file
• Numbers with an upper limit were incorrectly rejected when saving an edited record
• Edit state didn't update when the record being edited was cleared from the in-progress table
• The compass icon displayed in reverse
• Some location data was being rounded
• The second and later Plot Selection expansion items didn't close after saving
• Cover - edit intercept fields didn't line up with their headings

 Improvements

•  Faster, more targeted data refresh - only changed records are re-fetched
• Better handling and clearer messaging around Floristics Vouchers (loading, not applicable, and first-survey guidance)
• Track log recording standardised to 15-second intervals across the Pest Fauna protocols
• Camera Trapping - tighter deployment and point relations, and correct relations shown in summaries
• Invertebrates - both the planned grid and the actual point location are now recorded
• Fauna Ground Counts - transect length and bearing are now required, with a clearer error message
• File size limits, with a warning when uploading large files
• Sync progress now stays visible through the post-sync data refresh, so edit buttons no longer re-disable after a sync appears finished
• Clearer indication when the sync button is disabled, and fewer false-positive errors retrieving attachments during a sync
• Only one queue sync or data dump can run at a time
• Editing queued protocols - more edge cases handled, and protocols can be cleared from the in-progress table
• Plot-based protocols are blocked when the plot isn't assigned to your project
• Background Fire Surveys no longer appear in the in-progress list
• Clearer messaging when location permission is declined
• Opportune quick button improvements
• Autoscroll turned off in Floristics, and the growth form list reordered
• More stable under heavy load
• Assorted minor fixes and polish

As always, thank you to everyone who continues to provide feedback from the field. Your suggestions help shape ongoing improvements and ensure the Monitor App remains a reliable tool for ecological monitoring and data collection. Keep the feedback coming as we continue to enhance functionality, performance and user experience.