TerraPatch is an invitation to notice—not an identification or safety tool. Confirm organisms, conditions, access, and safety independently before handling, consuming, approaching, or entering anything.
Quick answers
Where is my data?
Your saved patch, widget snapshot, field notes, and attached photographs stay in TerraPatch’s private storage on your device. Ecopoiesis cannot see or restore them.
Does TerraPatch track me?
No continuous tracking occurs. Location is requested when you ask TerraPatch to find your patch. The resulting coordinate is saved locally and copied into new field notes.
Can I use it without location?
Yes. Continue with an available default regional layer. Place-based sky times and nature prompts will describe that saved default rather than your actual location.
Why is a sighting not here?
Nature responds to weather, habitat, and microclimate. Almanac prompts describe what may be stirring; they do not guarantee a sighting at every place.
Are photo locations retained?
TerraPatch re-encodes the image without the source file’s EXIF/GPS metadata. The field note may still store TerraPatch’s separately saved patch coordinate.
Does it sync?
No. The current version has no TerraPatch account or CloudKit sync. Apple device backups may include app data depending on your settings.
Widget help
Open TerraPatch after selecting a patch so the app can prepare the widget snapshot. Add the TerraPatch widget through the iOS home-screen widget gallery. Widget timing is controlled partly by iOS, so a refresh may not appear immediately. If content remains stale, open TerraPatch again and confirm that the app and iOS are current.
Location help
Check iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → TerraPatch if location was denied or is unavailable. TerraPatch requests location only while the app is in use. The current development build does not yet provide a complete in-app patch-management screen for replacing or erasing a previously saved coordinate.
Field notes and deletion
Open a field note to edit it or use Delete this field note. Deletion removes the note and its attached local photograph from the active journal. The current development build does not yet provide a single Delete All Data control for notes, patch preferences, and widget information. Removing the app normally clears its private local container, subject to Apple backup behavior.
Participation links
TerraPatch points to independent programs; it does not enroll you or submit observations. Confirm dates, eligibility, training, safety requirements, privacy practices, and current contact information with the organization itself.
Before contacting support
- Confirm you are using the latest available TerraPatch and iOS versions.
- Include your iPhone model, iOS version, and what you were trying to do.
- For a content correction, include the date, region, affected entry, and a reliable source if available.
- Remove coordinates, people, private-property details, and photographs from screenshots unless essential.
- Do not send sensitive-species coordinates through ordinary email.
Contact TerraPatch support
Email info@ecopoiesisconsulting.com and put “TerraPatch” in the subject line.
Ecopoiesis Consulting LLC
PO Box 117
Nottingham, NH 03290