Privacy policy
What we collect, why we use it, and the control you keep over it.
Draft for review. Two details are still to be confirmed and are marked in square brackets below: the privacy contact address, and how long account data is kept after an account is closed.
1. Who we are
Forestry Connect is the data controller for the personal information you give us. If you have a question about any of this, get in touch or email [privacy email].
2. What we collect
- Account details: your name, email address and password (stored encrypted; we never see your password).
- Profile details you choose to add: photo, headline, bio, location, contact details, website, social links, specialisms, skills and certifications.
- Content you post: feed posts, comments, private messages, job listings and job alerts.
- Billing: payments are processed by Stripe. We never see or store your card number; we hold your subscription status and payment history references.
- Technical: login times, IP address and device information for security (for example our one-time email login codes), and basic usage records.
3. Why we use it
- To run your membership: your profile, the feed, the directory, messaging, jobs and billing (performance of our contract with you).
- To keep the platform safe: login security, moderation of reported content, and fraud prevention (legitimate interests).
- To email you: service emails (login codes, invoices, account changes) always; notification emails only as set in your account preferences.
4. Your choices and rights
- Your profile is hidden from the directory until you choose to list it, and you control which contact details show.
- You can access, correct or delete your information, and you can close your account at any time. Contact [privacy email] and we will respond within one month.
- You can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk) if you are unhappy with how we handle your data.
5. Sharing and retention
- We share data only with the services that run the platform: Stripe (payments), our hosting provider, and our email delivery service (Mailgun). We do not sell your data.
- We keep account data while your membership is active and for [retention period, for example 12 months] after closure, unless the law requires longer.
6. Keeping it safe
Every login needs your password plus a one-time code sent to your email address, so a stolen password on its own is not enough to reach your account. Passwords are stored hashed, traffic is encrypted in transit, and card details never touch our servers.
7. Cookies
See our cookie policy for what we set and why, and how to change your mind.