Messages.

Getting Involved

Over 50% of records held in the SEWBReC database come from local recording experts and members of the public. It is therefore an important role of SEWBReC to promote and support biological recording throughout its area. We are especially keen to encourage and help enthusiasts to start recording the wildlife they see and send that information into SEWBReC. We will ensure it is sent to local recording experts to be checked and authenticated before it is entered into the SEWBReC database. It can then be made available for exchange with National Recording Schemes and National Biodiversity Network Gateway, to add to our biodiversity knowledge at a local and national scale.

Why record Wildlife?

  • Ensure human activities do not cause damage to wildlife and biodiversity
  • Can plot distributions of species locally and nationally
  • Monitor changes in distribution
  • Derive which species are rare locally and nationally
  • Monitor loss and gain of species
  • Contribute towards climate change information

What to record?

  • All records of wildlife are important to SEWBReC
  • What you feel confident in identifying or provide evidence such as photo
  • Could select a particular group e.g. birds, butterflies
  • Or record on ‘local patch’ eg back garden, favourite walk or woodland

To make a biological record we need the following information:

- What was the species you saw (Common name plus Scientific if possible)
- Where did you see it (local place name plus 6 or 8 figure grid reference)
- Who was the recorder and, if necessary, who confirmed the identification
- When did you see it (date)

The easiest way to send your sightings into SEWBReC is to use the our online recording website SEWBReCORD. Here you can register and save, view and map all your records. It ensures that the correct information is added, including photos if available, and can be directly verified by the local experts. It is then easily available to be downloaded into the SEWBReC main species database.

If you do not want to register on-line we can still receive records preferably in an electronic format such as a spreadsheet or from biological software such as Recorder 6 or MapMate. If you wish, you can download an excel spreadsheet preconfigured for recorders, and which outlines the information we need to import records into the SEWBReC Recorder 6 database.

To easily find a grid reference for your record go to the Grab a Grid reference tool.

To see a summary of records SEWBReC holds for your area go to Adeyn.