WILDLIFE RECORDING IN HERTFORDSHIRE
Compiling and managing records
Collecting your records in the field in an efficient way can save a lot of hassle! The traditional use of a good quality field note book and pen (pencil in wet weather!) often takes some beating, and has the advantage of being an ongoing, easily-read personal journal, which can be kept indefinitely by future generations with little effort, as long as others realise its worth! Its drawback is that the survival of the records in the future is precarious, and to make real use of the records, they need compiling into another form, thus making mistakes possible. Field record cards may be available for many groups. However, modern field data loggers are becoming more usable, and have the advantage of being able to hold large amounts of data which can be downloaded direct to databases.
Increasing sophistication in recording is needing more field observers to think of how they should be collating their own records. If a naturalist can run a computer, they would be well advised to invest in one of the standard wildlife database packages now becoming available. These include:
- Biobase (and its derivatives)
- Aditsite
- Mapmate (has advantage of integral mapping and e:mail export/import)
- Recorder 2000 (2002 about to be issued) (especially for those interested in more detailed records)
Ordinary spreadsheets can also be used, but be aware that the automatic sorting capability of these may degrade data, especially dates, if not handled with care. Use of word-processed documents is not recommended, as exporting data is more difficult.
The use of a standard database, especially Recorder 2000, is that data compiled in it is standardised in such a way as to facilitate exchange. Recorder 2000 (2002) embodies the National Biodiversity Network Data Exchange Format, which also has the advantage of making sure that your records cannot be altered by anyone else after they are passed down by you. All the other databases listed here, and spreadsheets, can export records to Recorder 2000 if needed. This database is now being used by the Hertfordshire Biological Records Centre (see below) and many national societies and national recording schemes.
Submitting records
Different subject areas may have different recording instructions, survey cards etc.. Contact the Recorder for the Group you are interested in for details.
In general, Recorders prefer to have records submitted in batches either at the end of each survey year (depending on the level of activity, or specific survey needs), or at intervals during the year in major surveys.
Records can be submitted in any form, but in general, use of standard forms may be preferred, to simplify handling and subsequent filing of original details. Increasingly, submission of records by e:mail, or by electronic media (floppy disc etc.) is becoming feasible, and is used extensively for some groups, e.g. moths. However, this needs care with data exchange formats, and paper copies with electronic formats sent by post are always advisable! The Herts Bird Club has an on-line record submission system for casual bird records. See its separate web-site for details.
Records maintained by an observer on a standard database, as above, may export data in the recommended way, but some County Recorders may not be able to handle your database formats. The Society is aiming to improve its data management in the future.
Links with Hertfordshire Biological Records Centre (HBRC)
The Society has supported the HBRC, currently based at County Hall, since its inception (and its pre-cursors in North Herts and St Albans Museums). The policy of the Society is that the supply of species data for wildlife sites etc., for which the Centre is the primary County archive, and which it uses for advice on planning and land management, should be supported by the Society and its Recorders.
The Society's County Recorders remain the principal source of verification for records, and therefore need to validate records submitted to the Records Centre. For many groups, this may only require less common or difficult species records to be checked. It may be most efficient to send these records to the Recorder first, for onward transmission, making it plain that this is what you want to happen.
An outline agreement on the use of records exists between the Society and the HBRC to this effect. However, it is important that the Society and its volunteer recorders keep control of its/their records, and so copies of records only should be submitted, accompanied by a statement as to how they may be used by the Centre, and if any special conditions might apply in the case of their being used by third parties, e.g. in the case of sensitive records or confidential data.
The National Biodiversity Network
At present, this is in its infancy. Information about the Network and the charitable NBN Trust which oversees it can be found on its web-site: www.nbn.org.uk. Its objective is to encourage the exchange of biological records by participating organisations and individuals, and for these to be made as freely available as possible within the constraints of confidentiality or sensitivity. Its main means of communicating data is via its electronic Gateway.
At present, certain key national data sets are available in summary form to general users, and to selected users in more detailed form. The main suppliers so far have been national conservation agencies, and some national biological societies. It is possible that the Herts Natural History Society could ultimately submit its own data to the NBN, but for the present, it is the aim to do so through other organisations, such as national recording schemes. However, maintaining data on databases which are able to submit records to the NBN would be beneficial for the future, and therefore the Society would like to encourage this.
Use of the Recorder 2000 (2002) database package, which can be obtained at a substantial discount through the Society, automatically enables data to be transmitted to the NBN, but other databases may also be able to transfer data to the necessary formats.
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