iRecord is a free-to-use online training platform operated by the Biological Records Centre and is the recording platform of choice for a growing number of biological recorders. It is designed with the network of National Recording Schemes & Societies and County Recorders in mind, giving them control of record verification and granting them access to their data for their focus species group. Local Environmental Record Centres can access this data, and local wildlife groups and natural history societies can set up ‘activities’ that also enable them to use the platform to collate data.
It is for these reasons that the Biological Recording Company recommends iRecord for collating biological records, and is working with a growing number of partners to set up and improve biological recording systems for local and national recording initiatives. In April 2023, we partnered with the National Forum for Biological Recording and Biological Records Centre to put together a programme of talks that showcase how some organisations are using, and improving, iRecord to gather biodiversity data. All of the presentations were recorded and can be viewed below.
- How iRecord Helps a Local Wildlife Group with John Lindley (South Stoke Wildlife Group)
- Ten Years of Talking to People About iRecord: A County Perspective on Online Recording with Clare Blencowe (Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre)
- Shifting Ground: The Ground Beetle Recording Scheme on iRecord with Chris Foster (Ground Beetle Recording Scheme)
- Supporting Science: A New Collaborative Approach to Supporting Verification with Rachael Conway (Butterfly Conservation)
- Biological Records Centre: Supporting iRecord into the Future with Martin Harvey (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)
How iRecord Helps a Local Wildlife Group
John Lindley, South Stoke Wildlife Group
South Stoke Wildlife Group is trying to monitor biodiversity within their village. This presentation covers their recording activities, how they identify what they’ve found, and their experiences of using iRecord. They aim to use the information they gather to monitor trends for some of the “key species” that are present in the village.
Ten Years of Talking to People About iRecord: A County Perspective on Online Recording
Clare Blencowe, Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre
In 2013, Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre adopted iRecord as one of its main conduits for capturing Sussex sightings data. There have been triumphs! There have been tribulations. And along the way, they’ve learnt that online biological recording is, fundamentally, a community endeavour. In ten years, people have never stopped wanting to talk to Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre staff about iRecord. In this presentation, they share some of those local perspectives.
Shifting Ground: The Ground Beetle Recording Scheme on iRecord
Chris Foster, Ground Beetle Recording Scheme
The Ground Beetle Recording Scheme has migrated: over 350,000 records spanning 220 years are now hosted on iRecord. Learn how iRecord is supporting Carabidae recording and take a tour through a few notable records both old and new.
Supporting Science: A New Collaborative Approach to Supporting Verification
Rachael Conway, Butterfly Conservation
Martha Henson, Tech Work For Us
Supporting Science is a small project with a big ambition, to smooth butterfly and moth data flow and support volunteer data verifiers. Butterfly Conservation have experimented with new approaches; iRecord training to attract and develop new verification volunteers and systems changes to support the task of verification. Hear about the successes and lessons from their collaboration with partners and volunteers. The project was made possible by funding from DCMS and the National Lottery, distributed by The Heritage Fund as part of their Digital Skills for Heritage initiative.
Biological Records Centre: Supporting iRecord into the Future
Martin Harvey, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Where will iRecord be in five, ten or more years? The Biological Record Centre (BRC) developed the iRecord and Indicia tools to support the collation, checking and sharing of online biological records. A wide range of national and local recording schemes and centres make use of this system, and it also forms an integral part of BRC’s own data management processes, helping to make data available for research and many other uses. This talk presents some of BRC’s current and planned work on the system, and looks at what other options we should explore in the future.
Event partners
The Why iRecord? Virtual Symposium was delivered by the Biological Recording Company in partnership with the National Forum for Biological Recording and Biological Records Centre (part of UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology).
More on biological recording
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