Inspire people to discover, record, and conserve wildlife
The Biological Recording Company designs and delivers natural history training and engagement programmes for adults, with a particular focus on biological recorders, amateur naturalists and conservation volunteers.
We work with charities, recording schemes, local authorities, government agencies and environmental organisations to create bespoke programmes ranging from individual courses and webinars to multi-year initiatives.
Our programmes are led by Keiron Brown, Senior Naturalist at the Biological Recording Company, drawing on over a decade of experience designing and delivering natural history training, including the nationally recognised FSC BioLinks project for the Field Studies Council.
Learning Pathways
Creating structured learning programmes that inspire long-term engagement with nature
We design learning pathways that help participants progress from introductory knowledge to more advanced natural history skills through complementary training and practical experience. Building on the successful methodology developed through the Field Studies Council’s FSC BioLinks project, our pathways combine multiple learning opportunities that reinforce one another and encourage continued participation in biological recording and nature conservation.
Our Learning Pathways can help you to:
- Combine classroom, field, and specimen-based learning.
- Provide clear progression for volunteers, staff, and community groups.
- Deliver measurable learning outcomes for funded projects.
- Create lasting benefits beyond individual training events.
All of our formal training is categorised into five Naturalist Experience Levels (Introductory, Beginner, Improver, Intermediate, and Advanced), making it easy for participants to select training that matches their current knowledge and confidence while providing a clear pathway for future development.
Formal learning can be delivered through In-person Training Courses, Online Courses and Live Training Webinars, complemented by Field Recorder Days, where participants apply their knowledge in the field, and Specimen Study Days, where they develop confidence in identifying wildlife through collaborative, specimen-based learning.
Our Spider Identification Training Pathway, shown below, demonstrates how these different learning opportunities can be combined into a structured programme that supports participants as they progress from introductory knowledge to specialist skills.
Whether you’re planning a volunteer training programme, community engagement initiative, or national education project, we’d be delighted to help design a Learning Pathway tailored to your objectives.
Previous examples of Keiron’s biological recording project development and delivery experience
While working for the Field Studies Council, Keiron developed and managed the National Lottery Heritage Fund-funded FSC BioLinks project, creating structured learning pathways that combined training courses, Field Recorder Days, and supporting resources to help thousands of people develop natural history skills and contribute biological records.
Keiron established the National Earthworm Recording Scheme to improve understanding of earthworm distribution and ecology across the UK. Its training pathway, guidance, and recorder-support activities have helped people develop identification skills and contribute reliable earthworm records.
In-person Training
Flexible training delivered in the classroom, laboratory, and field
Our in-person courses develop natural history knowledge, biological recording skills, and confidence in species identification through practical, tutor-led learning.
Our In-person Training can help you to:
- Develop species identification skills.
- Learn biological recording techniques.
- Build confidence in wildlife survey methods.
- Train volunteers, staff, and community groups.
Courses are assigned a Naturalist Experience Level, helping participants choose training suited to their existing knowledge and skills.
Previous training courses include Biological Recording 101, Fungi for Beginners, Field Identification of Beetles, Camera Trapping Mammals, Earthworm Identification, and Teaching Natural History. Bespoke courses can also be developed around the objectives of individual organisations and projects.
Example courses
Online Training
Engaging self-study courses that educate, inspire, and create lasting project legacies
We develop bespoke self-study courses that enable organisations to train volunteers, staff, and wider audiences wherever they are based. Built on the Thinkific platform, courses can be completed at the learner’s own pace and revisited for up to 1 year.
Our current programme includes 37 active self-study courses and has supported more than 1,800 registered learners.
Our Online Training can help you to:
- Train volunteers and staff regardless of location.
- Transform existing project materials into structured courses.
- Reach larger audiences through self-paced learning.
- Create resources that remain available beyond the funded project period.
Courses can combine written content, diagrams, videos, interactive quizzes, self-led field activities, and digital exercises that allow participants to apply what they have learned.
Example bespoke courses
Catshark and Skate Eggcases is an online course being developed for the Shark Trust to support the Great Eggcase Hunt. It will help citizen scientists identify eggcases, submit high-quality records, and contribute to shark and skate conservation.
Coming soon… currently in development
Currently being developed for the Barnet Green Spaces Network and London Borough of Barnet, the Nature Conservation in Barnet online training course will introduce participants to the borough’s wildlife, habitats and conservation priorities while promoting biological recording and community action for nature.
Coming soon… currently in development
Organisations can also purchase discounted bulk access to our existing catalogue of self-study online coursesv providing a cost-effective alternative to commissioning bespoke content.
Webinars
Professional webinar programmes that educate, engage and inspire
The Biological Recording Company designs and delivers webinar programmes for training and public engagement. We can manage the full process, from recruiting speakers and promoting the event to live delivery and post-event follow-up.
Programmes may focus on structured training or wider public engagement.
Our webinar management services include:
- Training webinars that develop natural history knowledge and practical skills.
- Engagement webinars that connect large audiences with nature, research, and conservation.
- Speaker recruitment, webinar scheduling, and event descriptions.
- Event registration and booking management through Eventbrite.
- Promotion through our newsletter (approx. 10,000 subscribers) and Eventbrite campaigns (over 7,600 subscribers).
- Live webinar hosting and audience management using our Zoom subscription.
- Sharing webinar recordings and supporting resources with participants after the event.
Recordings can also be adapted into self-study courses, blogs, YouTube videos and other resources, allowing audiences to continue accessing the content after the live event.
Example projects
Biodiversity Villages, Towns and Neighbourhoods combined natural history training with biological recording to engage local communities for the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership. The project delivered eight live webinars, attracting over 6,000 bookings and creating a lasting online learning resource.
entoLIVE connects people with the latest UK invertebrate research through live webinars, educational blogs and online resources. By the end of 2025, the programme had delivered 80 live webinars, attracting over 42,000 bookings, with recordings and blogs generating almost 100,000 additional online views.
Make Your Wildlife Observations Count was delivered on behalf of the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre to help naturalists improve the accuracy, quality and value of their wildlife records.
marineLIVE connected audiences with marine research and conservation through 11 live webinars, attracting more than 4,000 bookings. Recordings and supporting articles extended access beyond the live events.
Need a Natural History Training Partner?
The Biological Recording Company provides a complete training and engagement service, from initial programme design to delivery and evaluation. We work with organisations of all sizes to create programmes shaped around their audiences, objectives and resources.
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