The National Biodiversity Network
Have you heard of the National Biodiversity Network? We’ve just become silver corporate members, which gives me great pleasure, and will be a sponsor at their next event. What does the Network – or “NBN” do?
The National Biodiversity Network collects and organizes biodiversity data from all sorts of sources across the UK. This it presents online via the NBN Gateway. The Gateway tells you what you can find where; it's a kind of Domesday book of the natural world.
This might sound a modest ambition, but in a world about which we know amazingly little this information is gold dust. Such as used to be out there was often so fragmented and idiosyncratic as to be of very limited use. I’ve often been stunned by the paucity or unreliability of any data about our own flora and fauna, so we are natural supporters of the NBN’s work. It’s unglamorous and under-resourced, but essential. From small things - like which plants to grow on our roof - to really important work - mapping biodiversity loss - the National Biodiversity Network provides invaluable free information.
The National Biodiversity Network collects and organizes biodiversity data from all sorts of sources across the UK. This it presents online via the NBN Gateway. The Gateway tells you what you can find where; it's a kind of Domesday book of the natural world.
This might sound a modest ambition, but in a world about which we know amazingly little this information is gold dust. Such as used to be out there was often so fragmented and idiosyncratic as to be of very limited use. I’ve often been stunned by the paucity or unreliability of any data about our own flora and fauna, so we are natural supporters of the NBN’s work. It’s unglamorous and under-resourced, but essential. From small things - like which plants to grow on our roof - to really important work - mapping biodiversity loss - the National Biodiversity Network provides invaluable free information.