We are delighted to announce that this year’s NBN Conference will be held on Thursday 20 November in Bristol.

For the first time ever we are visiting the south west region and we will be holding our event at SS Great Britain, the pioneering steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel which launched in 1843.

NBN Conference programme

As this is the year that the NBN Trust is 25, what better way to celebrate than through the NBN Conference. The theme is therefore “25 years of making data work for nature”.

The programme (2 October) is now available.

We are delighted that the following individuals and organisations will be participating in this year’s NBN Conference. Click on the links for more information:

  • Duncan Allen – Plant pest scientist and risk analyst, Defra (Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) – “From Observation to Action: Using iNaturalist to help Monitor and Elevate Plant Health Awareness in the UK”
  • Dr Carlos Bedson – Quantitative spatial ecologist, Natural England – “Designing a climate change resilient landscape connectivity network from a multi-species perspective”
  • Dr Lauren Cook – Molecular ecologist, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) – “Translating environmental DNA (eDNA) for monitoring nature”.

Lauren is also an award-winning artist and science communicator and as well as giving a presentation she is joining the NBN Conference as our Conference artist, sketching taxa featured in talks and hosting a “Draw Your Study Organism / Favourite Species” corner with guidance and tutorials. See more information below.

  • Tim Corner – Manager, Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre – “Kestrel’s fluffy ears”
  • Tom Gray – Head of Nature, BBC – “Engaging the Widest Audience for Nature”
  • Martin Harvey – Coordinator of Zoological Data, UKCEH Biological Records Centre (BRC) – “From field observation to global data: (some of) the many links between recorders, schemes, organisations and portals”
  • Dr Ben Holt – Marine biologist and CEO, The Rockpool Project – “The Big Rock Pool Challenge – A UK wide marine citizen science adventure”
  • Dr Kate Ingenloff – Scientific Officer, GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) – “Advancing Biodiversity Data Sharing in GBIF”
  • Katie-jo Luxton – Executive Director, Global Conservation, The RSPB – Sir John Burnett Memorial Lecture – “Making data work for nature; the value of monitoring and recording to inform State of Nature reporting,  drive recovery action and influence systemic change”
  • Dr Damian McFerran – Records Centre Manager, Centre for Environmental Data and Recording (CEDaR), National Museums NI (NMNI) – “CEDaR, what has it all been about?”
  • Simon Pickles, Chair of Trustees, National Forum for Biological Recording (NFBR) and Director, North and East Yorkshire Ecological Data Centre – “Rooted in Data, Growing Through Time”
  • Emma Squire and Devmini Bandara – PhD students, University of Exeter (RENEW Biodiversity Programme: Renewing biodiversity through a people-in-nature approach) – “iNaturalistUK User Survey and Observation Records”
  • Christine Tansey – Biodiversity Data Manager (NBN Atlas), NBN Trust – “The NBN Atlas: building capacity and connections” 
  • Dr Gareth Thomas – Chief Executive Officer, NBN Trust – “Sharing a vision for the future” and “Engaging the Widest Audience for Nature”
  • Dr John Tweddle – Head of Centre for UK Nature, Natural History Museum – Keynote Address – “Looking back, looking forward: reflecting on 25 years of partnering with the NBN Trust”

Programme and timings

The start and end times are due to be as follows:

Registration – from 08:45 – 09:20

Opening address – 09:20

Sir John Burnett Memorial Lecture – 14:00 – 14:30

NBN Awards ceremony – 14:30 – 15:15

End of conference – 16:50

NBN Trust AGM – 17:00 – 17:15

Bookings

Bookings are open.

If you book by 6 November we can ensure you have a printed name badge and that your dietary requirements are catered for.

Ticket Price
Type of ticket
Member rate £85.00
Non-member rate £115.00
Student £45.00

Travel to the venue

GWR is offering a discount on train fares if you’re going to a conference in one of a number of cities, including Bristol / London route. This means that standard return travel between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads (central Bristol) is available at the reduced rate of £54.00 on any service, including peak trains, for those who can prove they’re going to a conference. Find out more.

Download a confirmation letter which is required to purchase GWR train tickets.

Car parks

There is an onsite car park at SS Great Britain, however, parking is limited to 5 hours. Information on other car parks in the vicinity can be found here.

Displays and demonstrations

There are excellent opportunities for Network participants to showcase their work by having a display stand at the NBN Conference. This needs to be manned during registration, tea / coffee breaks and lunchtime and those manning the stand will need to be registered as delegates.

NBN Trust members will be given priority and space will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Please contact us if you would like to have a stand.

Art corner with our Conference artist Dr Lauren Cook

As well as being a molecular ecologist at UKCEH, Lauren is also an award winning artist and science communicator. She is joining the NBN Conference as our Conference artist, sketching taxa featured in talks and hosting a “Draw Your Study Organism / Favourite Species” corner with guidance and tutorials. The displayed artworks will showcase the biodiversity studied by participants and highlight the connections between science and art as interdisciplinary tools for communication, encouraging observation, interpretation, and deeper engagement with the natural world.

“Draw Your Study Organism / Favourite Species” corner will take place in the Sir Marc Brunel Room during the lunch break. It will be a relaxed drawing tutorial where delegates can have a go at sketching UK species themselves with Lauren giving general drawing tips.

Our Conference Partners

We are hugely grateful for the support of the following partners who will be helping us to bring you a fantastic Conference. You can read more about them on our NBN Conference partner’s page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The venue

SS Great Britain is a historic museum ship and former passenger steamship, notable as the world’s first iron-hulled, screw-propelled, ocean-going passenger liner. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, it was launched in 1843 and is now anchored in Bristol harbour. It’s about a 30 minute walk from Bristol Temple Meads railway station.

Delegates will be able to board the ship and have a look around during coffee breaks or lunchtime. A quick tour can be carried out in around 1 – 1 1/2 hours. We will need to give you a wristband if you wish to do so, to avoid you having to pay!

More information on the ship can be found on the SS Great Britain website.