Nominations for the NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording 2026

Through these Awards, the NBN Trust: National Biodiversity Network Trust, recognises significant achievements and celebrates successes in wildlife recording in the UK.

Nominations are now open.

There are seven categories of awards:

  • NBN Group Award
  • NBN Lifetime Achievement Award
  • NBN Award for Marine Wildlife Recording
  • NBN Newcomer Award
  • NBN Award for Terrestrial Wildlife Recording
  • NBN Verifier’s Award
  • NBN Young Person’s Award  (open to individuals aged 11-20)

Nominating someone for an NBN Award couldn’t be simpler – just answer three or four simple questions online or on our downloadable nomination forms, which are all available below.

Individuals and groups can also nominate themselves!

Nominations close on Monday 18 May 2026, and the NBN Award winners will be announced at the NBN Conference in November.

NBN Group Award 2026

  • Do you know a group of people who are regularly recording wildlife and encouraging others to do the same? Are they making a difference locally or nationally and increasing our understanding of nature in the UK?

Nominate them for this Award using either the online nomination form or download the nomination form.

Please note that both voluntary groups and commercial organisations may be nominated for this NBN Award.

NBN Lifetime Achievement Award 2026

  • Do you know someone who has been recording wildlife in the UK for many years and has made a real difference to our understanding of nature?

Nominate them for this Award using either the online nomination form or download the nomination form.

NBN Award for Marine Wildlife Recording 2026

  • Do you know someone who records marine or coastal wildlife who is making a difference and increasing our understanding of nature in the UK?

Nominate them for this Award using either the online nomination form or download the nomination form.

NBN Newcomer Award 2026

  • Do you know someone who is new to recording wildlife but is already making a difference, increasing our understanding of nature in the UK?

Nominate them for this Award using either the online nomination form or download the nomination form.

NBN Award for Terrestrial Wildlife Recording 2026

  • Do you know someone who records terrestrial or freshwater wildlife who is making a difference and increasing our understanding of nature in the UK?

Nominate them for this Award using either the online nomination form or download the nomination form.

NBN Verifier’s Award 2026

  • Do you know someone who does the vital job of verifying wildlife records in the UK?

Nominate them for this Award using either the online nomination form or download the nomination form.

NBN Young Person’s Award 2026

  • Do you know a young person (between the ages of 11 and 20) who records wildlife and is making an impression on those around them through their dedication and enthusiasm?

Nominate them for this Award using either the online nomination form or download the nomination form.

NB: Individuals nominated for this award must be aged between 11 and 20 years old on 30 November 2026.

2026 Prize Sponsors

We are delighted that six organisations – the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Opticron, Habitat Aid, the Field Studies Council, British Wildlife Magazine and Natural History Book Service (NHBS) – are supporting the NBN Awards this year, by sponsoring the prizes.
 

Opticron is generously sponsoring prizes for the NBN Young Person’s Award and for the NBN Newcomer Award.

 

Habitat Aid is generously sponsoring prizes for the NBN Award for Marine Wildlife Recording, for the NBN Award for Terrestrial Wildlife Recording and for the NBN Group Award.

 

The Field Studies Council is generously sponsoring the prize for the NBN Group Award.

British Wildlife magazine is generously sponsoring a prize for the NBN Newcomer Award.

 

Natural History Book Service is generously sponsoring a prize for the NBN Young Person’s Award and the NBN Newcomer Award.

Previous Years’ NBN Awards

You can read about our previous NBN Award winners on the main NBN Awards’ page

Rules of the NBN Awards

  • Nominations may be made by anyone (including people and organisations that are not Network members). You may even nominate yourself!
  • Individuals, groups of people or entire organisations are eligible for the Awards.
  • The NBN Awards committee will decide on the winners each year.
  • Nominations opened on 4 February 2026 and close on 18 May 2026.
  • A shortlist will be announced at the beginning of September.
  • The winners will be announced at the NBN Conference in November 2026.

Nominators’ and Nominees’ Contact Details

The privacy of Award nominators’ and nominees’ information is assured. While we might contact the nominator again about the Awards in future years, we will not email any information about the NBN Trust’s other work to the nominator or nominee, unless we have been actively requested to.