News and events
NBN Conference 2021 – summary and social media
More than 260 delegates attended the 2021 NBN Conference, on 24 November. This is the highest number of delegates ever to attend an NBN Conference! A cross section of organisations were represented and included wildlife NGOs, academia, local environmental records centres, recording schemes, country agencies, students and individuals all with an interest in sharing and using biodiversity data and recording wildlife. The theme of the Conference was “Biodiversity data – from collection to use”
There were sixteen presentations including two keynote addresses, one of which was the annual Sir John Burnett Memorial lecture.
We also held the NBN Trust AGM and announced the winners and runners up in the NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording 2021. These were both recorded and will be available by mid December.
Video recordings and PDFs of all of the presentations can be found on the NBN Conference 2021 – presentations page.
The snippets below from Twitter provide a flavour of the discussions that took place. You can search for all of the related Tweets by using #NBNconf21 on Twitter.
Well done @NBNTrust on a successful conference, and bringing together so many biological recording minds to inspire and debate. @_NFBR #NBNconf21
— Sarah Whild (@SarahWhild) November 24, 2021
Now for the Keynote Address from @CraigBennett3 from @WildlifeTrusts, highlighting the task of ensuring our work as a community is aligned to address the climate emergency, nature recovery & #biodiversity loss 🌍 #NBNconf21
— NEYEDC (@TeamNEYEDC) November 24, 2021
Enjoyed today’s #NBNConf21 – a very insightful annual meetings for getting up to speed on how biodiversity data is being collected and used in the UK. An optimism from @LisaChilton about the future of the @NBNTrust‘s role in bringing together infrastructure and organisations
— Simon Rolph (@simon_rolph) November 24, 2021
The diversity of #wildlife recording systems is inevitable, but a challenge to navigate.@DavidRoyBRC shares 🔑 priorities:
– Adopt key standards
– Connect systems together
– Automate data checking
– Support for verification
– Achieve local ➡️ international data flow#NBNconf21 pic.twitter.com/IqQEryMlAl— Ashleigh Whiffin (@AshWhiffin) November 24, 2021
There have been some really engrossing discussions at this mornings #NBNConf21 – thanks to all the great speakers so far! Interesting to hear from @ebioatlas about eDNA and biodiversity monitoring! It will be good to see how data access and sharing improves in the future🔍📈🧬
— FSC BioLinks (@FSCBioLinks) November 24, 2021
#NBNconf21 Oli Grafton “the @DefraGovUK group laid the foundations of the NBN in the early 2000s”.
It also laid the foundations of LERCs as national movement.
— ALERC NC (@ALERC_NC) November 24, 2021
Jumping into #marine #biodiversity data from Rona at @nature_scot 🌊 discussing the barriers to accessing marine data & steps in place to overcome these. Lack of coordination of workflows & the availability of data for re-use are common themes across the day so far! #NBNconf21
— NEYEDC (@TeamNEYEDC) November 24, 2021
Fascinating + stimulating morning of talks + discussion on ‘biodiversity data-from collection to use’ @NBNTrust @WildlifeTrusts @NatureMetrics need to harness advances in technology including eDNA to improve data collections, sharing, + reuse #NBNconf21 https://t.co/jZtPWT9dTP pic.twitter.com/fPbpIr2wPM
— Kit Macleod (@KitMacleod) November 24, 2021
So great to see National Trust making data based well considered decisions about where to plant trees #NBNconf21
— Elaine Wright (@Elaineeepoos) November 24, 2021
Impressive #NBNconf21 presentation @mjopocock DECIDE project on more informative records- guiding recorders and aiding data users. https://t.co/7L6KNMM0sJ pic.twitter.com/emeEmjDFUc
— Kit Macleod (@KitMacleod) November 24, 2021
An overarching theme throughout #NBNconf21 has been about making the most of the data collected. As a recorder, how do you know what are the most useful things to record, and where? The Decide tool from @UK_CEH looks like a really valuable resource. pic.twitter.com/z06j0wdWeV
— Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (@TVERC1) November 24, 2021
The Better Biodiversity Data project introduced now by @SB_Info_Forum and @LisaChilton, a partnership between Scottish LERCs & recorder groups, @nature_scot, SBIF, and @NBNTrust. This aims to support & fund LERCs as key partners, improving data impact and management #NBNconf21
— NEYEDC (@TeamNEYEDC) November 24, 2021
Really interesting to hear that little data comes through to the @NBNAtlas from academia – if you’re a student are you encouraged to add your data into #biologicalrecording schemes?
I don’t think it was mentioned to me as a student throughout my BSc animal bio course #NBNConf21— Olivia Watts (@liv_outdoors) November 24, 2021
Some fascinating talks so far, all emphasising the key role of data and the vital importance of community science to address the biodiversity crisis. #NBNconf21. pic.twitter.com/QXFiAufDui
— Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (@TVERC1) November 24, 2021
A focus on the importance of collaborative community science to meet the needs of the #biodiversity crisis is a clear theme so far 🤝 Good to see wider discussion happening on the importance of LERCs & our role in data access & supporting of active recording #NBNconf21
— NEYEDC (@TeamNEYEDC) November 24, 2021
Wow. What a fantastic day 🎉 @NBNTrust Thank you to all the speakers and organisers for the engaging and informative talks and presentations we’ve all enjoyed today – lots to think about! #NBNconf21
— GuernseyBRC (@GuernseyBRC) November 24, 2021
Questions and discussions from Google Docs
During the course of the day Google Docs were used to ask questions or start discussions. The contents of those open documents have now been brought together and summarised in a single pdf.