The Biological Recording Company is collaborating with the British Mycological Society (BMS) to assess how fungal records submitted to The Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland (FRDBI) are verified and shared going forward.
There will be wide consultation with fungus recorders via an open-to-all online survey, followed by a workshop with BMS members. Following this, the plan is to publish the findings in a consultation report and draft a verification protocol for verifying FRDBI records.
Data Flows of UK Fungal Data Records
This consultation follows the publication of a report commissioned by Natural England and produced by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH). That report, published in September 2025, examines how fungal records are currently collected, verified, stored, and shared across the UK.
Read the Report – NECR650 Edition 1: Data Flows of UK Fungal Data Records
Key findings from the report included:
- Complex Data Landscape
- Data source limitations
- Verification challenges
- Data sharing barriers
The report went on to make a series of recommendations:
- Adopting FAIR Data Principles
- Standardising Verification Protocols
- Enhancing Accessibility
- Improving Interoperability
- Encouraging Data Use in Conservation and Research
- Supporting Recorders
The Consultation Project
The first stage is the Fungus Recorder Online Survey, which is now open to recorders nationwide. This short survey (5-10 minutes) invites participants to share their experiences with fungi recording, from the platforms they use to their thoughts on data quality and verification.
The conversation will continue in person at the BMS Consultation Workshop, which will take place at Kew Gardens on Saturday 29 November 2025 as part of the BMS Annual Meeting.
Once the survey and workshop are complete, the Biological Recording Company will produce the Fungus Recording and Verification Consultation Report. This report will summarise the feedback, findings, and recommendations collected throughout the project. It will highlight key themes raised by participants and provide a transparent overview of how their input has informed the development of the Draft BMS Verification Protocol. Everyone who contributes to the consultation will receive access to the published report, ensuring that the process remains open, inclusive, and collaborative.
The final output of the project will be the Draft BMS Verification Protocol: a concise, two-page document outlining proposed standards and processes for the verification of fungal records in the UK. It will include a summary of next steps and a visual data flow diagram showing how fungal biological records are managed within the BMS framework. The protocol will serve as a working draft for further discussion and refinement, moving the recording community forward towards a shared and consistent approach to fungi verification.
Further information on the project and the Biological Recording Company can be found on its website.