1. A new Conceptual Model
2. A Darwin Core Data Package Guide (DwC-DP)

These were formally ratified in May 2026 after around five years of development, testing, workshops and public review.

Until now, Darwin Core has been very good at standardising biodiversity data fields (such as species names, locations and dates), but it has been less clear about how different types of records relate to one another.

The new Conceptual Model fills that gap by defining the relationships between key Darwin Core classes and data types. In simple terms, it provides a shared blueprint for how biodiversity information should be connected.

What the Data Package Guide does

The new Darwin Core Data Package Guide provides a more flexible way to package and publish biodiversity datasets. It allows organisations to describe relationships between multiple tables of data rather than relying on the older, more restrictive Darwin Core Archive structure.

This means data publishers will be able to share:

• More complex datasets
• Data with clearer relationships between records
• Information in a more consistent way across organisations

Benefits

The changes are expected to:

• Improve interoperability between biodiversity datasets.
• Make it easier for organisations to publish and validate data.
• Support the development of new software tools.
• Enable more complex biodiversity information to be shared consistently.

What happens next?

The next steps are:

1. Development and adoption of schemas based on the new standards.
2. Implementation work by GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) using the new Data Package Guide.

NBN Trust takeaway

Following a six-month public review, the Conceptual Model and Data Package Guide have been ratified as additions to the Darwin Core Standard. As this is one of the biggest updates to the Darwin Core standard in years, it is a very exciting milestone towards publishing complex and structured datasets in a consistent way. The NBN Atlas Data Team will be following the development of the GBIF implementation of the Data Package Guide very closely. The NBN Atlas will continue to use the Darwin Core Archives system and any future adoption plans will be shared with our network in advance.

More information

This can be found on the TDWG website. More information on Darwin Core can be found here.

The post Darwin Core gets a major upgrade appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.

Building on the 2025 reintroduction in the same woodland, this further release boosts numbers and genetic diversity, helping to restore a native species that has declined by over 70% nationally since 2000.

Last year, 21 Hazel Dormice were released by PTES and partners into the same woodland on the Bradgate Park Trust estate, creating Leicestershire’s only known population. The estate boasts some of the best remaining ancient woodland in the county, and is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest and part of a National Nature Reserve. Although the Dormice released last year have bred and appear to be settling into their new home, more Dormice have been released to increase numbers and boost genetic diversity.

Ian White, Dormouse & Training Officer at People’s Trust for Endangered Species explains:

“Hazel dormice have declined by over 70% nationally since 2000 due to habitat loss, poor woodland and hedgerow management and climate change. These figures are extremely concerning, but over the past 30 years our reintroduction programme, alongside habitat restoration, sympathetic woodland management and monitoring, is giving this threatened species a real chance of recovery. And, on a local level, by releasing more dormice into Bradgate Park this week, we are one step closer to creating a larger, connected population that hopefully will one day span the whole National Forest, giving further cause for hope.” 

Since their release in June 2025, local volunteers and rangers have been regularly monitoring the Dormice using nest boxes at Bradgate Park. These boxes help keep tabs on the reintroduced population and reveal evidence of breeding. Encouragingly, the team has found a growing number of Dormouse nests across the woodland, reflecting the growing population. 46 Dormice were found in the October 2025 check – double the number of animals initially released. There was evidence of breeding too, with 11 young recorded in August and 15 in September.

The reintroduction programme

PTES’ annual Dormouse reintroductions are part of Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme, and since the programme began in 1993, 1,163 Dormice have been released into 27 different woodlands in 14 counties across Britain.

The reintroduction programme depends on a unique partnership between several organisations. All Dormice released are bred by members of the Common Dormouse Captive Breeders Group, with the majority of this year’s Dormice provided by key member Wildwood Trust following its most successful breeding season to date.

Before release, all Dormice undergo a thorough nose-to-tail health check by wildlife vets at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, Paignton Zoo in Devon and Twycross Zoo in the East Midlands. This four-week quarantine period ensures all Dormice are fit for release and don’t carry any diseases that could pose a risk to local wildlife. Once given a clean bill of health, they’re carefully transported to their new woodland home for release.

The location of this year’s woodland was carefully selected with the help of the Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, the Leicestershire & Rutland Mammal Group, the National Forest and Twycross Zoo.

A unique British mammal

Hazel Dormice are the only small British mammal with a furry tail, and with their golden-brown fur, large black eyes and long whiskers, are very endearing. They’re nocturnal animals that are active from late spring into summer and autumn, spending much of their time in tree and shrub canopies, and hibernate over winter in nests on the ground. Their long-term decline reflects the loss of many old woodlands over the last century, the lack of management of those that are left, and the removal and neglect of hedgerows no longer needed to enclose livestock.

Find out more about PTES’ dormouse conservation work.

Data on the NBN Atlas

You can view the data held on the NBN Atlas for Hazel Dormice here. With around 60,000 records of Muscardinus avellanarius, 43,000+ are from the National Dormouse Database and the remaining records from other data partners. Without this vital data the national picture would be much less clear.

The post Rare Hazel Dormice reintroduction appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.

PTES is keen for as many people across Britain as possible to take part in the Great Stag Hunt and record visual sightings of stag beetles, as the data they help to collect makes a valuable contribution to stag beetle conservation efforts. Conservationists hope that, in future, it might be possible to monitor stag beetles acoustically by using software to recognise the characteristic ‘thrumming’ of the beetles in flight. However, PTES needs lots of video and audio data first to explore whether this is possible. Every contribution is important – whether visual, audio, or video – and it’s simple to take part.

Vital data

The European stag beetle (to distinguish it from the smaller, lesser stag beetle) is native to Britain where its distribution has changed little over the past century. However, the long-running survey has found that sites where the beetle is found are becoming scarcer in some areas and that numbers of beetles, too, may be declining. Data from the Great Stag Hunt is vital for conservationists to track these changes, particularly in the current climate crisis.

Taking part and where to look

If you’d like to take part, keep an eye out for stag beetles on warm evenings and report any sightings online. Whether you’re walking the dog, commuting, doing the school run or heading to the pub, every recorded sighting is valuable. No prior experience is needed either. PTES’ online ID guides will help you identify a stag beetle from similar insects and you can also upload images, video and sound files.

Stag beetles are often found in urban and suburban gardens and parks, as well as woodland edges and the wider countryside. They’re also often spotted basking on sunlit walls and warm tarmac surfaces, while their larvae (large white grubs) are found underground, among the roots of old tree stumps. Males are instantly recognisable with their distinctive antler-like jaws and are often seen flying on warm, still evenings in summer, in search of females, which are slightly smaller and lack the impressive ‘antlers’. Stag beetles are mostly found in southern England (except the chalky soils of the North and South Downs), but there are hotspots in the Severn Valley and in coastal parts of the south west.

Last year, over 12,000 records of stag beetles were submitted by thousands of volunteers, with over 2,500 spotted in Hampshire, over 1,600 in Surrey and over 1,000 in Greater London. But do get in touch wherever you spot a stag beetle, as each year sightings are often recorded in unexpected regions which help to build a national picture of how stag beetles are faring.

David Wembridge, Conservation Research and Strategy Officer at People’s Trust for Endangered Species, who runs the Great Stag Hunt said:

‘The extraordinary adult beetles that you might see in the summer are only half the story. The larvae, which develop into big, white grubs with orange heads, feed on rotting wood in the soil, often at the base of an old tree stump or fence post. They’ll grow, hidden away, for three to five years before emerging as adults in late May. It’s the loss of these deadwood habitats that we think might be impacting stag beetle numbers, and why it’s so important to retain or create these sorts of habitat in your garden.’

Other top tips to help stag beetles

1. Leave old tree stumps and deadwood in situ, to encourage stag beetles.
2. If you see a stag beetle on a road or other tarmac surface, carefully move it into a garden border or nearby green space. They’re gentle giants, despite their appearance!
3. Cover any water butts and if you have a pond, make sure there’s an escape route.
4. Minimise the use of weed matting so that stag beetles can easily emerge from the soil.
5. If you live in a stag beetle hotspot, record your sighting on the Great Stag Hunt, or take part in the Stag Beetle Count, a more in-depth survey.

Nida Al-Fulaij, CEO at People’s Trust for Endangered Species added:

‘Data gathered from citizen science surveys such as the Great Stag Hunt are essential for tracking progress towards the government’s legally binding biodiversity targets outlined in the Environmental Act 2021. Understanding trends in invertebrate populations is challenging but, with the public’s help, we can learn more about the smaller creatures who share our world and target conservation efforts effectively.’

To find out more, visit stagbeetles.ptes.org and if you’re on social media, PTES would love to see your stag beetle snaps and videos if you’re lucky enough to spot one (#GreatStagHunt and tag @PTES)!

Data on the NBN Atlas

You can view the data held on the NBN Atlas for stag beetles here. With around 100,000 records of Lucanus cervus 93,000+ are from the PTES Great Stag Hunts showing how vital this data is for showing the national picture.

The post The Great Stag Hunt appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.

In this issue:

• NBN Atlas data updates – another milestone!
• NBN Trust receives a National Lottery Community Fund
• Better Biodiversity Data project
• Love Your Burial Ground Week
• GiGL’s 30 year milestone
• Help design the next banknotes
• Global Wildlife Biobanking Gap Analysis
• Citizen Scientists wanted for Europe-wide survey
• National Education Nature Park – June updates
• Recruitment of Executive Secretary for GBIF

Subscribe to our monthly Network News.

The post Network News – June 2026 appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.

Free webinars

This year’s Churches Count on Nature free webinar series kicked off with a session on recording wildlife – a Beginner’s Guide to iNaturalist – Why Record? Caring for God’s Acre Director, Harriet Carty, talks about the value of churchyards for nature and the importance of biological recording, and how they can be used both locally and nationally.

Biodiversity Data Manager Hannah Risser goes through the practicalities of recording, including using iNaturalist. Knowing what wildlife is in burial grounds can be a great help to site managers and those planning change. These records are also used by scientists to identify the national situation and monitor changes that happen over time.

All records are of value, both of common and of rare species, and everyone who takes part in a recording event for Churches Count on Nature is helping to build up a picture and is a great example of citizen science.

Monday 8 June

Tuesday 9 June

Wednesday 10 June

Thursday 11 June

Friday 12 June

Towns and cities will feature in God’s Green Spaces looking at a range of wildlife, particularly the role of urban churchyards and burial grounds as relatively undisturbed, protected green space.

All the webinars are free to attend and if you are not able to join on the day, you can still register and you will be sent a link to catch up at a time that suits you.

Find out more about Caring for God’s Acre and go to the Beautiful Burial Ground Data Portal, part of the NBN Atlas.

The post Love Your Burial Ground Week appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.

The NBN Trust is pleased to announce that we have been awarded £11,100 from the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) Awards for All England – Environment.

Between April 2026 and April 2027, we will deliver a series of online engagement and training webinars for the following:

• Introducing people to wildlife recording
• How to use the NBN Atlas to share biodiversity data and see what wildlife has been recorded in a local area
• Showcasing data-led stories about wildlife from records held within the NBN Atlas.

We will also develop and share digital training guides on using citizen science apps such as iNaturalistUK, enabling people to identify, connect with and care for nature in their area.

We are really excited to be able to expand this area of work further as a result of this funding and we will provide more information on the above events and guides in the coming months.

The NLCF Awards for All England – Environment funding programme is still open for applications and more information can be found on its website. 

The post NBN Trust receives National Lottery Community Fund appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.

📊 New data resources

Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland

🌱 Plant Atlas 2020 – vascular plant and charophyte 10 x 10 km grid square locations, subdivided by survey period, up to 2019 – 6,342,329 new records

🌱 Plant Atlas 2020 – vascular plant and charophyte 2 x 2 km grid square locations, subdivided by survey period, up to 2019 – 21,873,223 new records

🔄 Updated data resources

Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland

BSBI data from several English counties, up to 2018 – 19,218,615 new or updated records. Total for this data resource = 29,061,032

Other BSBI Scottish data up to 2018 – 2,862,806 new or updated records. Total for this data resource = 8,730,445

BSBI data on the NBN Atlas – total records = 69,181,656

Bat Conservation Trust

NBMP Sunset-Sunrise Survey – 2,688 new and updated records. Total for this data resource = 11,301.

BCT records on NBN Atlas – total records = 237,651

Fife Nature Records Centre

Fife Nature Records Centre Combined Dataset – 108,208 new and updated records. Total for this data resource = 453,677

Fife Nature Records Centre records on NBN Atlas – total records = 455,441

Fungus Conservation Trust

Fungus Conservation Trust – CATE – 2,891 new records. Total for this data resource and total records on NBN Atlas = 1,664,480

MammalWeb

MammalWeb records Non-Commercial (pre-2024) – 962 new or updated records. Total for this data resource = 104,874

MammalWeb records (post-2024) – 14,121 new or updated records. Total for this data resource = 172,264

MammalWeb records on NBN Atlas – Total records = 277,138

Natural History Museum, London

Collection Specimens – 2,796 new or updated records

Natural History Museum, London records on NBN Atlas – Total for this data resource and total records on NBN Atlas = 1,231,071

People’s Trust for Endangered Species

National Dormouse Database (NDD) – 2,211 new or updated records. Total for this data resource = 43,249.

People’s Trust for Endangered Species records on NBN Atlas – Total records = 507,428

West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre

INNS Data: All Taxa (West Wales) – 6,422 new or updated records. Total for this data resource = 35,837

Mammal Records (West Wales) – 3,163 new or updated records. Total for this data resource = 51,777

WWBIC records on NBN Atlas – Total records = 320,390

🤝 Welcoming new data partners

The Species Recovery Trust

Species Recovery Trust UK 2025 plant and insect records – 362 new records on NBN Atlas
A dataset of insect and plant records collected by Species Recovery Trust staff and volunteers during 2025 as part of its rare species programmes.

UK BIOSCAN

UK BIOSCAN DNA-derived occurrence records 2019-2025 United Kingdom – 280,491 new records on NBN Atlas
UK BIOSCAN is a large-scale individual specimen DNA barcoding initiative coordinated by the Wellcome Sanger Institute as part of the global BIOSCAN programme. The dataset comprises COI (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) barcode sequences generated from individual macroinvertebrate specimens collected across the United Kingdom, primarily using Malaise traps deployed at partner sites spanning a range of habitats.

Thank you!

A huge thank you to all our data partners and to the dedicated verifiers who ensure the quality of these records. Every new dataset strengthens our collective understanding of UK biodiversity and supports better conservation decisions.

If you’re interested in sharing your data with the NBN Atlas, we’d love to hear from you!

Explore our full list and map of data partners on the NBN Atlas.

The post NBN Atlas data updates appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.

In this issue:

• NBN Awards – nominate before 18 May!
• NBN Conference – save the date!
• Earth Raise success – thank you!
• NBN Trust awarded £50,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation
• Two new Trustees strengthen NBN Trust board
• NBN Trust joins British Standards Institution’s national committee on Biodiversity
• Latest data updates to the NBN Atlas
• POSTnote – Evidence for nature recovery
• Revealing the hidden world of Scotland’s rainforest
• Can you help with vital wildlife surveys in your local area?
• Join the National BioBlitz 23 – 31 May 2026
• National Plant Health Week 11-17 May
• National Education Nature Park – May updates
• Help shape support for the protection and restoration of nature

Subscribe to our monthly Network News.

The post Network News – May 2026 appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.

New data resources

Greater Manchester Ecology Unit 

➡️ 2,469 new records shared from the data resource – Wet Willow Wildlife Project Lancs WT.

📊 Total records – 225,698

The Wildlife Information Centre

➡️ 7,141 new records from TWIC City of Edinburgh Council – Local Biodiversity Site Surveys 

➡️ 5,251 new records from TWIC Biodiversity Field Trip Data (1995-present) 

📊 Total records – 214,511

Whale and Dolphin Conservation 

➡️ 8,386 new records from WDC Shorewatch Sightings 2024-2025 

📊Total records – 38,589

Bat Conservation Trust

➡️ 920 new records from two data resources from two Bats in Churches project – DNA data and Acoustic data

📊 Total records – 234,983

MammalWeb 

➡️ 158,143 new records from MammalWeb records (post-2024) – 

📊Total records – 262,055

New data partner

MARA

➡️136 new records from survey data – NatureScot funded 

📊Total records – 136

Updated data resources

Highland Biological Recording Group 

➡️ 290,015 new or updated records

📊 Total records – 307,511

Conchological Society of Great Britain & Ireland

➡️ Updated dataset with 51,900 new records from non-marine molluscs (Great Britain) making a total of 385,071

📊 Total records – 795,329

British Dragonfly Society Recording Scheme 

➡️126,540 new records added to dataset

📊Total records – 2,212,458

House Martin Conservation UK & Ireland

➡️ 35 new records

📊Total records – 1,613

Fife Nature Records Centre

➡️ 108,208 new records for the Fife Nature Records Centre Combined Dataset 

📊Total records – 347,233

Dataset provided direct to GBIF

Mott MacDonald

Flora and Fauna Records, October 2024 to October 2025, Stip, North Macedonia

➡️ Total records – 1,579

A huge thank you to all our data partners and to the dedicated verifiers who ensure the quality of these records. Every new dataset strengthens our collective understanding of UK biodiversity and supports better conservation decisions.

If you’re interested in sharing your data with the NBN Atlas, we’d love to hear from you!

Explore our full list and map of data partners on the NBN Atlas.

The post April data updates to the NBN Atlas appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.

Overview and summary

Nature recovery means restoring and enhancing ecosystems so that wildlife and people can thrive. It is central to UK environmental policy, including the 25-Year Environment Plan, Local Nature Recovery Strategies, and Biodiversity Net Gain requirements.

Despite these frameworks, England is currently off track to meet most environmental commitments, with ongoing species loss and habitat degradation.

Evidence-Based Decision-Making

• Effective nature recovery relies on combining scientific research, expert knowledge, technical reports, and environmental data.
• Decision-making must address both global (e.g., climate change) and local (e.g., habitat loss) drivers of biodiversity decline, using the best available scientific evidence as required by law.
• Early community engagement, co-design of actions, and adaptive management (monitoring and adjusting actions) are essential for success.

Data and Collaboration Challenges

• Environmental data is fragmented across multiple repositories, with inconsistent standards and limited government investment in data infrastructure.
• Most biodiversity data is collected by skilled volunteers, but there is a lack of universal adoption of quality data standards.
• Collaboration and trust-building, especially through neutral convening bodies, are critical for shared goals and effective local action.

Implementation and Monitoring

• Practitioners often rely on non-statutory guidance, which can be outdated or lack clear evidence.
• There is a need for a centralised body to synthesise and translate evidence into practical guidance.
• Monitoring before and after interventions, including citizen science, is vital but often limited by time, funding, and training constraints.
• New technologies (e.g., AI, remote sensing, eDNA) offer opportunities for more efficient monitoring, but require careful management and human oversight.

Future Opportunities and Policy Options

• Align public and private sector requirements for evidence and data sharing to support investment and reduce duplication.
• Support the adoption of novel monitoring technologies and AI for evidence synthesis.
• Embed long-term monitoring and adaptive management in all nature recovery programmes.
• Provide training and support for practitioners to evaluate and apply evidence.
• Encourage early and ongoing stakeholder engagement through trusted intermediaries.

Conclusion

Nature recovery in England requires robust, evidence-based decision-making, improved data infrastructure, collaboration, and adaptive management. Addressing current gaps and supporting innovation will be key to reversing biodiversity loss and achieving environmental targets.

Download the POSTnote.

NBN Trust comment

Further to the POSTnote, we can be sure that nature recovery will not succeed on ambition alone. It needs evidence, data infrastructure, monitoring, and long-term trust between those who collect, manage, and use biodiversity data.

Much of the UK’s biodiversity evidence base depends on skilled volunteers, local environmental records centres, national schemes, researchers, public bodies, and platforms like the NBN Atlas.

The report also highlights a real risk. Environmental data is becoming more fragmented, more complex, and harder to use consistently. New monitoring methods, from eDNA to acoustics and AI-assisted analysis, will only increase that challenge unless we invest in the infrastructure that makes data findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable, and trusted.

If the UK wants evidence-led nature recovery, it must treat biodiversity data infrastructure as part of the delivery system, not as a nice-to-have sitting in the background. That is exactly the role the NBN Trust exists to play.

Will Millard, Data and Analytics Manager from the NBN Trust was able to contribute his expertise to this POSTnote.

The post POSTnote – Evidence for nature recovery appeared first on National Biodiversity Network.