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Organisation of the Biological Records Centre (BRC)

The Biological Records Centre (BRC) is jointly funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) within the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). JNCC and BRC staff have worked closely together to support the establishment of the National Biodiversity Network (NBN), including the technical work to set up the NBN Gateway as an Internet portal to numerous biodiversity datasets.

• The latest BRC report is for the period 2005 - 2006 .
• You can also download the last report (BRC Report 1999 - 2004)
• Our publications are listed here.
• BRC’s data access policy can be downloaded.
• Our data handling proceedures can be viewed here.
• Advice on strategic development and the overall management of BRC is provided by the BRC Management and Advisory Group (BRCMAG).
• View a summary of our current Data Holdings.
• Read about Information Techonology and BRC.
• You can read more about background and history of BRC, too.
• Database management - download the system for managing the BRC table of names and status

The workplan of BRC for 2005 to 2011 consists of the following five programmes of work:

1. Supporting and developing capacity of recording schemes and volunteers. This programme includes the fundamental and core activities of supporting the national recording schemes, helping them to acquire and manage resources for their development, and it links to the development of the NBN. This will remain a major part of BRC’s work.
   
2. Data capture and database management. This includes setting standards for biological recording, seeking novel types of data, including quadrat data for plants, harmonizing BRC data with those collected by Country Agencies and others, delivery of data via the NBN Gateway.
   
3. Targetted survey. This programme comprises setting up and helping to manage schemes in which there is a high training element, and which are geared to answer specific questions. There has been good experience with recent examples of this approach, including the Survey of Bryophytes on Arable Land carried out with the British Bryological Society.
   
4. Analysis and interpretation. The programme will include development of indicators, environmental data collation, compiling and utilising species attributes, interpreting causes of observed changes.
   
5. Communications and outreach. This will include identifying flagship species for wider recording via high profile schemes and the Internet, as well as some European liaison to strengthen links with other countries.