Field Studies Council

1. Field Studies Council Sue Townsend Biodiversity Learning Manager sue.t@field-studies-council.org http:// www.field-studies-council.org Rich Burkmar Tomorrow’s Biodiversity Project Officer richardb@field-studies-council.org http://tombio.myspecies.info

2. Field notes of a training provider: joining the dots for biological recording training Future Challenges for the NBN Future Challenges for the FSC

3. Taxonomists... an endangered species! Naturalist Extinct 2020

4. Where we came from:key facts about us • Began in Dec 1943 • In 2013 we estimate that there are over 150,000 visitor contacts at an FSC centre and over 7000 contacts at other sites, eg through OPAL • Now operates 19 Centres

5. Where we came from: Why on earth did it start? • A perceived need to get young people into the natural environment • A chance meeting between a forward thinking schools inspector and a representative of the National Trust • A chance to see ‘the real thing’

7. Where we are now: So what do we do? • Provide courses for school groups, universities, professionals and amateur learners • Lobby government in support of outdoor learning • Run a series of environmental projects • Produce identification publications

8. Where we are now:Customer Base

9. Where we are now: 19 FSC Centres in 2013 • Derrygonnelly • Kindrogan • Blencathra • Castle Head • Malham Tarn • Rhyd-y-creuau • Preston Montford • Dale Fort • Orielton • Margam Park • Flatford Mill • Juniper Hall • Nettlecombe Court • Slapton Ley • Amersham (Day) • Epping Forest (Day) • London (Day) • Millport • Head office • Titanic Quarter - Belfast

10. Where we are now: Identification training & resources • Access to a large number of skilled tutors • Well placed to run further training courses nationwide • Longstanding reputation • A network of successful field centres and contacts throughout the UK • A recognition that not all training courses are commercially viable • A recognition that the UK identification skills are patchy • An awareness that there is a reliance on volunteer data

11. Identification and recording resources

12. Where we are now: A changing customer base • The level of ‘competency’ in biodiversity skills offered by teachers and students has declined over the past 50 years. • The commitment within schools and universities to whole-organism biology is continuing to decline. • Systematic monographs have transitioned through AIDGAP keys to fold out charts for identification. We published over 150,00 publications in 2013 - 96% were fold-out charts. • The current identification resource ‘landscape’ is becoming much more complex – including the exponential growth in electronic and social media

13. Where we are now: Challenges to biological recording as part of FSC business • Much of the existing capacity for biodiversity training is project-related with external funding streams eg HLF, DEFRA • Letting the market prevail has led to a significant shift in the balance of identification courses as compared to other strands eg geography/ environmental science etc.

14. Our Vision • Work with all players in the recording community to ensure recorders are supported in the development of skills for identification and data submission. • Partnership • Provide resources and support for tutors • Deliver identification training and mentoring • Develop identification resources • Consider how identification leads to records • Products • Review • Role out new resources • Monitor recording success

15. How we aim to get there:Recent FSC biodiversity projects Biodiversity Training Project • Heritage Lottery Fund • 2006-2010 Invertebrate Challenge • Heritage Lottery Fund • 2011-2014 Biodiversity Fellowship • Defra Fund for Biodiversity in the Voluntary Sector • 2013-2014 Tomorrow’s Biodiversity • Esmée Fairbairn Foundation • 2013-2018

16. How we aim to get there: Invertebrate Challenge Medium to high level training • Followed on from Biodiversity Training Project • Produced tennew Shropshire county recorders - Araneae, Collembola, Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera (several groups), Odonata, Lepidoptera (micro-moths), terrestrial Hemiptera(two recorders), aquatic Hemiptera • Four had no taxonomic experience in the group for which they’ve become county recorder prior to BTP & Invertebrate Challenge Much more than ID training • Regular working meetings at Preston Montford • Continued support from taxonomic experts • Five new Shropshire atlases: shieldbugs, craneflies, aculeate hymenoptera, micro-moths and longhorn beeltes • Annual conference (Shropshire Ento Day) – 70+ people • ‘Official’ newsletter

17. How we aim to get there: Biodiversity Fellowship ID training delivery • FSC in partnership with recording schemes & societies • Subsidised training on under recorded taxa • 75 courses – mixture of 1 day and 2-3 day • 250 People attended one or more course Supporting people • 450 People signed up to be ‘FSC biodiversity fellows’ • 120 Joined a facebook group • Mentoring and support • Continuing engagement

18. How we aim to get there: Biodiversity Fellowship Do you feel more confident to make accurate identifications & records since your involvement in Bio.fells? Records Identifications Please estimate how many records you have submitted in 2013 as a result of Bio.fells training Total: 13,598 Mean for each of 116 respondents who attended a course: 117 Mean for each of 64 respondents who had actually submitted records: 212

19. How we aim to get there: Tomorrow’s Biodiversity Research and Consultation • Two year research & consultation (plus pilots) • Focus on under-resourced taxa and habitats that have potential in biodiversity monitoring • Identify gaps in identification and monitoring skills & resources Training & support • Years 3-5 of project with early pilots • ID / protocol training & support network Resources • Provide new resources (e.g. AIDGAP) • Investigate and pilot multiple delivery platforms • http://tombio.mysepecies.info

20. NBN Gateway & iRecord How we aim to get there: Joining the dots • National agencies • Local Record Centres • Emerging - iSpot, Flickr, ipternity, facebook, Twitter • MMU / FSC / BSBI MSc • National Scheme & Societies • and County Recorders • Volunteers & citizen scientists

22. FSC will... • Continue to support field naturalists • Seek partners/supporters in individuals, societies and agencies • Promote field identification skills in all our customer groups • Actively encourage identifications to lead to accurate records • Develop further strategies to ensure submission of data to NBN