Welcome to NBIS
Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service (NBIS) is working to make available high quality information on Norfolk habitats, sites and species. The need for an accurate picture of the county’s biological diversity - biodiversity - has never been greater, to ensure that decisions on topical issues such as growth and climate change take account of our precious environmental resources.
NBIS was launched in January 2009 following a review of the services provided by the Norfolk Biological Records Centre (NBRC) which involved input from many partners. It operates through a partnership of many organisations and is hosted by Norfolk County Council. NBIS builds upon the sound records base historically provided by the NBRC, expanding and modernising the services with access to electronic mapping and a larger staff complement.
Data from the network of skilled Norfolk recording specialists, primarily the County Recorders who undertake much field work, mostly on a voluntary basis, continues to be essential.
NBIS has a crucial role to play in the development and implementation of the Norfolk Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) – the county’s plan to maintain and enhance the biodiversity of Norfolk - delivered through the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership. It will help local authorities and other public bodies fulfil their obligations under the NERC Act of 2006 and will strengthen the County Wildlife Sites System developed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust. NBIS will also integrate with the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) “Gateway” – the portal to national biodiversity data.
******************* Latest News ********************
NEW ONLINE RECORDING SECTION UNDER MAINTENANCE - will be up and running again early next week (02/07/10)
Our new online recording section to this site, where you can input your Glow-worm records, was briefly available to use on Wednesday this week; however technical problems have forced further maintenance. Many apologies for those who have tried to access this facility, please check again later next week, when you will be able to access the online recording facility.
Glow-worm survey in the Press (07/06/10)
The NBIS Glow-worm survey has hit the press since Friday, see the links below:
Norfolk County Council press release
We were also promoting the survey at NWT Cley Marshes over the weekend. The Big Biodiversity Watch was a great success, see the link below to some photos from the event:
In pictures: Springwatch Wild Day Out count in Norfolk
NEW ONLINE WILDLIFE RECORDING SECTION COMING IN NEXT FEW DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!! (04/06/10)
NBIS is developing a new online recording section to this website for data entry, mapping and reporting of wildlife records. The facility will allow anyone to contribute to our online surveys and send any ad hoc wildlife records directly through to NBIS. The whole website will look slightly different as a result....hopefully better for it.
The new recording section will be completed within the next few days, before the start of the Glow-worm season in mid June, ready for you to send us your Glow-worm records as part of our new Glow-worm survey.
FROM SPRINGWATCH TO GLOW-WORM WATCH (04/06/10)
With the BBC's Springwatch programme bringing Norfolk wildlife into every living room, a call has gone out to the county's wildlife watchers to help spot a creature that has so far eluded the cameras - the glow-worm.
NBIS has launched a survey to find any hot-spots for these fascinating creatures in the county.
If you have spotted them you can record your sightings on line at this website; the online recording section will go live within the next few days, before the start of the Glow-worm season in mid June. Or, before the online recording section goes live or if you prefer, you can send us your records by email nbis@norfolk.gov.uk, or by post - using our Glow-worm survey form. Records should contain information about : what you saw, where you saw it (grid reference, habitat and place name); how many glow-worms you saw; and who you are..............
Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) is linking with the BBC Springwatch Wild Day Out events of 5 and 6 June to inspire people to celebrate and record wildlife on NWT nature reserves across Norfolk. Help NWT record more than 500 species of wildlife in just 24 hours!
NBIS will be supporting this event with a presence at NWT Cley Marshes reserve on both Saturday and Sunday. All records from the weekend will be collated and stored on the NBIS database,the central repository for all Norfolk's wildlife records, along with over 1 million records we already hold..............
HOT OFF THE PRESS...New Winter 2010 newsletter now available (26/02/10)
The NBIS Winter 2010 newsletter is now available to download from this site. Printed copies are available on request. To download previous newsletters, as well as the Winter 2010 edition, please see the Newsletter section in the right column above.
FROM SPRINGWATCH TO GLOW-WORM WATCH
JOIN IN NORFOLK WILDLIFE TRUST'S BIG BIODIVERSITY WATCH THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Norfolk Bats and Roadside Mammals Survey
NEWSLETTER:
NBIS Introductory Leaflet **New**
NBIS Factsheets **New**
EVENTS
5-6 June 2010 -Norfolk Wildlife Trust's Big Biodiversity Watch. @ NWT reserves across the county. For further information visit www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk
19 June 2010 - Wild about Wymondham, Town Green Centre, Wymondham. For further information contact a.vroberts@talktalk.net
17-18 July 2010 - Non-native Species: Action Weekend. Various locations across Norfolk. For further information contact michael.sutton-croft@norfolk.gov.uk
09 September 2010 - Planning and Biodiversity Seminar, South Norfolk Council Offices, Long Stratton (tbc). For further information contact scott.perkin@norfolk.gov.uk
06 October 2010 (tbc) - Annual Biodiversity Forum: 'Economics and Biodiversity'. Abbey Conference Centre, Norwich. For further information contact scott.perkin@norfolk.gov.uk
09 October 2010 - Wild about Norfolk. Neatherd High School, Dereham. For further information contact Tessa Needham: needham_t@sky.com