Terrestrial Surveillance Development and Analysis

Tender description

Project Aims The project aims to provide cross-scheme development and analysis functions across a wide range of current and future terrestrial biodiversity surveillance schemes in the UK. This is in recognition that most schemes face common problems, such as ensuring adequate geographic coverage, developing effective data management systems and data interpretation. Importantly, cross-scheme analytical products are required in order to provide coherent advice to policy-makers regarding the impacts of pressures and interventions on biodiversity. In addition to providing developmental advice and analytical products, the project should aim to facilitate an increase in volunteer participation in biodiversity monitoring. 2.Project Background JNCC participates in a range of long-standing partnerships that deliver exceptional evidence of terrestrial species status and trends, including both distributional and abundance trends. Schemes delivered in partnership include: • Biological Records Centre (covering multiple schemes and societies) • Bird Demographics • Breeding Bird Survey • Goose and Swan Monitoring Programme • National Bat Monitoring Programme • National Plant Monitoring Scheme • UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme • Wetland Bird Survey The project aims to facilitate scheme development and also work on cross-scheme analytical development. Concurrent with this project, JNCC is planning to set up a cross scheme Memorandum of Understanding to share best practice, and advise on priorities for scheme development and analysis and where biodiversity surveillance schemes should be adapted accordingly. It is anticipated that representatives from each of the schemes listed above will participate in this MoU, and will meet periodically, for example at an annual science meeting. The project specified here will need to interact with this MoU group, for example by requesting scheme information where necessary, attending the annual science meeting, presenting finding of research and implications for schemes, and considering discussions on priority development and analysis areas.