Biological Records Centre

The Biological Records Centre (or BRC) is the group responsible for recording and keeping records on fresh water and terrestrial species in the UK. It was founded in 1964, and is funded by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), within the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It works closely with the national recording schemes for different taxonomic groups.[1]

In addition to the national organisation with this name, there are also local biological records centres (abbreviated to BRC, LRC or LERC, "Local Environmental Records Centre") covering most areas of the UK. The first such centre was the Biological Records Bureau at Tullie House Museum in Carlisle which opened in 1902.[2] These have a complementary role as systems "for collating biological data from a wide range of sources (including organisations and individuals), for ensuring that data are properly validated and catalogued, and for providing access to them, thereby acting as a focus for biological information."[3] Local Environmental Records Centres are non-profit, partnership-led organisations and typically organised on a county or multi-county basis. Increasingly they are becoming better networked through the activities of the Association of Local Environmental Records Centres, the National Biodiversity Network, Natural England, The Wildlife Trusts partnership and the National Forum for Biological Recording. rECOrd is an example of a Local Environmental Records Centre.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Biological Records Centre - Recording Schemes". Biological Records Centre. Retrieved 2013-09-19
  2. ↑ "History | CBDC". Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre, Tullie House Museum. Accessed 2013-09-19
  3. ↑ Running a Local record Centre, The Wildlife Trusts/NBN 2001

External links