Natural Project Grant Stage 2 - Application Questions

/ Natural Project Grants –Application Questions

Section one of eight: About you

In this section we will ask about you and your organisation (where applicable). We will use this information to verify you are who you say you are. This is to ensure your grant application is genuine.

1. Your details*

This should be the person and/or organisation that is applying for the grant and who will manage the project. You should make sure that all details are accurate and that you include the full dialling code for any telephone numbers. At least one of the phone numbers must be a landline number.

Title* / Mr
First name* / Glenn
Surname* / Roberts
Name of organisation (if applicable) / North East Scotland Biological Records Centre
Position in organisation / Manager
Address* / Room G29
23 St Machar Drive
University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Postcode* / AB24 3RY
Main phone number* / 01224 273633
Mobile phone number
Other phone number
Email* /
Website /
Charity or Business number (if applicable)
VAT registration number (if applicable)

2. Other contact*

You must provide us with another contact for your grant application. We may contact this person to verify you are who you say you are if we are unable to do so from the information provided in question 1.

If you are a voluntary or community organisation this should be your chairperson, secretary, treasurer or another senior member of your management committee.
If you are a public body or company this should be your chief executive, director or someone senior in your organisation.
For all instances, at least one of the phone numbers must be a landline number.

You should make sure that all details are accurate and that you include the full dialling code for any telephone numbers.

Title* / Mr
First name* / Craig
Surname* / Stewart
Name of organisation (if appropriate) / Aberdeenshire Council
Position in organisation / Specialist Services Team Leader
Main phone number* / 01224 664723
Mobile phone number
Other phone number
Email* /
Website

3. Main aims and activities of your organisation or group*

Please tell us what your organisation or group aims to achieve and what activities you do. This will help us to learn more about you.

What are the main aims of your organisation or group?

You can write up to 1000 characters.

NESBReC is the biological records centre for North-East Scotland. Founded in 2000, NESBReC is based in Aberdeen and currently covers the administrative areas of Aberdeenshire, AberdeenCity and Moray. A main aim is for NESBReC to engage with biological recorders, education and conservation bodies and the wider community so that NESBReC is the main point of contact for collating, managing and distributing biological records within the NESBReC area. NESBReC aims to promote and encourage biological recording in the North-East of Scotlandand maintain quality assured records which are accessible to a wide range of users. Data should be made available free of charge to the public unless the data is of a sensitive nature in which case certain restrictions to access may apply.
Other important aims of NESBReC are to:

Provide support and guidance for biological recorders and arrange training opportunities for biological recorders across all skill levels, including complete novices.
Increase the standard and coverage of recording and be an exemplar of good practice in biological recording.
Manage data at NESBReC according to the National Biodiversity Network’s (NBN) standards and guidance for Local Records Centres (LRCs).
Support the North East Scotland Local Biodiversity Action Planany other Local Biodiversity Action Plans that may be produced within the area of interest of NESBReC.
Act as a local node of the National Biodiversity Network. Upload data to the NBN Gateway.
Carry out or commission surveys for the collection of biological records within the area of interest of NESBReC.
Support the Scottish Biodiversity Information Forum in order to mobilise biological data by agreed methods and practices.
Work in partnership with other organisations to help achieve NESBReC’s aims.
To investigate other opportunities to expand NESBReC’s coverage of other areas that do not have LRC provision.

What are the main activities of your organisation or group?

You can write up to 1000 characters.

NESBReC is the biological records centre for North-East Scotland. NESBReC collates biodiversity information from a variety of sources which it then makes available to a range of users to assist with land use planning, conservation, site management, research and general public interest. The data are validated and managed according to NBN standards and procedures for LRCs. Data are also uploaded on to the NBN Gateway whilst avoiding unnecessary duplication of data on NBN from other sources.
NESBReC presently holds over 1,000 000 individual species records, many of which are proving invaluable for aiding the conservation effort. NESBReC shares records with national recording schemes and the NBN.Many of the data held by NESBReC, especially species records, are provided by members of the public. Everyone from beginners to experts makes a valuable contribution by getting involved in recording. NESBReC encourages this citizen science aspect of recording by hosting regular biological recording training events and by answering queries from the public and offering guidance about how to get involved. Training events are free of charge and open to all. Around 10 of these courses are held every year across the North-East for a range of species groups or individual species and experts are employed to lead each event and pass on their knowledge on species identification characteristics. These training events are often hosted in partnership with other local or national groups in order to broker contact between the groups and the public. In this way, particular issues or projects can be highlighted and citizen science can be galvanised to help delivery. Past partners have included: Buglife, Plantlife Scotland, Butterfly Conservation, Scottish Mink Initiative, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels, Grampian Fungus Group, Grampian Spider Group, SEPA, East Grampian Coastal Partnership, Grampian Bird Ringing Group, Conchological Society and the Botanical Society of the British Isles.
NESBReC also keeps in regular contact with established and potential recorders via its website, e-mail news feeds and bi-annual newsletters. In addition, NESBReC hosts an annual Recorders Forum for upwards of 70 people at which local recorders can discuss recording issues and hear talks from NESBReC and other biological experts.
Land use planning requires sound habitat and species information if features of natural heritage interest are not to be compromised. NESBReC holds habitat data from surveys carried out by a number of partner organisations as well as maintaining a central source of information on the location of local statutory and non-statutory designated sites. All of the data NESBReC holds are used regularly by planners at Aberdeenshire Council and Aberdeen City Council, as well as environmental consultants and other organisations, in order to inform any decisions on land use. NESBReC produces reports on specific requests for information from these users.
NESBReC supports the North East Scotland Biodiversity Action Plan (NELBAP) and works in partnership to help deliver the aims of the plan. Data is supplied to the NELBAP Co-ordinator to support NELBAP projects. Data is also regularly shared with local recording groups and national recording schemes.
NESBReC delivers presentations around the North-East of Scotland to various interest groups in order to raise awareness of biological recording and stimulate involvement. The NESBReC manager is also a member of the committee of Biological Recording in Scotland (BRISC) which aims to encourage recording around the whole of Scotland.
NESBReC collects data first hand by carrying out habitat surveying projects in the North-East. The data collected includes habitat maps, plant species lists and casual fauna records.

4. Have you received any grant funding from us within the last five years?*

xYesNo

If yes, please give us details of this grant funding including the identification number(s) if known and project title(s). We may look at your earlier project(s) when we assess your application.

You can write up to 750 characters

A grant was given to NESBReC for the project titled NESBReC Service Level Agreement 2010-13, Ref no:GRA/APP/11386. This was for £49,800 which represented an award of £16,600 per annum for each of the three years of the agreement. The agreement included a contribution towards NESBReC’s core running costs as well as a contribution towards work completed for SNH.
A grant was given in 2011 for the project titled Upgrade of NESBReC GIS Capabilities for the next 5 years, Ref no: GRA/APP/12135. This grantof £1,725 was for an upgrade of our GIS software, associated licenses and hardware.
Funding was given in 2008 and 2009 (Years 2 & 3) as part of a three year grant for the project titled Service Level Agreement, Ref no: GRA/APP/9306. A grant of £15,000 was awarded for each year.

Section two of eight: Your project

In this section we will ask you to tell us about your project including its title, location, dates, and who will be involved. We will also ask what outputs you expect to deliver, how and when you expect to achieve them and how they will support one or more of our priorities.

5. Project title*

Your project title should clearly describe your project. It should accurately reflect the project location, activity and time period. We will use the project title to publicise your grant if you are successful in securing our funding.

For example - Oban ‘Go Green’ volunteer programme – May 2012 to June 2015

You can write up to 100 characters.

North East Scotland Biological Records Centre operations 2013-2016

6. Project location*

You should tell us where your project will take place. If your project will take place in more than one location, please tell us about them all. For example, if you were planning a series of wildlife awareness sessions that will take place at various nature reserves in your local area, you should tell us about all of these locations.

You can write up to 1000 characters

NESBReCs current operational area is North East Scotland covering Aberdeenshire, AberdeenCity and Moray Local Authority Areas. The project will be based in the NESBReC office in Aberdeen but outreach and awareness raising work will take place wherever required at locations across the North East of Scotland. Focussing community training events on certain species groups will influence which locations are used. Voluntary recording effort will also be encouraged across the whole of the North East of Scotland. In line with Scottish Biodiversity Information Forum (SBIF) identified issues of Local Records Centre (LRC) coverage, this project will explore options (funding, set-up etc.) for expansion to cover Angus and to re-instate the previous 3-year initiative to cover the Cairngorm National Park (CNP). The desire is to expand tried and tested systems and services into these areas.

7. Project dates*

You should tell us when you expect your project to start and finish. If you are unsure of the exact dates, please tell us your preferred dates.

Start date: / month/year / April 2013 / Finish date: / month/year / March 2016

8. Development of project

If you have been in touch with SNH to discuss the development of your project idea, please tell us the name of your contact.

Ewan Lawrie

9.Statutory consent*

We are unable to support projects or activities that are a condition of planning permission or any other statutory consent. For example, you may be required to carry out a biological survey before planning permission is awarded on a site.

Is your project or any of the activities it will deliver a condition of planning permission or any other statutory consents?

X / No – please go to the next question.
Yes – please give details below, including what the condition is and what statutory consent it relates to. We will use this information to determine what impact this may have on your application.

You can write up to 1000 characters.

Your project

You should describe your project and tell us how this will involve Scotland’s nature, landscapes and people. This could include using different species and habitats to teach people about their localbiodiversity or actively using local greenspaces to get people out into their environment.

10. Describe your project by outlining what you’re going to do and how you’re going to do it.*You will be asked about your specific project outputs below.

You can write up to 1800 characters

SNH previously supported NESBReC through a Service Level Agreement (SLA) focusing on the processing of data for the NESBReC area. Following discussion with local SNH officers, while an element of this will be retained, it is proposed to refocus SNH support to more closely match SNH’s local and national priorities. The funding sought from SNH reflects emphasis on the importance of high quality and quantity of data in SNH priorities and the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.
Key objectives of the project:

Maintain a database of biodiversity information for the North East of Scotland.
Make these data available to a wide range of organisations and individuals both locally and nationally.
Maintain the NESBReC web site as a vehicle for accessing data and promoting biological recording.
Act as data custodian for the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) passing data onto NBN following approved data management procedure.
Run a programme of biological identification training events every year for the general public. Encourage citizen science by enabling an appreciation of the local natural environment and helping people to identify and record all types of wildlife so that they can contribute records to the NESBReC database.
Work in partnership with local and national organisations to encourage citizen science and “best practice” recording.
Work in partnership with the NELBAP.
Hold a Recorders Forum annually in Aberdeen to promote biological recording to support the wide network of volunteers who record wildlife across North East Scotland.
Manage biological data in an appropriate manner set by national guidelines, adding to the database for all species and habitats.
Explore options for expansion into Angus and aim to re-instate coverage of the CairngormsNational Park.

The NESBReC staff have the skills needed by a Local Records Centre in order to perform effectively. Current existing posts are: Manager/Biological Recorder; IT Support; and GIS Officer.

11. How will your project involve Scotland’s nature, landscapes and people?*

You can write up to 1800 characters

NESBReC's core work is the collation, management and dissemination of species and habitat data, mostly collected by volunteer recorders. Core business will be to increase the species and habitat information collated and make it easily available, either directly or through our role as a hub of the NBN.
NESBReC will run an annual programme of8 training events per year at which members of the public can gain a better appreciation and understanding of the wildlife in their local area and get involved in Citizen Science. Each event will be led by an expert in a particular field of wildlife in order to impart knowledge in an understandable way to all ages, all abilities and all levels of experience. These events will generally be held outdoors at a variety of suitable sites and will highlight the biodiversity of a local area, demonstrating the importance of UK BAP or NELBAP priority species and habitats. The subjects will focus on the identification and recording of particular UK BAP species and habitats.
One of NESBReC’s projects between 2013 and 2016 is to promote the recording of mammals in the North-East, culminating in the production of a Mammal Atlas based on records held at NESBReC. As part of this project, three mammal identification and recording courses will be held (free of charge) annually in order to stimulate recording among the wider community. This will help to increase recording of UKBAP species such as red squirrel, pine marten, otter, bat species, water vole, brown hare, mountain hare, wildcat, common seal, grey seal and hedgehog, whilst also promoting recording of less recorded, less conspicuous mammal species such as voles, shrews and mice. The identification training will be delivered in partnership with other organisations such as Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels Project, Grampian Mammal Group, NESBats, NELBAP and Scottish Mink Initiative. As part of the Mammal Atlas project, NESBReC will also make survey equipment available on loan for wider use such as small mammal traps, camera traps and bat detectors.
In addition, the production of an online Harvestman Atlas is planned for 2013 in conjunction with the Grampian Spider Group in order to promote recording of this under-recorded group of species.
Furthermore, all NESBReC training events in 2013 will have the potential to contribute to the Year of Natural Scotland 2013. All of the events could be “badged” as part of this initiative since they will all fit the theme of natural Scotland. Other possible subjects for training include: amphibian and reptile survey (in partnership with NARRS); pond survey (in partnership with NELBAP and Pondlife); fungi identification (in partnership with Grampian Fungus Group); spiders (in partnership with Grampian Spider Group); invasive species (in partnership with Plantlife, Pondlife, NELBAP); invertebrates (in partnership with Buglife); butterflies & moths (in partnership with Butterfly Conservation); UKBAP woodland habitats and species (in partnership with BSBI). NESBReC also contributes to the NELBAP Awareness Group which is planning to promote events in partnership as part of Year of Natural Scotland 2013.
In years 2014 and 2015, training events will target certain species or groups of species that are important for the UKBAP and the NELBAP, or are important for biosecurity or under-recorded in the North-East. Choosing the subjects for training will be done in partnership with other organisations to deliver targeted outputs for such organisations and NESBReC.

Our priorities