Plantlife Scotland, are looking for volunteers across Scotland for a new wild plant survey, which is building up important information about the health of wild plant habitats including those in the more rural and upland areas of Scotland.
What is the National Plant Monitoring Scheme?
The NPMS is the UK's first monitoring scheme that tells us about the quality of our habitats for wild plants. The scheme is a long-term government-funded survey, and is a partnership of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), the Biological Records Centre (within the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology), Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), and Plantlife. The NPMS builds on previous research projects funded by JNCC and Defra. The aim is to collect data to provide an annual indication of changes in plant abundance and diversity. For statistical validity we need data from sufficient survey plots in each of the habitats included in the NPMS, and we have survey locations around Scotland and the rest of the UK.
Who can take part in the NPMS?
The scheme is designed to be carried out by non-expert volunteers. Anyone interested in nature who can identify plants, or who is keen to learn, can take part. We have different survey levels to suit different levels of ability. Volunteers can take part individually or in groups.
What does taking part involve?
· Volunteers adopt a kilometre square from those available. This may be somewhere near your home address, or somewhere else that you could visit each year.
· Volunteers visit the kilometre square twice a year to monitor about 5 small plots in different habitats. More remote locations are being surveyed every other year.
· Volunteers record species from easy to identify lists for each habitat (or there is the option to record all species present in each plot).
Where are volunteers needed?
· There are survey squares available to adopt around Scotland, particularly in the more rural areas of the country. Why not consider adopting a square in an area you regularly visit eg to go walking?
· To see what survey squares are available, go to http://www.npms.org.uk/squares-near-me-public?dynamic-return_all_squares=true, and zoom in on the map to the area you are interested in (available squares are blue).
What support will volunteers get?
· All volunteers registering for a square (on www.npms.org.uk) will receive a survey pack (survey guidance; species lists; full colour flower ID guide).
· All volunteers have access to telephone and email support provided by the Volunteer Coordinator (Hayley New).
· We run free training courses around Scotland each year, both for participants and for anyone else interested in taking part.
How to get more information
· The dedicated survey website www.npms.org.uk has detailed information including PDF copies of all the survey guides.
· Or you can contact us on (01786) 479382 or Tha am post-dealain fo dhìon an aghaidh botaichean spama. Feumaidh tu JavaScript a chus an comas gus fhaicinn.">Tha am post-dealain fo dhìon an aghaidh botaichean spama. Feumaidh tu JavaScript a chus an comas gus fhaicinn. to find out more.
Thank youfor your interest!
