Wildlife Recording: Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester's own Local Records Centre (GMLRC) was established in 2008 and completes the network of LRCs now covering the North-west of England.  We are based at The Greater Manchester Ecology Unit in Ashton-under-Lyne and promote wildlife recording across the ten districts of Greater Manchester - Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.

All the records submitted via this website will be used to map the current distributions of species and identify changes as they occur.  The records will also be supplied to  The National Biodiversity Network.  Access to records of rare or sensitive species will be restricted to ensure their protection.  Mapping of these species will also be at an appropriate resolution to prevent the identification of important sites.

There are many reasons why it is important to keep wildlife records and most especially submit them to a recording group or the GMLRC.  Despite concerted conservation efforts, the numbers of many species are still falling, which is why we need to know where they can still be found, in order to protect these areas.  Many species are protected by law, such as nesting birds, Great Crested Newts, Badgers, Bats and Water Voles.  These are called Protected Species.  It is illegal to intentionally disturb or kill Protected Species or damage their habitats (the places where they live and breed).

Over the coming years climate change may have a big impact on the numbers of certain species and their distributions.  Species which are common today may no longer be so in twenty years time.  Therefore it is important to know where animals and plants are found today, so that in a few years time we can identify changes in their populations and distributions as they occur and take steps to minimise any declines.

By recording the arrival dates every year of the first Swallows, Swifts and House Martins, or the date you see the first frog spawn, we will be able to find out whether migrant birds are returning earlier from Africa, or whether frogs are mating earlier and perhaps moving to higher altitudes.

It doesn't matter if you have not been involved previously in wildlife recording, you will find plenty of help on this website.  To start off, please read the guidelines on How to Submit Your Records/Sightings.
 

Wildlife Surveys

Bird Atlas 2007-11

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is running a four year project to map the distributions of Britain's breeding and wintering birds.  This will enable changes in distribution to be assessed since fieldwork was carried out for the last breeding Atlas (1988-91) and wintering Atlas (1981-1984).  You can contribute to this important project by submitting records of birds you see anywhere in Greater Manchester.

Just register on the  British Trust for Ornithology website and enter your records on-line.

The BTO are supplying a copy of the GM data to the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group who will be producing a new Breeding Birds Atlas of Greater Manchester.  So any records you submit will be used in both the national and Greater Manchester Atlases.

Some of the provisional distribution maps for GM can be viewed on the  Manchester Birding (Greater Manchester Breeding Atlas) website.

Top Trunks

Manchester is one of the first Cities in the Country to give you the chance to map its best trees.  Working with the Woodland Trust, Manchester City Council has provided you with the technology to help begin recording the trees of note in our City.

To get started, visit the  "wildaboutmanchester -> Top Trunks" website page.