Data Recording

The recording of collected data can be undertaken in a variety of ways, including:
• Digital capture, either using specific devices (e.g. camcorder) or general devices such as a mobile phone: Audio; Photographic; Video.
• Sensors (temperature, motion, etc.) which record data.
• Specially designed monitoring sheet on a tablet or mobile device.
• Databases/Spreadsheets/Word Processors.
• Standard data recording card/from.
• Coding of data received (making data easier to analyse).
• Notebook.
• Maps (to plot information onto).
• Sketches.
• Graphs/Diagrams (bar, pie, histogram, scatter etc.) - Record data by plotting onto the graphs etc.
Examples of some standard recording forms or sheets include those available for or from:
• Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC): (https://jncc.gov.uk/our-work/terrestrial-habitat-classification-schemes/#phase-1-habitat-classification)
o Phase 1 Habitat Survey (this provides an estimate of habitat with general analysis of vegetation cover).
o Phase 2 Survey (National Vegetation Survey), which provides a greater range of community types and is more detailed.
• Biological Records Centre. (https://www.brc.ac.uk)
• British Trust for Ornithology. (https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/bbs/taking-part/download-forms-instructions)
• Open Air Laboratories (OPAL). (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/opal/)

Recording plants
These are static organisms, which can be fairly easy to count and record, with there being a range of field guides that can be used to help in plant identification.

Recording animals
Mobile organisms can prove more difficult to count accurately, or to count at all. Some animals are nocturnal, whilst others can be very elusive and difficult to confirm as a visual sighting.

General field surveys may provide an indication of the presence and range of different animals, but not their frequency or density.

Animals may range from larger mammals, such as deer, to small mammals, such as rabbits, flying mammals (bats), birds or invertebrates - soil living (e.g. earthworms) or airborne (butterflies).

Making observations of animal tracks or dropping can also provide evidence of animal presence, but not frequency or density.
9.2 Rec
Recording people
A survey may wish to find out the number and types of usage, or about the type of user. Surveys which ask individuals for responses must be ethical, have the consent of the individual and cause the individual no harm. This information may include:
• Age.
• Gender.
• Ethnicity.
• Place of residence (to determine how far they travelled).
• How they travelled to a site.
• Whether an individual came alone, as a family, or group.
• The purpose of the visit.
• Their opinion on the site: suggestions for improvement.

Electronic chips (RFIDS) on access points can provide a count of usage;

Car parking tickets can also be used to determine vehicle use.

Recording physical features
Soil type including its structure, texture and pH may wish to be recorded.

Topography could include a range of features:

• Aspect - south / north etc. facing, which can influence micro-climate (e.g. shade levels; moisture; temperature).
• Rock features - limestone, granite, scree, cave, cliff face, gravel, sand pit.
• Rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, waterfall, fountain, well, spring.
• Gates, cattle grids, stiles, fencing.
• Bridges, roads, paths, tracks.
• Monuments, buildings.
• Ditches, dykes, Ha-Ha.

The use of maps (especially Ordinance Survey) and aerial photography or satellite imagery are particularly useful to inform you in the design stage of a survey.

Recording habitat types
There are different classifications for habitats. The general type of habitat survey would utilise the 'Phase 1 Survey' which has been designed for rural and urban areas.

A much more detailed habitat survey can be carried out with a Phase 2 survey, which uses the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system (https://jncc.gov.uk/our-work/nvc/).

The JNCC web site provides comprehensive information on these two habitat classifications; refer to the JNCC Handbook for Phase 1 habitat survey ¯ a technique for environmental audit, for descriptions of the habitats (Phase 1). (https://jncc.gov.uk/our-work/terrestrial-habitat-classification-schemes/#phase-1-habitat-classification, accessed 3rd March 2022)

See ‘Habitat Classifications' for further information.

Access networks
Identify how access may be gained to an area as well as the type of area to be surveyed. Essentially you would enter (access) or leave (egress) at a boundary, however, you may need to gain permission from another landowner before you can gain access to the area that you wish to survey.

There are a range of networks and access ways which can be encountered:
• Long distance footpaths (e.g. Pennine Way, which may also be part of a National Park.)
• Road Used as a Public Path (RUPP).
• Byway Open to All Traffic (BOAT).
• National Parks.
• Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB).
• Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
• Environmental Stewardship (these are Agricultural schemes).
• Private land.
• Membership organisations: National Trust; Historic Environment Scotland; English Heritage; Woodland Trust.
• Nature Reserve.
• NatureScot; Natural England; Natural Resources Wales; Cadw;
• Local authority public park or open space.
• Public paths/footpath.
• Bridle way.
• Tracks.
• Railway track (disused).
• Permissive / Permitted Path (these are paths that are not public rights of way, but the landowner has allowed the public to use the path, although they may withdraw that permission at their discretion).

Explanations for some of these can be found on Naturenet (https://naturenet.net/index.php)
Some points to consider
The use of maps, aerial photography or satellite imaginary will help identify many potential access points, however, whether these are public rights of way may typically need to be confirmed through other means, e.g. local authority planning department, contacting owners (if known), site visit to assess signage, or other means. Ordnance Survey maps may identify public rights of way.

Depending upon the time of year, the accessibility of an area for surveying can be restricted or unsafe especially during periods of high rainfall, snowfall, frost and ice, animal control (e.g. culling) or breeding times.

Overgrown vegetation, damaged bridges or animal presence (for example, a bull) may also prevent access - often these can only be determined on the day.

Always consider what hazards may be present and the risk/s involved. If you are in any doubt, then it is best to either retire for the day (you can still carry out other related work such as a rethink or develop your report structure). Under no circumstances should you expose yourself to any harm or danger - this is unnecessary and it's not what a responsible person would do in field survey work.

If an area is not public space, then you will need to determine what permission you may need to access the area and how to go about getting that permission.

Some useful starting maps are the Ordnance Survey Outdoor leisure maps 1:25000 or Landranger series 1:50000.
Recorded data should be:
• Accurate (don't mislead; record truthfully).
• Consistent (don't change codings or the meanings of terms between records or contexts. See ‘Data Codes').
• Readable (especially if handwritten).
• Understandable (don't use a system of recording that only you can understand).
• Relevant (don't record every last detail otherwise you won't get very far in your survey, stay focused).
• Accessible (i.e. not in a digital format that is no longer support).
A field notebook A6/A5 size is handy to record findings whilst you are on site.

A tablet or mobile phone can be used to record data - although the software would need to be appropriate for the task.

Standard record sheets, cards, forms are very effective ways of recording data. This is because they have been tried and tested, in the field, by many users. Data headings will be consistent and relevant for the type of survey and these can be compared between different field workers and surveys.