Have you ever wondered, looking at a distribution map for an animal or plant in the British Isles, why there is a gaping hole in the Highlands?

It may be that it really doesn't occur.  Often it is because the Highlands, though rich in wildlife, are thinly populated and hence poorly recorded.  A good example is that of the stoat which probably occurs throughout the Highlands, although the maps show but few Highland records.

To try to remedy this the HIGHLAND BIOLOGICAL RECORDING GROUP was founded in 1986.  The area served by the Group is the Highland Council area, but we are happy to take records from outside our boundaries and forward them to the appropriate centres. It includes the Small Isles, but not the Outer Hebrides, Orkney or Shetland.

Our objectives are:

• to stimulate interest in biological recording in the Highlands, amongst both naturalists and the general public, by promoting and co-ordinating co-operative surveys;
• to help, if requested, any individual recording in the area;
• to compile and keep up-to-date a directory of those in the area who have specialized knowledge and may be willing to give advice or help with identifications;
• to produce, at least once a year, an account of biological recording in the area, with reports on surveys in progress or completed and other relevant news and information;
• to forward information from the area, as appropriate, to national recording schemes, so that gaps on distribution maps are real rather than apparent.

• an annual Newsletter ‘The Highland Naturalist’;
• a shorter ‘Autumn Update’
• a website which is frequently updated;
• email contacts and an on-line forum;
• two meetings, spring and autumn, each year;
• field trips;
• advice on wildlife resources (people, books and websites);
• assistance with identification from specimens or photographs;
• assistance with training in wildlife recording from a wide range of local specialists;
• assistance with travel expenses for recording trips.