Sites of Biological Importance (SBIs)

Every county has non-statutory (not government designated) sites of wildlife interest. These local sites within Cheshire are referred to as Sites of Biological Importance or SBIs for short!

There are over 600 SBIs in the Cheshire area and these are regularly surveyed by volunteer recorders to establish their significance in an ecological sense. Sites which exhibit interesting and rare species or habitat types are assessed against established criteria. A panel representing partnership organizations involved in the SBI system (namely CWT, Cheshire County Council, Natural England and local borough representatives) reviews survey data and officially gives worthy sites recognition as Cheshire SBIs.

SBIs are recognized as important wildlife sites – though not statutorily designated they receive protection within the planning system. Also, in the current climate of agricultural changes with the move towards environmental stewardship payments for sympathetic land management, SBIs can help landowners receive government funds to manage their land for Wildlife conservation by contributing a significant 5 points in the new Higher Level Stewardship Scheme (HLS); managed by the Rural Development Service arm of Defra.

CWT and the SBI partnership rely on voluntary recorders to go out (mostly on sunny days!) and survey Cheshire SBIs to update the register. SBI recording necessitates good botanical identification skills and an ability to distinguish between habitat types. Both these skills can be learned and built upon by becoming an SBI recorder. Botanical ID skills are something that all you keen gardeners and retired biology teachers and interested naturalists can contribute – if you give yourselves enough credit for what you already know and if you are willing to keep learning!

If you would like to assist us in our aim to protect such important and ever-scarcer wildlife sites here in Cheshire by actively recording these wildlife conservation areas please contact the SBI Coordinator at Grebe House (CWT offices). We have a mentoring system and established groups of SBI recorders all over Cheshire for support, but there are also large gaps in our coverage – perhaps where you live – that need SBI recorders.

Who are Cheshire region SBI Recorders?

Recorders are from various backgrounds and we have individuals representing different age groups, amateurs and professionals; students and recent graduates, working ecologists who volunteer their skills, right up to retired botanical professionals.
SBI recorders produce habitat maps and species lists and a report following the criteria laid out in the SBI Handbook (available to all SBI recorders – now on CD too!) It’s not all about hard work though! Recorders are given the unique opportunity to survey sites which others will never see as SBIs often have no public access. The added bonus is that these are exciting, rare habitats and you’re never quite sure what you will find!

Here are some examples of the dedicated and enthusiastic individuals and groups who volunteer their time recording details on SBIs

Hilary Maitland aged 72 who lives in Mouldsworth.

“Since retiring as a Hospital doctor, I have enjoyed SBI recording with Pat Eades at various Sites of Biological Importance around Frodsham.

I am an SBI recorder because I have always enjoyed natural history and recording takes one into areas of countryside not normally open to the public.

We normally record in Vale Royal District. The best thing about recording is the discovery of unusual or uncommon species. For example, on a small field with horses behind an industrial site in Winsford there were two types of orchid, carpeting part of the area!”

Mathilde Baker-Schommer is a Wirral Wildlife SBI Recorder:

“I have been recording since summer 2001 following my retirement, I started with Hilary Ash as a 'mentor' on Caldy Golf course, roughs, spinneys etc, mainly botanical recording, then I followed this up working with Sheila Ryde to record birds (excellent place for barn owls and details were passed over to the Barn Owl Trust). I did a lot of Systematics at University, a long time ago but during my teaching later on, I used very little of this (important) aspect of biology and forgot lots - and botanical names changed, and I moved to Britain from Switzerland and had to cope with (and enjoy discovering) the differences in flora and fauna!

But there is plenty of help about, and the main focus and drive is to look after sites, and make sure management / protection is adequate to retain habitats & species, or even allow species diversity to increase. So it doesn't matter if you are not quite sure about every grass, sedge and rush! This season, I am going for the 2nd time to Greasby Copse SBI, to look at the ponds after having checked on the plants earlier on this year. I love being out and about and contributing, in a small way, to helping 'nature's creatures great and small' survive!”

Lyme Natural History Recording Group

What is your background? We are a group of naturalists specialising at present in various natural history disciplines such as Arachnida (spiders), brypohytes (non-vascular plants), lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), fungi, pteridophytes (ferns) and other vascular plants. Each member is responsible for recording and researching a group of organisms. Interested and keen naturalists are welcome to join us, especially those who can add to our coverage with interests in disciplines not listed above.
Why are you SBI recorders? We like recording natural history!
Where do you record? SK 07,08,09 and SJ 97,98,99 in 1 Km squares (monads)
What's the best thing about SBI recording from your perspective? The opportunity to record in areas where one is not normally allowed to access!