GiGL is proud to announce that we have been awarded the John Sawyer NBN Open Data Award 2025, presented annually by the National Biodiversity Network Trust (NBN) at their conference.
It is awarded to those making a valuable contribution to open biodiversity data in the UK and is based on criteria that assess the quality and extent of species data published under an open licence via the NBN Atlas, a platform for sharing species data nationally and internationally.
As a social enterprise, we’re committed to making biodiversity data available where it has the greatest environmental and social benefit, while also safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining a model that allows us to provide services for the benefit of people and nature in London.
Why GiGL was recognised:
- We share 100,000+ biodiversity records openly on the NBN Atlas, covering 1,600+ taxa
- 100% of these records have verified identifications
- 81% are published under an Open licence at 100m resolution or better
- Some records date back to the 1500s
- In 2024, our open data was downloaded 1.4 million times!
These figures reflect GiGL’s commitment to a sustainable approach to open data. It also showcases the dedication of the many individuals and organisations who contribute to London’s biodiversity evidence through species recording. Particular thanks goes to the London Natural History Society, whose historic flora data contributes a large part of the datasets now making an impact on the NBN Atlas – something that is interesting, useful for research, and can be shared appropriately.
We are thankful to the NBN Trust for this recognition and for hosting another excellent conference that brought together those working to make biodiversity data accessible. NBN data are used across a range of sectors and we found from the conference that academics make up a large portion of data downloaders, demonstrating their value for research.
GiGL’s recognition is a testament to the hard work of our team, as well as our community and professional networks. Together, we’re helping ensure that high-quality biodiversity data remains accessible, trusted, and able to work for nature.
