Welcome to the second edition of the GiGLer. This time we focus on protected species and on some of the organisations that generate and need access to protected species data in London.
Since July last year, we have seen a significant growth in our data holdings, with more recorders and organisations signing up to the GiGL partnership. As Natural England’s Paul Losse points out in his guide to protected species (page 3), it’s not only mammals and reptiles that are afforded special protection in London.With that in mind, we have broadened the range of data contributors in the GiGL partnership, and are actively seeking data from national schemes and societies.
The work of the London Water Vole Project has greatly improved our coverage of this UK priority species in the capital.We now hold several hundred records which ensure that this protected species is considered in the planning and conservation work of all of our partners and customers.
Further developments of GiGL’s data systems have made the data we hold more accessible and easier to interpret.We are now able to tag our partners’ species records with their protected status, including if they are one of London’s Biodiversity Action Plan priority species.
Since April 2006, over 300 customers have made use of our partners’ data. Two of our partners have contributed articles to this edition of the GiGLer, highlighting the range of organisations in Greater London that need access to our services. The London Borough of Wandsworth, a long-standing GiGL partner, and Metronet, responsible for the maintenance of two thirds of London Underground’s infrastructure, describe how access to GiGL partners’ data assists them with their own work.