Volunteering & Events: Get Involved

Volunteering

Volunteers are vital to the work of CBDC, both in the role of volunteer recorders and helping us in the office. We are not currently taking on volunteers at the moment but this will change in the future.  Please keep a check on this page and click the link below to find out more.

Volunteering For CBDC

Training

 CBDC run training events and courses.

Please contact us for more information.

Events

We organise a small number of events each year that give our volunteers the chance to meet each other, gain new skills and practise recording.

Annual Recorders Conference

This annual event attended by over 50 recorders provides an opportunity to find out about national and local recording activities.

Training Days

Cumbria has a long tradition of highly skilled recorders across a wide range of plants and animals. CBDC provides training on Biological Recording and works with local experts to run plant and animal Identification skills.

Bioblitz

Each year CBDC works with local conservation organisations to run a Bioblitz. The purpose is to record as many different species in a short period of time. These events are open the public and those interested in wildlife whether an experienced recorder or just beginning.

Recording Days

A small programme, usually 4 days, over the summer months to visit and record wildlife sites that have not been visited for a while. These days are for experienced recorders and members of the local natural history groups and recording schemes.

Tullie House Museum Events

Please Note: All Tullie House Museum events are advertised on their website

Your Green Place – 28th January – 17th April 2023

Come and explore Your Green PLACE, an insightful family-friendly exhibition in our Community Gallery that looks at how an innovative community project inspired a whole network across Cumbria to connect with nature, engage with the environment, and improve their own wellbeing while doing so.

The gallery features a collection of photos, videos and artwork from artists and several community groups.

It also showcases the learnings gained from the various activities and workshops that helped participants build an understanding of their local environment, its heritage and the legacy they’d like to leave.

This project is funded by the Governments Green Recovery Challenge Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its arms length bodies.

It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission. The project was led by Cumbria Development Education Centre (CDEC) and delivered in partnership with Playful Nature and the North Pennines AONB Partnership.

Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre

The Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre at Tullie House Museum, Carlisle keeps wildlife information for the county of Cumbria. Tullie House Museum, in its role as a local natural history museum, has collected and disseminated records of wildlife in Cumbria since its inception in 1893. From the early 1990s the Museum has developed a computerised database of species and habitat records in Cumbria and has taken the central role in providing a local biodiversity data service for the county. This role was restyled as Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre (CBDC) in 2010, a not-for-profit organisation hosted by Tullie House Museum and advised by local stakeholders.
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreFriday, January 2nd, 2026 at 12:01am
One month left to apply to the CBDC Small Grants Scheme.

If you have submitted records to CBDC, you will be eligible to apply for funding to support your ongoing recording activities. Individuals, groups and societies are welcome to apply. More information:

https://www.cbdc.org.uk/get-involved/small-grants-scheme/
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreThursday, January 1st, 2026 at 1:00am
Challenge 365 starts today!

Aim - to record a wildlife observation every day of the year.

https://www.cbdc.org.uk/recording-wildlife/challenge-365/

These camels definitely don't count!
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreMonday, December 29th, 2025 at 12:15am
We're very excited about working with more people across Cumbria in 2026 in our aim to get more people recording wildlife, connecting to nature and doing something positive for nature.

- Take part in Challenge 365 to record something each day of the year
- Join a Cumbria Ecoskills training session
- Do something during Cumbria Wild Watch in June 2026
- Take part in the Cumbria Festival of Nature (more on this very soon!)

Find out more from our website:
https://www.cbdc.org.uk/recording-wildlife/challenge-365/
https://www.cbdc.org.uk/get-involved/cumbria-ecoskills/
https://www.cbdc.org.uk/get-involved/cumbria-wild-watch/
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreTuesday, December 23rd, 2025 at 11:44pm
A huge thank you to all our partners, collaborators, colleagues and particularly wildlife recorders and verifiers - we have enjoyed working with you in 2025 and would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreSunday, December 21st, 2025 at 11:24pm
If you need some reading for the Christmas period, the CBDC newsletter is available to read from our website (where you can see all the back issues) or simply click the link below:
https://mailchi.mp/b163da6742af/cbdc-newsletter-december2025

Happy reading!
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreMonday, December 15th, 2025 at 11:11pm
Join our first winter webinar this evening at 7pm:

Recording winter birds with Martin Harris, CBDC Recording Officer.

Mulled wine and mince pie optional but very welcome!

Sign up for free here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cumbria-ecoskills/recording-winter-birds/e-qgerqp