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 CentreSaturday, March 22nd, 2025 at 1:45am
CBDC are very proud to be supporting the Wild Weekend Bioblitz at Park House Farm in Torpenhow this May. If you have interests in wildlife recording and will be in Cumbria 10-11 May, this is the event to attend. Book your free ticket now!

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wild-weekend-bioblitz-tickets-1290302061199
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreThursday, March 20th, 2025 at 1:40am
Last month saw the Cumbria Recorders' Conference 2025. In case you missed it or attended but want a recap of the talks, a summary of the conference together with slide decks for all the programmed talks are available from our website:
https://www.cbdc.org.uk/get-involved/recorders-conference/
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreThursday, February 20th, 2025 at 11:00pm
Cumbria Recorders' Conference 2025 starts this time tomorrow. Thanks to all speakers for agreeing to speak! It is fully booked but if you missed out on a place, there will be a summary of the day posted on the CBDC website shortly!
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreWednesday, February 19th, 2025 at 8:12am
Local supermarket seems confident of a Pine Marten recovery in Cumbria...!

[In Europe, they are known to chew through cables in car engines]
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreMonday, January 20th, 2025 at 6:27am
Last chance to register for the webinar:
Updating Cumbria’s County Wildlife Sites

Tomorrow at 6:30pm.

A golden opportunity to find out more about the project, County Wildlife Sites and important habitat in Cumbria. Come along!

To register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmc0gvIgFRX4DVhlI-042B18KZJ_TOis8nqtAFzShww7M0zg/viewform
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreWednesday, January 8th, 2025 at 1:29am
@RHS Science and Collections Summer Studentships - apply by 31 Jan 2025 for an undergrad research opportunity including data collection on urban tree planting!
https://www.rhs.org.uk/education-learning/qualifications-and-training/work-based-training/science-and-collections-summer-studentships