Strategic Objectives:

• Maintenance of a Shetland Biological Records Centre to collect, collate, manage and disseminate information about Shetland's flora and fauna
• Raise awareness of, and help safeguard, Shetland's biodiversity
• Provide, develop and improve facilities, access and resources for the enjoyment by the public of the Shetland countryside and its flora and fauna

SBRC - Database and Software
During the year another milestone for the Centre was achieved with the entry of the 150,000th record on to the database. It was of a count of 59 Slavonian Grebes from Whiteness Voe to Skelda Voe - fitting then that this was a record count of this species (which is present in nationally important numbers in Shetland) along this stretch of coastline. We are fortunate in that we have been able to continue to maintain a good relationship with the key bodies and individuals that undertake much biological recording in Shetland. Recorder 3 continues to be the favoured data management tool at the Centre. There seems little point in keeping up with the latest fashion in recording when the existing, and familiar, software appears to be able to do everything that we, or our users, ask of it. Dmap and GIS software continue to be used as mapping tools.

Consultations
The Centre continues to provide its users with accurate, up to date information quickly and efficiently. A total of 84 data searches were undertaken during the year, these for a variety of organisations including amateur recorders, community groups, students, NGOs, statutory agencies, business interests and commercial consultants. These data searches, along with survey work undertaken on a commercial basis, and detailed further below, raised over £4,500 during the year - an increase of 50% in income for the second year running. This money is ploughed back into the Centre allowing us to purchase biological equipment and an extensive library for use by interested amateur recorders, and to produce further publications and survey leaflets relating to Shetland's natural heritage. In addition Scottish Natural Heritage entered another three-year Service Level Agreement with the Centre at an increased rate of £5,000 per year.

We continue to screen all planning applications for Shetland Island's Council (SIC). A total of 448 applications were considered during the year. Of these, searches were required for 247 and in 23 cases it was considered that there was the potential for a negative impact upon biodiversity interests and relevant information was submitted to the relevant bodies. This screening process has become more efficient now that SIC has developed a website through which access to the planning application, plans and location maps can be achieved. In addition we were asked by SIC to comment upon environmental statements and development proposals and to undertake survey work to inform the planning process.

SBRC was also invited to have an input into a number of strategic initiatives during the year including the SIC's Cultural Strategy and Marine Spatial Planning initiative, the Foula Renewable Energy Plan and Highland Natural Product's sourcing plan for botanics for Blackwood Distillers.

Surveys
A number of surveys were taken on a commercial basis - either for developers, consultants or business. These involved otters, breeding birds, plants and general habitat surveys. In addition surveys of selected species on Natura 2000 sites were undertaken as part of the Service Level Agreement with Scottish Natural Heritage.

SBRC also acted as local co-ordinator for several national surveys including a national swan survey for the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust and a local botanical change survey for the Botanical Society of the British Isles. A number of volunteers assisted with both. Our own breeding bird survey continues to attract new participants and this year a total of 65 one-kilometre squares were covered by 45 folk.

An article on the survey was published in the Shetland Bird Report. Both the Scottish Ornithologists Club and the Faroes requested details of our methodology as they intend to set up a similar survey. Again, we occasionally assisted SOTEAG with their seabird and wintering sea-duck surveys during the year.

SBRC, with financial assistance from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Shetland Wildlife Fund (SWF), was able to contract spider expert Ed Milner to undertake some invertebrate survey work for us on Shetland during the summer. As well as a host of new spider data his work revealed no less than nine new beetles for the islands. It appears the book Rare Plants of Shetland continues to encourage local folk to scour the countryside and Stag's-horn Clubmoss was discovered at two sites during the year - one a new site and one a traditional site, and both in places where grazing was very light. The plant had been considered to be probably extinct.

Training Courses
Once again our programme of training courses proved very successful. This year we ran four courses, covering geology, grasses, sedges & rushes, invertebrates and autumn birds. All courses were well supported and a total of 28 folk attended at least one course. We again managed to break even actually making a small profit of £200 for the Centre. The invertebrate course also yielded several new species for Shetland.

Publications
Kery and Claire Dalby's Shetland Lichens was submitted to the printers in March. This book will include a good selection of photos, diagrams and watercolour paintings as well as a complete list of Shetland lichen species and will hopefully inform a few more people about this fascinating group. In addition two new leaflets were produced during the year - Butterflies (number seven in the series) and a 'Wanted' leaflet. This leaflet and accompanying posters, based on the old Wild West posters, asks for records of a series of animals and plants that are declining, or possibly extinct in the islands.

Charlie Simpson has commenced work on another publication looking at the Halibut line, Haddock line and seine net fisheries and the use of meids. It is hoped that this will be completed next year.

Biodiversity
We continued to play an active role in the Living Shetland Project through our membership of the steering group and by contributing to Habitat and Species Action Plans and the published Local Biodiversity Action Plan document. Definitive Shetland species lists for various groups of animals and plants continue to be maintained by the Centre. In response to discussions with several agencies SBRC produced documentation for 16 sites around Shetland that hold important biodiversity but are not designated sites. This documentation should assist decision makers in their efforts to conserve Shetland's biodiversity.

SBRC was successful in acquiring nearly £20,000 of grant-aid from the Scottish Executive (under their Biodiversity Action Grants), SNH and SWF towards the conservation of endemic Shetland hawkweeds. The majority of this money will be spent on building a tailor-made facility to propagate and grow hawkweeds, and the Woodlands team are leading on this development. The grant will also assist in raising the profile of hawkweeds in the islands and engaging volunteers in hawkweed conservation efforts.

Geoparks
Shetland Amenity Trust led on a number of meetings to discuss ways of raising the profile of geology in the islands with the long-term aim of gaining Geopark status. A small group of interested parties and organisations has now been formed and during the next year it will investigate whether we can acquire international partners to enable us to access funding to take this project farther. Short term aims are to complete an audit of key geological sites in Shetland, to publish a geology leaflet in the Shetland Amenity Trust themed series and to develop two geological trails in the islands using innovative technology.

Ranger Service and Access
The final year of the pilot phase of the Ranger Service was successful. Both Micky Maher and Howard Towll were kept busy and by the end of the year had completed 17 access projects, five interpretive projects and four education/school projects throughout the islands, the latter including the very well received Yell tourist guide produced by the Cullivoe school bairns. A number of other projects are underway. Towards the end of the pilot phase a large number of letters were received from relevant community groups in the North Isles and South Mainland requesting that the Rangers be retained as a priority. It is pleasing to report that a funding package for the next three years was completed thanks to the financial assistance of SNH, the RSPB and National Trust for Scotland, along with a service agreement with Shetland Islands Council and monies set aside for relevant work under the European ISLA project. There is one change to the service though, with the rangers now covering the whole of Shetland between them, split roughly into north and south.

Sumburgh Head
Progress on this important project has continued and is best separated into three distinct areas. A costed Conservation Plan for the Category A Listed buildings and associated infrastructure was produced by Nicholas Groves-Raines Architects and Historic Scotland have given us a positive indication that they are likely to consider grant-aiding elements of building refurbishment. Janvs, an interpretive company based in York, have produced a costed interpretive plan for the complex and lastly the relevant parties have now broadly agreed a way forward regarding access to the site. To date access has been the most difficult aspect of the project to resolve.

New Shetland Museum & Archives
The environmental elements of the museum have progressed well and an environmental theme (artery) will now run throughout the themed zones. In addition the first zone, known as 'the beginnings', will tell the story of Shetland from 2.5 billion years past until just before man arrived in the islands.

Natural History Archive
After a few years without any additions to this archive good progress was again made this year when John Gregson was employed on a short-term contract. He was able to spend a month on the project and bring the number of archived papers up to over 2,200.