Welsh Journals

THE BIOLOGICAL RECORDING WORKING GROUP IN WALES J. M. BATEMAN Details of the inauguration of this Group have already appeared in Nature in Wales, 12, 238 and a report of its first meeting was given by David Davies in the same journal, 13, 57. Mr. Davies's report indicated a need for more concentrated recording in certain areas of mid- and north Wales, and subsequent activities of the Group have shown one way of fulfilling this. To date there have been two weekend field meetings organised by the Group. The first was in the St. Harmon Valley of Radnorshire (SN953715 to 987729) during the period 12-15 May 1972. The second meeting was in the Llangollen area (SJ245424 to 235477) from 13-16 October 1972. The procedure in determining a site for multidisciplinary recording has been to select a general area thought to be under- recorded and then to contact the county recorders concerned with the BSBI Recording Scheme for the area. For most purposes it would seem to be a reasonable assumption that if the flora of an area has been under-recorded, then the chances are that animals have received no more, if as much, attention. Experience appears to confirm this. In connection with the Llangollen meeting, the BSBI county recorder referred the Group to the Regional Officer of the Nature Conservancy and he was able to indicate the kinds of records which the Conservancy would like for the area. It seems sensible that if there are immediate specific needs in an area where recording is to take place, then the field force should take these into consideration. Contact with locally based authorities has also been useful for establishing a list of landowners and other interested bodies to be consulted. This kind of liaison has not only convinced landowners of the value of the aims of objectives of the Group, but has also provided advance information concerning the wildlife of the district to be covered and specific locations worthy of special attention. The greatest difficulty which has faced the Group in organising field meetings has been in securing appropriate residential accom- modation for a party of up to forty and appropriate facilities for laboratory examination of collected specimens. The first meeting in Radnorshire was based on the UWIST Field Centre at Newbridge-on-Wye. At a distance of only ten miles from the chosen site it provided reasonable access together with good residential and laboratory facilities, as well as certain basic equipment. The Llangollen meeting was centred at the Tyndwr Hall Youth Hostel. This was only two miles away from the field site and also provided basic laboratory accommodation since it is one of a number of Youth Hostels equipped for field study work. The facilities for future weekend recording meetings may not be so "ready made", since it is not likely that all the areas we