We are thrilled to reveal the 35 outstanding individuals and organisations who have been shortlisted as finalists for the NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording 2024. The winners will be unveiled on Thursday, 21 November, at the NBN Conference in Liverpool.
This year introduces two additional categories – the NBN Lifetime Achievement Award and the NBN Verifier’s Award. With 60 nominations spread across all seven categories, the competition is stronger than ever. The categories are as follows:
- NBN Lifetime Achievement Award 2024
- NBN Verifier’s Award 2024
- NBN Award for Terrestrial Wildlife Recording 2024
- NBN Award for Marine Wildlife Recording 2024
- NBN Group Award 2024
- NBN Newcomer Award 2024
- NBN Young Person’s Award 2024 (open to individuals aged 11-20)
Recognising Conservation Efforts
Lisa Chilton, CEO of the NBN Trust, underscores the vital role played by wildlife recorders and verifiers in helping conserve biodiversity. She states:
We cannot overemphasise the importance of the work these individuals do. By monitoring the health of species in various regions, they provide crucial data for conservation and combatting biodiversity loss.
Numerous wildlife recorders and verifiers volunteer their time and expertise without compensation, frequently motivating others to get involved. The NBN Awards serve as our sincere appreciation to these ‘unsung heroes’ of wildlife recording across the UK.
We would also like to express our gratitude to everyone who put forward these remarkable individuals and groups for nomination. Without their efforts, these awards wouldn’t be possible. A special thank you to our Award Sponsors, whose support is invaluable.
Finalists for NBN Lifetime Achievement Award 2024
- Lin Baldock (Dorset, England)
- Charlotte Bolton (Dorset, England)
- Graham Calow (Leicestershire, England)
- Stuart Crofts (South Yorkshire, England)
- Roger Morris (Surrey, England) and Stuart Ball (Northamptonshire, England)
Finalists for NBN Verifier’s Award 2024
- Mark Cubitt (West Lothian, Scotland)
- Alyson Freeman (Lincolnshire, England)
- Stuart Roberts (Wiltshire, England) and Matt Smith (Berkshire, England)
- Barry Warrington (East Yorkshire, England)
Finalists for NBN Award for Terrestrial Wildlife Recording 2024
- Katty Baird (East Lothian, Scotland)
- Dave Bentley (Greater Manchester, England)
- Rebecca Lewis (Midlothian, Scotland)
- Paul Taylor (Ceredigion, Wales)
- Lisa Williams (Staffordshire, England)
Finalists for NBN Award for Marine Wildlife Recording 2024
- Lin Baldock (Dorset, England)
- Charlotte Bolton (Dorset, England)
- Nic Coombey (Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland)
- Steven Farquhar (County Antrim, Northern Ireland)
- Diane Westwood (Norfolk, England)
Finalists for NBN Group Award 2024
- Amphibian and Reptile Groups of UK (ARG UK) – UK-wide
- Heartwood Forest wildlife monitoring group – Hertfordshire, England
- MammalWeb – UK-wide
- Penwith Wildlife Recorders’ Group (PWRG) – Cornwall, England
- Trent Valley Wildlife Recording Group – Staffordshire, England
Finalists for NBN Newcomer Award 2024
- Karen Fry (Nottinghamshire, England)
- Charlotte Shenkin (Jersey, Channel Islands)
- Margaret Stevens (Leicestershire, England)
- Helen Whitehead (West Midlands, England)
- Kayleigh Woodhouse (Nottinghamshire, England)
Finalists for NBN Young Person’s Award 2024
This category is open to individuals aged 11-20, and the finalists are:
- Henry Colnet (13 years old, Suffolk, England)
- Holly Doherty (19 years old, Inverness, Scotland)
- Max Loraine (14 years old, Midlothian, Scotland)
- Aoife (18 years old, County Down, Northern Ireland)
- Niamh (16 years old, County Down, Northern Ireland)
- Ben Rumsby (18 years old, Essex, England)
Gratitude to the Sponsors
The NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording 2024 are generously supported by seven organisations:
- RSPB – sponsoring prizes for the NBN Lifetime Achievement Award and NBN Verifier’s Award
- Opticron – sponsoring prizes for the NBN Young Person’s Award and NBN Newcomer Award
- Habitat Aid – sponsoring prizes for the NBN Marine and Terrestrial Wildlife Recording Awards and the NBN Group Award
- Field Studies Council – sponsoring the prize in the NBN Group Award
- William Collins – sponsoring prizes for multiple awards, including the Young Person’s, Newcomer, Marine, and Terrestrial Wildlife Recording categories
- British Wildlife magazine – sponsoring a prize for the NBN Newcomer Award
- Natural History Book Service (NHBS) – sponsoring a prize for the NBN Young Person’s Award
The finalists and winners will be celebrated for their dedication to documenting and conserving wildlife, making invaluable contributions to preserving the UK’s natural heritage.
