Bristol Plant Monitoring Scheme – Information for Volunteers 

This is an exciting opportunity to get involved with a new local plant monitoring scheme, which will collect valuable information on the wildlife found in Bristol’s parks and green spaces. This will help us to learn more about the distribution of different plant species, monitor the condition of habitats and guide suitable management practices. Data collected over several years could also contribute to the Bristol Wildlife Index; this is a statistical tool being produced to monitor changes in biodiversity in Bristol over time and is one of the actions of the One City Ecological Emergency Strategy.  

The NPMS+ scheme is based on the standardised methodology for the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (Welcome! | National Plant Monitoring Scheme (npms.org.uk)) but gives us flexibility to select multiple monitoring sites across Bristol. We have started up this pilot scheme which currently includes fifteen 1 km squares across the city, with each square encompassing a particular park or green space which is managed by Bristol City Council. There will be an opportunity to add more sites in the future. 

The methodology focuses on plant recording in specific habitat types (‘NPMS+ Habitats’). We have used recent survey data to identify where these habitats are present within each of the fifteen 1 km squares. A monitoring plot has been set up for each NPMS+ habitat type present within each 1 km square. There will be a combination of the following monitoring plot types in each 1 km square, depending on the habitats present: 

  • Square (5 metre by 5 metre) plots 

  • Square (10 metre by 10 metre) plots - woodland habitats only

  • Linear (25 metre by 1 metre) plots 

Note that a GIS tool has been used to randomly select the exact monitoring plot location, in order to avoid bias in choosing the most species-diverse areas. 

There are species lists including identification guides available for each of the NPMS+ habitat types.  The methodology allows you to record at different levels depending on your plant identification experience and skills:

  1. Wildflower Level: only record particular plant species highlighted on the indicator species list for that NPMS+ habitat type. 

  2. Indicator Level: record all plant species included on the indicator species list for that NPMS+ habitat type. 

  3. Inventory Level: record all plant species included on the indicator species list for that NPMS+ habitat type AND record all other species of vascular plant present within each plot. 

How to Get Involved:

  1. Discuss availability of monitoring sites with BCC – you will then be assigned a particular 1 km square if available.

  2. Register with Plant Portal Welcome to Plant Portal | PlantPortal (ceh.ac.uk) and request to join the Bristol Plant Monitoring Scheme. 

  3. Familiarise yourself with the NPMS and NPMS+ guidance – this can be found on Plant Portal and on the NPMS website here: Resources | National Plant Monitoring Scheme (npms.org.uk) 

  4. Familiarise yourself with your assigned 1 km square and the monitoring plots which have been set up for certain NPMS+ habitat types (these are shown in Plant Portal). Visit your monitoring plots to ensure these are easy to find and access. Please provide feedback if there are any issues with the plots, and we can work together to amend these. 

  5. Decide on your data entry level for each habitat type (Wildflower, Indicator, Inventory). 

  6. Carry out two monitoring visits each year: one during late Spring/early Summer and one during late Summer. There are specific NPMS monitoring forms which can be used to collect all the required information. 

  7. Enter your data online using the Plant Portal. 

  8. Resurvey the same monitoring plots annually. Please let us know if you are no longer able to survey a plot so we can reassign it. 


Health and Safety Considerations 

  • Make sure to carry out your surveys during daylight hours and during suitable weather conditions (avoid extreme weather). 

  • Carry out the survey with someone else or let someone know when and where you will be surveying.

  • Be aware of uneven ground and wear suitable sturdy footwear. 

  • Be aware of ticks in longer grass and vegetation; check yourself during and after the survey and remove any ticks as soon as possible using a suitable tick-remover tool.

  • Take extra care when working by water – do not enter the water, and only survey from the banks where these are fully accessible and intact.