So what is biodiversity? The term describes the variety of life at all biological levels, from diversity within ecosystems, communities, species and populations to the level of genetic variation present within those species and their populations. Put more simply biodiversity is the variety of all life on the planet.

Orkney Biodiversity Records Centre contains a wealth of biodiversity information suitable for private study, environmental assessments, planning applications, student projects or development proposals.

We can produce reports in your choice of format. If you would like to know more please email Sydney Gauld or telephone (01856) 873166 with details of your request and we will be pleased to quote you for the job.

The OBRC runs courses each year to increase peoples knowledge in a wide range of subjects from identification of specific groups to habitat recording, set at different levels of ability for either beginners or advanced naturalists. To see what courses are being run this year visit the What's On page.

The OBRC has a wide range of equipment from field sampling gear to laboratory identification equipment available for use.

To aid in the identification of specimens the OBRC houses a library of books acquired by Orkney Field Club as well as the Lorimer Collection, a collection of Natural History books that were bequeathed to Orkney Library & Archive and are house within the OBRC.

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