Merseyside BioBank is the Local Environmental Records Centre (LERC), an environmental information service, for North Merseyside. We cover the authority districts of Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens. As a member of the Association of Local Environmental Records Centres (ALERC) and part of the National Biodiversity Network (NBN), we collect and collate information on wildlife within our region, on a not-for-profit basis, and encourage and support the recording of wildlife.

We curate a local database of electronic copies of wildlife records provided from a wide range of sources, including; local naturalists, volunteer recorders, local natural history groups, professional consultants, local government and public sector agencies and national recording schemes and societies.

The wildlife records we hold are available to help others better understand the biodiversity of North Merseyside. The easiest way to access the wildlife records we hold, for education or personal interest, is via the NBN UK Atlas. From there you can also view records along side those held by a number of other organisations.

Records shared with us are held alongside thousands of others which together form an evidence base that underpins conservation, decision making, forward planning and development throughout Merseyside so helping to conserve and protect biodiversity in our rapidly developing region and beyond.

Our key functions include;

• Curating biodiversity information.
• Supporting and promoting the North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plans.
• Promoting Local Sites (Local Wildlife Sites and Local Geological Sites).
• Supporting biological recorders and recording groups through resources and guidance.
• Developing new tools for recorders.
• Training and promoting new recording projects and recording effort.

You can find out more about local environmental records centres from the Association of Local Environmental Records Centres (ALERC), the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) and the Northwest local Environmental Records Centre advocacy document.