National Trust for Scotland holds a vast dataset relating to seabird population and conservation. However, data is not collated centrally and therefore is an untapped resource for fully understanding change in the seabird populations. This project created a new game-changing database to support future seabird conservation actions. This database is a redesign of the existing seabird data that the charity holds, creating a unified, searchable dataset with additional tools to support visualisation of the data by species, area and time. In addition to the database work, the project has developed a field app for rangers to collect and input data into the new database to support more efficient record updates.
As a result, NTS have been able to develop a new communication strategy to promote the charity’s conservation work for seabirds. This includes the launch of the database for public use, storyboards to communicate findings of the database project to the public and digital interpretation strategy for the NTS’s seabird comms work has been produced, including audience engagement research.
The grant for this project supported the contract for an external data management consultant to development the dedicated seabird database and app creation, and the digital interpretation, marketing and communications workstreams from the NTS internal comms teams.
The new database can now be populated with our charity’s historic seabird data and has been designed to store and share new data collected on an ongoing basis. The Public launch of the database and associated communications content is planned for Winter 2026/27.
In 2025 SMEEF was able to provide a grant of £61,410 to support this work using resources from the Nature Restoration Fund.