RSPB Conservation Data Supply: Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a query, please help our team processing requests by searching for the answer here before contacting us.

• I have a query, how do I get in touch?

Please first check to see if your query is addressed in any of the FAQs below. If you still need to speak to a member of the team, please email [email protected].
 

• How will you use the personal data I provide in the data request form?

Your contact details and any other personal data you provide (which may include location boundaries) will be used for the purposes of delivering the data request service and RSPB conservation work only.  Contact details and request parameters will be shared internally to allow us to fulfil your request, including to offer suggestions of further data sources or particular species surveys we may recommend.  Please note that you and/or your organisation will be subject to internal RSPB checks due to the sensitive nature of the data being requested. Any other personal data we hold will not be shared with anyone else without your prior consent. If you would like us to remove, or update your details, please contact [email protected]. To find out more about your data protection rights, visit rspb.org.uk/privacypolicy.
 

• My data request relates to a confidential proposal, can you confirm details of the proposal won’t be shared?

Details of your data request will only be shared with internal staff who need to see it to help us process it. We will not share your request details or any search areas outside of the RSPB.
 

• How long does it take to receive the data?

We aim to complete the data search and have a Data Supply Contract to you within 15 working days. On receipt of the signed contract, we will email you a link to the requested data within 5 working days. In some instances, we may be able to process it quicker than this. Please be aware any requests submitted over holiday periods (for example, late December), may take longer if our staff are on annual leave.
 

• How will my data request be processed and what should I expect?

Once we’ve received your request, we will run a query against our database, then check with local teams within the RSPB in case they have any further comments they can pass on. You will be issued a data supply contract, which details data to be supplied, final costs as well as restrictions on the use of the data.  You will be asked to read, sign and return this, along with a purchase order number or project code if your request is for commercial purposes. We will then issue a countersigned copy of the contract, along with the requested data.
 

• I’ve submitted a data request before, can I re-use the previous form I downloaded?

It is important you use the most up to date version of our data request form to ensure we can process your request as quickly and easily as possible. If you submit an old form you may be asked to resubmit your request using our latest version.
 

• My data request is urgent, can I be prioritised or receive a guarantee you can process it in my required timescale?

We are a small team processing all incoming data requests on behalf of a charity with limited resources. We process data requests in the order we receive them and as quickly as we are able to. While we will make every effort to supply you the requested data as soon as possible, we aim to complete the data search and have a Data Supply Contract to you within 15 working days. On receipt of the signed contract, we will email you a link to the requested data within 5 working days.  We cannot guarantee we can do so sooner than this. While we appreciate you may also only have short notice of a deadline, it is your responsibility to submit requests to us far in advance, so we have adequate time to process them.
 

• Can I cancel or amend a request I’ve submitted?

Yes, please email [email protected] as soon as you can. For commercial requests, we may charge an additional fee for requests where the search parameters are changed. You can find more details in our charging policy and the FAQs below.
 

• I am a member of the public seeking access to conservation data, do I need to use this data request service?

We would encourage members of the public keen to access data to first check the NBN Atlas website and our RSPB open data portal, in case the data you require are already freely and openly available to download there. You can also find details of our annual Big Garden Birdwatch summary data on the RSPB website. If you would still like to submit a data request, please use our data request form. We will get back to you about your request as soon as we can.
 

• I would like to request specialist data, for example tracking data or a copy of a report, can you still process my request?

Please enter details of the data you require on your data request form. We will review your request and get back to you with details of what we can supply as soon as we can. In some instances, you may be redirected to another organisation, if they hold the data you have requested.
 

• My organisation wishes to enter into a non-commercial agreement to share data on a continuous basis, should I use this data supply service?

If you wish to enter into an agreement to share data between organisations on an ongoing basis, rather than a one-off request please contact us by emailing [email protected].
 

• How does the RSPB calculate buffers?

If you supply a grid reference with a buffer, we will use grid squares to calculate your buffer. If you supply a shapefile with a buffer, we will calculate a true buffer using the supplied shape, even if the shape is a square - resulting in your buffer being partially ellipsoid rather than square.
 

• What transformation method does the RSPB use?

We are using the geodesic method to calculate transformations from different coordinate systems to give the most accurate transformation possible.

• I am a student or researcher for a university; will I be charged?

No, our charges only apply to commercial requests. Requests for academic research will not be charged.
 

• We are a conservation/non-profit organisation, will we be charged?

No, our charges only apply to commercial requests. Non-commercial requests from partners and other conservation organisations will not be charged.
 

• Where can I find a breakdown of your charges for commercial requests?

Please see our charging policy.
 

• I think my organisation or client organisation should be exempt from charges but I’m not a conservation organisation, student or researcher, who do I contact?

If you need to query the charge with us, please email [email protected]. A member of our team will get back to you to discuss this as soon as we can. The waiving of charges is determined by the RSPB and our decision is final. 
 

• Will I still be charged if you don’t have any data to share?

If we do not hold any species records matching your search criteria which we can share, the charge for your commercial request will be reduced. However, it still takes us time to process these requests, which is why we are unable to waive the charge entirely. You can find more details in our charging policy.
 

• What happens to the charge if you only supply records you’ve already made openly available?

We have already shared millions of our species records openly on the NBN Atlas. If your commercial request search parameters only return open records which are available at full resolution on the NBN Atlas, we will reduce the charge. However, it still takes us time to process these requests, which is why we are unable to waive the charge entirely. You can find more details in our charging policy.
 

• I need to cancel a request, will I still be charged?

If you cancel a commercial request before we have supplied data, you will not be charged. Please keep in mind we are a charity with limited resources, with only a small team processing all incoming requests. Once we have supplied data, we cannot cancel a request or issue a refund.
 

• I need to change the search parameters of my query, will that affect the charge?

If you change the search parameters after we have started processing a request, this will take us additional time to redo your request. We will therefore add an additional charge. You can find more details in our charging policy.
 

• I might need to share data with a client or another third party, but I won’t know that at the time of submitting my request. Will this affect the charge?

If after receiving a copy of the data, you need to share data with an additional third party, we can arrange a further contract to cover this. However, we will charge a small administration fee, to cover the time this takes us. You can find more details in our charging policy.
 

• I want to refresh a data request I previously sent, in case there are more recent records. Will I be charged full price?

We charge for the time to process requests. We would need to process your request in the same way we would for a new request and you will therefore be subject to the standard charges set out in our charging policy.
 

• When will I be asked to pay the fee?

You will be asked to provide a purchase order number or code at the point of signing a data supply contract, which will contain details of the data to be supplied. You will be sent an invoice after receiving a copy of the data.
 

• Why do you charge for requests and where will my money go?

The RSPB is committed to making our valuable conservation data available to other conservation organisations, decision makers, researchers and others who want to use our data to help nature. We have already openly shared much of our data on the NBN Atlas, as well as processing incoming requests for data not publicly available. However, we are a charity with limited resources and data requests are processed by a small team who provide this service in addition to providing internal data management support to the rest of the organisation. We charge for the time it takes to process your request, to help recover the costs of the staff time required to deal with these.
 

• Can you let me know what sort of data you hold in advance of me paying a fee?

We hold monitoring data for our reserve network, data from our work in wider landscapes, data from projects and research areas the RSPB is involved in, data from national surveys and annual monitoring the RSPB undertakes. We are unable to provide specific information about data for a given area in advance of processing a data request.
 

• Although I am submitting this request, it will be my colleagues needing to finalise it or access the data, how does this work?

We will issue you a data request reference, which can be used by your colleagues if they need to contact us (for example, if you are due to leave the organisation or take leave before the request is completed).

• I’d like to request additional maps showing the location of the records, can you do this?

As a charity, we do not have the resources to produce maps on request. However, we can supply a shapefile of data, which you may use to create your own map.
 

•  I would like to request access to reports, are you able to do this?

This service is primarily for RSPB owned conservation data. However, if you also wish to request access to RSPB reports, please email [email protected], who will process your request as a separate service.
 

• I’ve already submitted a request and would like to request a refresh, in case there are more recent data since I was last in touch. How do I request this?

Please complete and return a new data request form. We will treat this as a separate data request (including an additional charge if this is a commercial request).

• What sort of species data does the RSPB hold?

We hold millions of species records from across the UK, from a range in taxa. These are from a variety of different sources, including ad-hoc sightings on our reserves, species specific surveys on and off reserves, data from projects we’ve d or been partners in, scientific studies we’ve undertaken, national surveys and annual monitoring.
 

• Can I use this service to request data from outside the UK?

This service is only for data held in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, The Isle of Man and England. We cannot share data from outside these areas as part of this process.
 

• What format will the data be in?

The returned data will be in an ESRI shapefile and a spreadsheet. The geographic location will be in the form of a point and radius. We will send you information with the data that explains how to interpret the data and also explains the metadata.  
 

• How will I receive the data?

We will email you a secure link, which you can use to download the data. Please note this will only be accessible via the email address you provided on your data request form. You should let us know if you have any issues accessing the data as soon as possible, as the link will otherwise be deleted after a week.
 

• Are all records a confirmation of presence of a species?

No, you must check the count value and count type columns. Data we supply may include 0 counts or absence counts, depending on the survey methodology used. You should refer to the ‘About the data’ document which will be issued with the data.
 

• Can I request another copy of the data if I misplace it?

We are a charity with limited resources and reissuing data costs time. The link to download the data will be live for a week.  After two weeks, the link will stop working.  If you have not downloaded the data in this time, we will view this as a new request. You can contact our [email protected] inbox with your data request reference to request another copy of the data.
 

• Will I get explanatory notes to help me interpret the data you provide?

Yes, you will be sent an ‘About the data’ document with more information about the data we provide.
 

• Are the data you supply comprehensive?

The data we hold may not be comprehensive coverage of a species. Absence of data does not relate to the absence of a species as we only have data for areas that we’ve surveyed, and you should also undertake your own surveys when producing an environmental impact assessment.
 

• Will data you supply include records from other organisations, such as the BTO or local Raptor Study Groups?

We can only supply data which we own and have permission to share externally (for example, Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) or BTO Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) scheme data should be requested directly from the BTO). You should also contact the NBN Atlas, the BTO, your local record centre and local Raptor Study Group (the latter only applicable to Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man), who may hold additional records that are relevant to your request. 
 

• Can you provide details of data you hold that are owned by other organisations or pass on contacts for these?

Unfortunately, we are unable to do this. You will need to contact any other organisations we direct you to yourself.
 

• I need to request data from other organisations, can you pass on contact details for these?

Unfortunately, we are unable to do this. You will need to contact any other organisations we direct you to yourself. Most large data holding organisations will have a contact page, data request service or may have already shared their data on the NBN Atlas.
 

• What happens if there are no data matching my search criteria?

If we do not hold any RSPB owned records matching your search criteria, we will issue a PDF letter stating this. In some instances, our Conservation Officers may also be able to pass on additional comments, which may be helpful for your impact assessment. Please be aware the data we hold may not be comprehensive coverage of a species and absence of data does not relate to the absence of a species as we only have data for areas that we’ve surveyed. You should therefore also undertake your own surveys when producing an environmental impact assessment.

• Are data restricted to named users in my organisation?

No, unless your data supply contract specifies only named users can view the data, the data we supply to your organisation are not restricted to a named user only.
 

• Who can view data we add to a confidential annex in an Environmental Impact Assessment?

Sensitive or Restricted data are permitted to be included at full resolution in an Annex of Environmentally Sensitive Information/Confidential Annex where the recipients of this annex are public bodies as part of the planning process only. If your client or any other third party requires access to the data contained in the Confidential Annex, you must tell us on the data request form, and we will issue a multi-recipient data supply contract. If other third parties need access to this after the signing of the data supply contract, please contact us to arrange this by emailing [email protected] with your data request reference. Please be aware in these instances, there may need to be an additional administration fee to cover the time to assist with this enquiry.
 

• Our consultancy is sub-contracting additional surveyors. Do they need to be included on a data supply contract?

Yes, these should be included on a data supply contract. You should tell us on the data request form, and we will issue a multi-recipient data supply contract. If other third parties need access to this after the signing of the data supply contract, please contact us to arrange this by emailing [email protected] with your data request reference. Please be aware in these instances, there may need to be an additional admin fee to cover the time to assist with this enquiry.
 

• We don’t yet know who we may need to share the data with, how do we proceed?

We can arrange additional data sharing contracts after supplying data and completing your data request. If you need to request further data sharing with third parties, please email [email protected] inbox with your data request reference. Please be aware in these instances, there may need to be an additional administration fee to cover the time to assist with this enquiry.
 

• If I sign the data supply contract, is it only me who can view the data you supply?

Unless stated otherwise, or data are shared with organisations and not named users within those organisations. We only require a single contact to sign the data supply contract on behalf of their organisation. If the data need to be shared with colleagues in another organisation, please see our FAQs specifically for these instances. If you are a student or researcher, we have a specific FAQ relating to the viewing of data by supervisors.
 

• I need to publish these data, is this possible?

Data (in text, map or tabular form) are not to be released into the public domain or given out to third parties without the prior written consent from the RSPB. Where data are sensitive or restricted, the resolution must be put at 10km in any publications, reports or maps. Please email [email protected] inbox with your data request reference (if you have already submitted your request) if you wish to discuss this further.
 

• What happens if I wish to publish my research, university work in future?

Prior to any publication or release into the public domain, a contact at the RSPB (specified in the data supply contract we issue you) should have an opportunity to view the dissertation, and request redactions. Without agreement, the dissertation must not be made public. 
 

• I need to share my thesis or dissertation with my supervisors and/or other university staff, is this possible?

Data supplied under the conditions of this contract may be included in a dissertation appendix and viewed internally by university staff if required as part of the university’s procedures for examination. Data can be shared with supervisor(s) for the purpose of producing the dissertation, but not for other uses. 
 

• I have requested these data for a specific purpose, can my organisation retain them to use for other purposes in future?

No, under the conditions the data are shared with you, you may only use data for the purposes stated on the data supply contract. If your organisation wishes to use data we have supplied for a different purpose, you must complete a new data request form.
 

• I am submitting a request on behalf of an organisation based outside of England, why is the data supply contract subject to English Law?

The UK Headquarters of the RSPB is based in England and therefore the contract we will issue is subject to English Law. If you are based elsewhere, this will not invalidate the contract.
 

• My organisation’s legal advisors have queries about the wording of your data supply contract, can we request it is amended?

As the owners of the data to be supplied, the data supply contract was written by the RSPB’s Legal Advisors. We therefore cannot guarantee we can amend the wording of our data supply contract. Please email [email protected] inbox with your data request reference (if you have already submitted your request) if you wish to discuss this further. Please be aware clauses relating to Freedom of Information Requests are only applicable to public bodies and do not include private companies.
 

• I have submitted a request on behalf of a public body subject to Freedom of Information Requests, can we share the data you supply under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 or equivalent law or regulations in force in Scotland?

There is a specific clause relating to Freedom of Information Request in the data supply contract we will issue in advance of sharing the data. You must not disclose any Data to any third party pursuant to any request for information (“Request”) received by you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 or equivalent law or regulations in force in Scotland (collectively “FOI/EIR Law”) unless and until you have complied with the remainder of this sub-clause.  You shall forward a copy of the Request to us within 5 working days of receipt, and state whether you intend to disclose any Data, and if so, giving details.  We shall respond within 5 working days with a statement setting out our considered opinion on the merits of statutory exemptions under FOI/EIR Law, on where the public interest lies in respect of any qualified exemptions under FOI/EIR Law, and as to whether any disclosure of Data are required. You shall promptly notify us in writing of your agreement or otherwise with our opinion. Nothing shall prevent you from disclosing Data in discharge of your statutory duties under FOI/EIR Law, but you shall indemnify us against all costs, claims, demands, liabilities, expenses, damages or losses which we may suffer or incur as a result of any such disclosure of Data to which we have not agreed.