This post is just to briefly flag up the fact that our guidance documents have all gone into their 2nd editions. Don't panic though, the methods are the same, we have just tried to improve and clarify the guidance wherever possible!

Thank you so much to everyone who has entered their NPMS data for 2018!

We have extended the deadline to the end of October -- please do still take the time to enter the data when you can -- every record counts, helping us to provide an accurate picture of the ongoing change in our coutryside.

Please get in contact if you miss the deadline, your data can still be incorporated into the NPMS database.

Our Northern Irish collaborators at CEDaR and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency have been very busy promoting the scheme over the past few years. The uptake has really soared in that time, and we have just released a new tranche of squares to keep up with demand!

If you didn't receive the latest email update please follow the link below:

http://mailchi.mp/36804c72afe1/npms-identiplant-and-a-farewell-from-me

We are now using MailChimp to send our email updates and they can sometimes go into your junk folder so do have a look there if you haven't received the email above.

Thank you so much to all of you, it's been an enjoyable few years, please continue to email [email protected] if you have any queries about the scheme.

Turn to page 46 of the latest issue of Sanctuary magazine to read about how the NPMS is being carried out on the Defence Estates. With 36 overlapping monads matching up volunteers with the estates conservation groups is a vital way to ensure these plots are not missed.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/660061/Sanctuary_2017_Complete_-_lo-res.pdf

Thank you so much to everyone who has entered their data. If you've missed the 1st November deadline please do still take the time to enter the data when you can - every record counts.

Great to see Anne, who has a NPMS square in Jersey, featured in the citizen science section of the latest Planet Earth magazine. Follow the link below to have a browse. A big thank you to Anne for taking part and sharing her experiences.

http://www.nerc.ac.uk/latest/publications/planetearth/archive/planet-earth-sprsum17/

Tom.bio has been working with Plantlife and ecologist Nick Law to produce a series of video guides to habitats classified by the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS). These films are designed to help NPMS volunteers decide which habitat type their survey plots are in. We have deliberately focussed on those habitats which can be difficult to distinguish from each other, such as dry heath and dry acid grassland.

We recommend you watch each pair of films together as they complement each other and will help you decide between the two similar habitats.