Traditionally plants, along with other groups such as birds, have been recorded at a 4 figure grid referenced resolution, particularly when recording for distribution atlases. This means that the record tells you the plant occurs anywhere within a specific kilometre square.
However now that we routinely use geographic information systems (GIS), which accurately map records, even display them overlain on digital photographs and/or in three-dimensional landscape mapping, we require more detailed resolutions. More importantly the people that make daily use of the records need them to be more detailed.
This includes planners, conservation agencies, researchers and education establishments. For example a planner is unlikely to justify taking mitigating action regarding a notable plant that occurs somewhere within 1 kilometre of a planned development. Probably every 1 kilometre square in Avon supports notable plants. If a planner knew a notable record existed within 100 metres of a development proposal then they would find it easier to justify demanding mitigation measures to protect it.
We have been promoting the recording of plants at a minimum resolution of 6 figure grid references, which tells you the plant occurs within a specific 100 metre square.
A look at the BRERC main database shows that before 1990, only 29.6 percent of plant records were recorded at six figure grid references. But for the records since 2001, this has increased hugely to 86.2 percent. This is excellent and means that a much higher proportion of recent records are likely to be taken into account by the decision-makers and others who use our data.