BRERC Data Policies

Confidential and Sensitive Data

BRERC treats some types of records as sensitive or confidential. Generally these are records for certain species that have a recent history of persecution, or that are particularly rare and vulnerable to disturbance.


The following are treated as sensitive data:

  • Badger setts
  • Otter holts
  • Raptor or owl nests
  • Bat Roosts
  • Certain sensitive plant records determined by Natural England


BRERC reserves the right to remove or restrict location details and to provide reduced accuracy Grid References if we consider this is appropriate.


Our policy is that confidential or sensitive data is only made available to the following:

  • Ecologists of our funding Partners;
  • Conservation Officers at Avon Wildlife Trust;
  • Natural England Species Protection Officers and Conservation Officers; and
  • The committee members of the relevant species group or national scheme
  • Police Officers


At the specific request of these people, BRERC may pass details to nominated others, such as tree officers or contracted surveyors, where extenuating circumstances prevail (eg for public safety issues).


Recorder names are treated as confidential data and are not released to third parties. For further information see our privacy policy.

Commercial Data Use Restrictions

BRERC makes some data available for non-commercial use only.

Data is deemed to be used for Commercial purposes:

  • if the user is aiming to obtain income or funding in whole or in part as a direct result of accessing the data; and/or
  • if the user is accessing the data in connection with their business or trade.

Examples of commercial data use may include:

  • Including BRERC data as part of a funding proposal;
  • Checking BRERC data before a survey you are being paid for;
  • Using BRERC data as part of a funded university project

You can submit a Data Enquiry to obtain data for commercial purposes.

If you have any questions about using BRERC data and want to clarify if your usage criteria are deemed as commercial or not, then please Contact Us.