National BioBlitz 2026

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Background

This report is based on our 2025 National BioBlitz Data and is used to develop our new scoring approach for 2026, which includes the following changes:

Species scores based on the new 2026 approach - i.e. including higher taxa
Double scores for non-native species records
Bonus scores for covering new grid cells as follows:
- 50 first record in 5km grid cell
- 100 first record in 10km grid cell
- 1000 first record in 100km grid cell

Data preparation

The datasets used in this analysis combine:

Verified observations submitted to the 2025 National BioBlitz via iNaturalist
A pre-processed 5km coastal grid aligned to the British National Grid (OSGB)
A curated list of UK marine non-native species (INNS) - provided by Natural England
A rarity scoring framework used to weight species observations

Only observations associated with the 2025 BioBlitz project are included. Records are filtered and processed to ensure consistency with the proposed 2026 scoring system.

Potential bonus map (exploration incentives)

This map visualises the potential scoring opportunity across the UK coastline under the proposed 2026 BioBlitz rules.

Rather than showing where recording has already taken place, this view highlights where effort is most valuable.

How to interpret the map

Each 5km coastal grid cell is assigned a potential bonus score based on existing coverage at multiple spatial scales:

No shading → This grid cell already contains at least one record
50 points (blue) → No record yet in this 5km grid cell
100 points (orange) → No record yet in the wider 10km grid cell
1000 points (red) → No record yet in the 100km grid cell

Each cell is coloured according to the highest available bonus, meaning:

The map highlights the maximum potential reward for recording in that location.

This map provides a strategic view of recording priorities:

Red areas (1000 points) represent major gaps in national coverage
Orange areas (100 points) highlight under-recorded regions at a regional scale
Blue areas (50 points) indicate local gaps within otherwise surveyed regions
Unshaded cells already contain records and therefore offer no exploration bonus

This approach ensures that participants are incentivised not only to record biodiversity, but to do so in locations where their contribution is most valuable.

Scoring and League Table - National

Scoring and league table – national

To evaluate the impact of the proposed scoring system, a national leaderboard has been generated using 2025 BioBlitz data.

Scores are calculated based on:

A rarity-weighted scoring system applied to all verified taxa
Additional weighting for non-native species, which are counted twice
(Future integration) spatial bonuses for recording in previously unsurveyed grid cells

This provides a simulation of how participant rankings would change under the 2026 rules.

Rank	Recorder	All Taxa Score	INNS Score	Explorer bonus	Total Score
🏆 National BioBlitz 2025 Leaderboard
2026 scoring simulation (including INNS bonus)
1	cathgem2000	122	0	2,000	2,122
2	Amy B	610	20	1,400	2,030
3	Alexander Lydon	1,672	151	100	1,923
4	Liz	420	70	1,000	1,490
5	Nathan Jackson	219	0	1,150	1,369
6	Beach School Explorers	69	32	1,200	1,301
7	ruthwrightinns	293	0	1,000	1,293
8	andy-keystoyer	215	10	1,000	1,225
9	jtee3	84	16	1,100	1,200
10	annaed93	173	0	1,000	1,173
11	John Hepburn	69	0	1,100	1,169
12	Jennie Guard	138	10	1,000	1,148
13	Ben Holt	107	10	1,000	1,117
14	knb1	84	0	1,000	1,084
15	alixparsons	68	10	1,000	1,078
16	Isobel Fern	1,015	50	0	1,065
17	christineholt	21	0	1,000	1,021
18	aliceyypoo	782	46	0	828
19	Nicolas Jouault	719	67	0	786
20	dellk	737	26	0	763
21	R Avery	515	46	150	711
22	amybioblitzer	596	26	0	622
23	rhodomella	424	24	100	548
24	Adrian Seymour	494	42	0	536
25	unorthodox_sketch	407	0	100	507
26	Holly Robertson	386	0	100	486
27	Kirsty Anderson	427	26	0	453
28	Yolanda Evans	427	10	0	437
29	Jenna Hawkey	422	10	0	432
30	Leo Muid	382	46	0	428
31	drsarahcharles	251	60	100	411
32	Sarah Charles	251	60	100	411
33	Sophie Crocker	383	11	0	394
34	mediumegret	364	10	0	374
35	booshiner	258	36	0	294
36	Leonie MacMillan	246	20	0	266
37	smegson	254	0	0	254
38	richieroo	229	16	0	245
39	jacksoohey	194	26	0	220
40	Chloe Kingston	190	16	0	206
41	Phoebe Marshman	100	0	100	200
42	jkgarrett	139	46	0	185
43	jennafowler	172	10	0	182
44	Ruben Mcfenn	169	0	0	169
45	Isa Fulford	153	14	0	167
46	keasty69	64	0	100	164
47	kcb25	118	32	0	150
48	catjaytee	146	0	0	146
49	lillysmudge	45	0	100	145
50	pearlseeker	103	25	0	128
51	jessie_sey	120	0	0	120
52	benfowler123	8	0	100	108
53	Samantha Carmona	95	0	0	95
54	Victoria Blades	88	0	0	88
55	corinnecarl	76	10	0	86
56	etaylor95	71	0	0	71
57	angelawilles	71	0	0	71
58	Polly Tonkins	57	10	0	67
59	jmwilkins	60	0	0	60
60	the_curious_pickle	53	0	0	53
61	Samuel Jones	51	0	0	51
62	leahmar	46	0	0	46
63	dontstepontheflowers	43	0	0	43
64	jennyleca	42	0	0	42
65	jessd7322	38	0	0	38
66	cattayrob	19	0	0	19
67	KW	13	0	0	13
68	rosiecottiss	12	0	0	12
69	eve-jek	12	0	0	12
70	Keira Jones	9	0	0	9
71	didialayli	8	0	0	8
72	acarpentier	0	0	0	0
73	oops_robin	0	0	0	0
74	maya3000	0	0	0	0
75	felixk22	0	0	0	0

Regional results

Channel Islands

Rank	Recorder	All Taxa Score	INNS Score	Explorer bonus	Total Score
🏆 Channel Islands Leaderboard
2026 scoring simulation (including INNS bonus)
1	Liz	420	70	1,000	1,490
2	Nicolas Jouault	184	67	0	251

East of England

Rank	Recorder	All Taxa Score	INNS Score	Explorer bonus	Total Score
🏆 East of England Leaderboard
2026 scoring simulation (including INNS bonus)
1	Beach School Explorers	51	32	1,200	1,283

North East

Rank	Recorder	All Taxa Score	INNS Score	Explorer bonus	Total Score
🏆 North East Leaderboard
2026 scoring simulation (including INNS bonus)
1	lillysmudge	45	0	100	145

Scotland

Rank	Recorder	All Taxa Score	INNS Score	Explorer bonus	Total Score
🏆 Scotland Leaderboard
2026 scoring simulation (including INNS bonus)
1	cathgem2000	122	0	2,000	2,122
2	Amy B	610	20	1,400	2,030
3	ruthwrightinns	293	0	1,000	1,293
4	annaed93	173	0	1,000	1,173
5	knb1	84	0	1,000	1,084
6	Ben Holt	29	0	1,000	1,029
7	Leonie MacMillan	246	20	0	266
8	Samantha Carmona	95	0	0	95
9	Victoria Blades	88	0	0	88
10	etaylor95	71	0	0	71
11	leahmar	46	0	0	46
12	jennyleca	42	0	0	42

South East

Rank	Recorder	All Taxa Score	INNS Score	Explorer bonus	Total Score
🏆 South East Leaderboard
2026 scoring simulation (including INNS bonus)
1	Ben Holt	87	10	1,000	1,097
2	christineholt	21	0	1,000	1,021
3	R Avery	515	46	150	711
4	Sophie Crocker	383	11	0	394

South West

Rank	Recorder	All Taxa Score	INNS Score	Explorer bonus	Total Score
🏆 South West Leaderboard
2026 scoring simulation (including INNS bonus)
1	Alexander Lydon	1,672	151	100	1,923
2	andy-keystoyer	215	10	1,000	1,225
3	Beach School Explorers	18	0	1,200	1,218
4	John Hepburn	69	0	1,100	1,169
5	Jennie Guard	138	10	1,000	1,148
6	alixparsons	68	10	1,000	1,078
7	Isobel Fern	1,015	50	0	1,065
8	aliceyypoo	782	46	0	828
9	dellk	737	26	0	763
10	amybioblitzer	596	26	0	622
11	rhodomella	424	24	100	548
12	Adrian Seymour	494	42	0	536
13	Holly Robertson	386	0	100	486
14	Kirsty Anderson	427	26	0	453
15	Jenna Hawkey	422	10	0	432
16	Leo Muid	382	46	0	428
17	drsarahcharles	251	60	100	411
18	Sarah Charles	251	60	100	411
19	mediumegret	364	10	0	374
20	booshiner	258	36	0	294
21	richieroo	229	16	0	245
22	jacksoohey	194	26	0	220
23	Chloe Kingston	190	16	0	206
24	Phoebe Marshman	100	0	100	200
25	jkgarrett	139	46	0	185
26	jennafowler	172	10	0	182
27	keasty69	64	0	100	164
28	kcb25	118	32	0	150
29	catjaytee	146	0	0	146
30	pearlseeker	103	25	0	128
31	jessie_sey	120	0	0	120
32	benfowler123	8	0	100	108
33	corinnecarl	76	10	0	86
34	angelawilles	71	0	0	71
35	Polly Tonkins	57	10	0	67
36	jmwilkins	60	0	0	60
37	the_curious_pickle	53	0	0	53
38	Samuel Jones	51	0	0	51
39	dontstepontheflowers	43	0	0	43
40	jessd7322	38	0	0	38
41	cattayrob	19	0	0	19
42	KW	13	0	0	13
43	rosiecottiss	12	0	0	12
44	eve-jek	12	0	0	12
45	Keira Jones	9	0	0	9
46	didialayli	8	0	0	8
47	acarpentier	0	0	0	0
48	oops_robin	0	0	0	0
49	maya3000	0	0	0	0
50	felixk22	0	0	0	0

Wales

Rank	Recorder	All Taxa Score	INNS Score	Explorer bonus	Total Score
🏆 Wales Leaderboard
2026 scoring simulation (including INNS bonus)
1	Nathan Jackson	219	0	1,150	1,369
2	unorthodox_sketch	407	0	100	507
3	Yolanda Evans	427	10	0	437
4	Ruben Mcfenn	169	0	0	169
5	Isa Fulford	153	14	0	167

Yorkshire and The Humber

Rank	Recorder	All Taxa Score	INNS Score	Explorer bonus	Total Score
🏆 Yorkshire and The Humber Leaderboard
2026 scoring simulation (including INNS bonus)
1	jtee3	84	16	1,100	1,200
2	smegson	254	0	0	254

National BioBlitz 2026 - Practise

Ben Holt

2026-03-31