FACILITATOR GUIDE

Using the Booklet with This App

A page-by-page guide to running the BMS Biodiversity Monitoring Survey using the physical A5 field booklet alongside the interactive tools on this site. Every booklet section is mapped to its corresponding app tool, with timing, tips, and bad-weather alternatives.

6 booklet pages

14 app tools mapped

Full-day session plan

Bad-weather alternatives

Before the visit: Print one A5 booklet per group (or pair). The booklet is the primary field record — the app is a teaching tool and digital backup. Both should be used together.

Each accordion below corresponds to one page of the physical booklet. Expand it to see which app tools cover that page, timing guidance, facilitator tips, and common mistakes to avoid.

Booklet Fields (Page 1)

Block, PO#, Organisation, GPS, Date, Land

Code, Covenant, Area (ha), Alt, Time

Methods checkboxes: GenObs · Bird · Seed/Pel · RTC · Stream · Fish · Frog · Pest · FAMS · Photo

Corresponding App Tools

Field Report Builder — Step 1: Site Info

Digital equivalent of the booklet cover. Enter Block, GPS, date, assessor name, and tick which methods will be used today.

General Observations

Records weather, access conditions, and land use — the contextual information that frames all other data.

Timing

5–10 min (before leaving the vehicle or entering the site)

Facilitator Tips

Complete the cover page before starting any survey — GPS and time are critical for longitudinal comparison.

Use the Methods checkboxes to agree as a group which surveys will be completed today. Tick only what you have time for.

The app's Field Report Builder mirrors this page exactly — students can fill it in on their phone while you fill the paper booklet.

Bad Weather Alternative

If weather prevents fieldwork, use the General Observations page to record conditions and discuss what weather thresholds would trigger a postponement.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to record GPS coordinates — these are essential for repeat surveys.

Leaving the Date/Time blank — the booklet is a legal record of survey effort.

Ticking all methods when time only allows 4–5 — be realistic about what can be completed properly.