Background

For over 30 years ponds predominantly in North East Wales have been surveyed for their populations of Great Crested Newts (GCN) and other amphibians. North East Wales is particularly rich in the species, which inhabit former brickworks, quarries and natural waterbodies, a number of which are now Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) for GCNs.

A long term programme was established in the 1990s to monitor the status of GCNs. Today the programme involves a large number of volunteers and professionals, carrying out surveys between April and June, to collect species numbers and a range of environmental variables linked to their locations.

For background information on the principles used in this programme, please refer to the documents Integrated GCN Surveillance and Integrated GCN Status, produced by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust and sponsored by Welsh Government.

Entering GCN Data

Since 2015, for sites in south and north Wales, Cofnod has been the single repository for the data coming from the Wales GCN Monitoring Programme. If you are carrying out surveys which contribute to the programme, you can download a copy of the agreed GCN Monitoring Form.

Once you have gathered your data, it can be entered through Cofnod's Online Recording System (ORS). To see how the system works we have produced video guides for Entering Species Data and Entering HSI Data.

If you wish to use the Cofnod's ORS to enter GCN Monitoring data and you already have a Cofnod Login, just contact us so we can set you up to use the system. If you're new to Cofnod's ORS you'll need to Register first and then contact us.

Programme Partners

As well as Cofnod there are many other organisations involved in the Wales GCN Monitoring Programme, including; Natural Resources Wales, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, Denbighshire County Council, Flintshire County Council, Wrexham County Borough Council, North Wales Wildlife Trust, Wild Ground, Welsh Government, Various Ecological Consultants