In 2007, the residents of Cwmaman, a village in the Cynon Valley, Rhondda Cynon Taf, carried out an'audit'of the wildlife in the countryside around the village, with help from local naturalists and Science Shops Wales. The success of the project inspired the team at Science Shops Wales to put together this handbook so that other communities across Wales could have at their fingertips most of the information needed to carry out their own audits.

This handbook gives step by step guidance on setting up and running a community biodiversity audit. It is written mainly for people who are not professional naturalists or ecologists, although we hope it will interest people from all sorts of backgrounds. It includes ideas on ways to get people interested, tips for running a successful event, how to get funding, how to find some expert help and some suggestions for taking action using the results. We have also tried to set down the basic technical information that auditors will need in a way that is as easy to follow as possible. This includes advice on recognising the different habitats in Wales, and guidance on auditing the different types of wildlife. In the appendices, on the CD in the back of the published version of the handbook, you will find examples of most of the documents and forms needed, as well as a database for recording results.