The South West Scotland Environmental Information Centre (SWSEIC) is the local environmental records centre for Dumfries & Galloway and Ayrshire. The Centre collects, collates and manages information on the natural environment across the area. SWSEIC supports and collaborates with a network of experts to ensure information is robust, and make information products and services accessible to a range of audiences including decision-makers, the public, and researchers.

The Centre maintains a central database of wildlife and habitat records in Recorder 6 software. The software is a standards-based tool for managing collections of biological data. The Centre also uses GIS mapping software to display and analyse this information alongside other geographical datasets, including designated sites, reserve boundaries, habitat datasets and local wildlife sites.

SWSEIC is a member of the Association of Local Environmental Records Centres (ALERC).

The Centre is part of the Southern Uplands Partnership and based at Kirkgunzeon in Dumfries & Galloway.

SWSEIC offers a range of information and services to users such as planners and environmental consultants, researchers and amateur wildlife recorders.

From providing species and habitat maps to detailed GIS mapping of protected species, SWSEIC offers a comprehensive data enquiry service to enable users to access the Centre’s information and holds over ¾ million species records, along with site and habitat data for SW Scotland.

The Centre can provide local distribution mapping of species and habitats based on the latest available local data and are also experienced in digitising and presenting Phase 1 and NVC habitat survey data.

SWSEIC can carry out detailed GIS analysis of species and habitat distributions and interactions and can also provide GIS layers for protected species and species of conservation interest.

More information is available on the dedicated website swseic.org.uk