(Table
5).
Among
those
participants
who
had
ceased
to
participate
in
either
scheme,
the
most
popularly
stated
reason
for
ceasing
par-
ticipation for both schemes was a personal reason, such as old
age, or no longer having enough time to participate (LGPS 30%,
GBW 43%). A factor relating to the recording process itself, such
as
details
of
the
recording
forms,
or
timing
of
the
survey,
was
also
mentioned by 30% of LGPS responses, although this was less fre-
quently
described
by
GBW
participants
(10%).
Another
reason
for
withdrawal was that the recording project itself ended (LGPS 10%,
GBW
14%).
Finally,
reasons
relating
to
the
wildlife
or
habitat
were
stated by some respondents (LGPS 10%, GBW 4%), for example ‘our
pond sprang a leak’ (LGPS participant).
Membership
of
other
environmental
organisations
was
more
frequently reported for participants in the national scheme (GBW)
than the local one (LGPS) (Fig. 1). Over half of the LGPS participants
(58%) were not a member of other groups in comparison to 9% of
GBW participants. The most frequently reported number of organi-
sations
to
be
a
member
of
was
one
for
LGPS
participants
(17%),
and
three
for
GBW
participants
(20%).
The
fact
that
the
BTO,
who
run
the GBW are a national member-based organisation may explain
that the GBW participants are already aware of, and participate in
membership activities. On the other hand, the LGPS is run by the
Local Authority and therefore participants may be less likely to be
linked to other membership activities.