Understanding biodiversity is essential if we are to protect it – yet, too often, the science needed to conserve nature effectively is locked behind paywalls or written in ways that exclude people working on the ground.
entoLIVE was created to change that.
entoLIVE is a free-to-attend webinar series dedicated to making invertebrate science accessible to conservationists, naturalists, biological recorders, students and environmental educators. By supporting this fundraiser, you will help cover essential running costs for entoLIVE such as the Zoom subscription, website hosting, and speaker fees – ensuring these vital talks remain free to attend for everyone into the future.
Why entoLIVE Matters
My name is Keiron Brown, and for over 10 years I have worked in the conservation and environmental education sector. I currently volunteer as the National Recorder for the National Earthworm Recording Scheme, where I collate records from both amateur naturalists and professional researchers into a publicly accessible national species dataset.
Like many people contributing to conservation, I do not come from an academic background. This means I often face two major barriers:
• Scientific papers are frequently hidden behind expensive paywalls.
• Complex technical language and statistics can make research difficult to interpret.
I know I’m not alone. Across the UK, thousands of naturalists and volunteers are collecting vital biodiversity data but are excluded from the science that could help them do their work better.
The Solution: entoLIVE
entoLIVE was born from a simple idea: We need scientists to share their research directly, in plain language, with the people who need it the most?
Each entoLIVE webinar features an invertebrate researcher or specialist presenting their work in an engaging, accessible way. Minimal jargon, clear communication, and absolutely no paywalls! These talks help bridge the gap between academia and the naturalist community, empowering people with knowledge they can put into action.
Why We Need Your Support
Keeping entoLIVE free to attend is central to its mission, but running the programme comes with unavoidable costs:
• Zoom webinar subscription, including large meeting add-ons to cater for our growing audience.
• Website hosting and maintenance for sharing the post-event content via the entoLIVE blog.
• Eventbrite subscription costs to enable us to manage bookings for the events.
• A payment for our speakers to recognise the value of their expertise and time.
• Staff costs for the behind-the-scenes webinar assistants helping make everything run smoothly.
Your donation, no matter the size, helps ensure that invertebrate science remains open, inclusive and accessible.
How Your Donation Helps
• £10 helps cover webinar platform costs.
• £30 covers the cost of a webinar assistant for one event.
• £60 supports a speaker fee, valuing scientific expertise.
• £250 covers the basic costs of 1 webinar.
Any amount helps keep entoLIVE free for all.
Plus, for every £250 by which we exceed our target by, we'll organise an additional webinar in 2027 (beyond the 20 that we are already committed to delivering).
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for supporting accessible science.
Kind regards,
Keiron Brown
entoLIVE Creator and Host
Organizer
