23rd November 2024, British & Irish Botanical Conference 2024, London - fully booked but all talks will be recorded and posted on YouTube.
The BSBI returns to the Natural History Museum, London, for the main indoor event of the year. A day of talks, exhibits, posters, a behind-the-scenes tour of the world-famous herbarium, a chance to catch up with botanical friends old and new.
29th December 2024 – 1st January 2025, New Year Plant Hunt 2025
Join thousands of fellow plant-hunters across Britain and Ireland in our annual quest to find out which wild or naturalised plants are able to bloom in midwinter. Your data are helping us learn more about how our plants are responding to a changing climate. The New Year Plant Hunt is also a great way to shake off the winter blues and get outdoors with friends, family, solo or joining a group hunt. Find out more from the New Year Plant Hunt Support Team, email: nyplanthunt@bsbi.org
Sunday 12th January 2025 2pm-4pm, Shropshire Botanical Society winter social and talk. Field Studies Centre, Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury SY4 1DX
Everyone is welcome to the friendly winter social (involving tea and cakes as usual!), and a talk by Richard Gulliver with the title:
“The Legacy of Oliver Rackham – The Cambridge Scholar who Enhanced Our Understanding of Woodlands Forever”.
Richard writes: “My well-illustrated talk will provide insights into the genius of the man in advance of the 50th anniversary of the publication of his pioneer work ‘Trees and Woodland in the British Landscape’ in 1976. One may consider ecology to be the interactions between man, plant and animal communities, and the physical environment e.g. soil type and climate. Oliver Rackham’s unique contribution was that by identifying with the activities of woodmen, investigating coppice and pollard structure, decoding medieval manuscripts, and studying both individual plant species and plant communities, he brought woodland interactions to life in a way no one had done before. His lively, often iconoclastic, writing was always well illustrated with his informative and powerful line drawings. His immaculate scholarship gave woodland conservation a sound historical dimension and a scientific basis - along with the equally illustrious activities of George Peterken. His impact will endure for many decades to come. If you have not yet read ‘Trees and Woodland in the British Landscape’, I suggest you do so soon; it is as relevant today as when it was first published, especially as a clarion call to explore, interpret and enjoy.”
Richard and Mavis Gulliver were fortunate to be able to move to the Hebrides in 1991 where they both studied the ecology and conservation of Irish Lady’s-tresses orchid, a species which until recently was known only from Ireland and the West of Scotland, but latterly has been found near Borth. During this period Richard was BSBI vicecounty recorder for VC102 - Southern Hebrides - for many years. Also at this time he tutored the Ecology Course for The Open University, which periodically brought him to Preston Montford Field Centre for the fieldwork component of the course. Richard and Mavis are co-authors of three Aidgap guides featuring woodland plants, orchids and grassland plants (other than those of chalk and limestone). Since moving to Shropshire in 2017 Richard has continued his studies on woodland history and grassland plant communities, topics on which he had published previously. Currently he is studying and communicating new and correct information on English Elm - Ulmus procera - including fruit production which he has observed in the county in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Sunday 9th February 2025, 1030am-3.30pm Microscopy Workshop, Field Studies Centre, Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury, SY4 1DX.
Martin Godfrey will be running a workshop on microscope techniques. All microscopy kit and specimens will be provided - attendees should bring their favourite ID guides and their own lens and forceps if they have them. They are encouraged to bring any specimens which may be puzzling them. Please email mfgodfrey49@gmail.com to book a place on this workshop.
Friday 4th Apr 2025 1:00pm to Sunday 6th Apr 2025 2:00pm, BSBI England Recorders’ Meeting 2025, Field Studies Centre, Juniper Hall, RH5 6DA.
The 2025 Recorders’ Meeting is based at the Field Studies Council Juniper Hall Centre near Dorking. The meeting is aimed at all those who record plants, ranging over all skills levels from beginner to expert. You don’t have to be a vice county recorder as it is about skill sharing and learning but VCRs will be there. It is intended that workshops will include plant id sessions, practical recording, the Distribution Database, recording apps, talks, excursions to Box Hill Country Park and a group discussion. The timing is leisurely and may change at short notice in order to accommodate a weather window for group excursions. Juniper Hall offers the standard FSC centre accommodation, with cooked breakfast, DIY packed lunch and a two course evening meal. The centre is licensed. Half the rooms are en suite, and there are some for multiple occupancy. Non-residents are welcome to join the group during the day and for meals. Total numbers will be capped at 40, with priority given to those who are residential. Contact Jonathan Shanklin email: fieldmeetings@bsbi.org
Sunday 13th April 2025 2pm-4pm, Shropshire Botanical Society AGM and talk, Field Studies Centre, Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury SY4 1DX
AGM and talk by Peter Carty titled: “Saving Minsterley Meadows and Other Grassland Projects”.
The AGM business is minimal as we prefer to focus on flora! There will be refreshments after Peter’s talk and time to chat and plan a year of botanising.