We would like to wish all our members a Happy New Year and to thank you for sending in your botanical records during 2024.
We have had another busy year with seven field outings, four of them to sites managed by the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. As well as two indoor meetings and a microscopy session generously provided by Martin Godfrey. Whilst your committee are busy organising next years field meetings we would like to bring your attention to some things we think will be of interest at this time of the year.
Shropshire Botanical Society winter social and talk
Sunday 12th January 2025 2pm-4pm, Field Studies Centre, Preston Montford, Montford Bridge, Shrewsbury SY4 1DX.
Everyone is welcome to the friendly winter social - involving tea and cakes as usual!
We are blessed to receive as a talk from one of our own members, Mr. 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.
Microscopy Workshop provided by Martin Godfrey
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.
Take part in a Mistletoe abundance survey
Mistletoe (Viscum album) is thought to be spreading
in Britain and Ireland, but where will the mistletoe go? With a changing
climate, an evolving treescape and shifts in distributions of seed-dispersing
birds, the future of this Christmassy parasitic plant is unclear. To predict
mistletoe distribution, we are collecting data on local mistletoe abundance,
and you can help!
After a successful season of 1,250 records last year, the Tree Council want more data on where mistletoe is today to forecast where it is going to be. You can submit your photos and locations of mistletoe to the “MistleGO!” survey via the
Survey123 app, and record how much mistletoe you see – it’s the perfect
addition to your winter walks! You can still help the Tree Council if there is no mistletoe
in your area by submitting a valuable absence record. Follow this link to download the app or use in
browser. For more information, check out the Tree
Council’s website.
Ollie Spacey,
University of Oxford and the Tree Council
Webinars from the Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Project
Under the banner of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland DAERA-funded Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland, the BSBI have organised a webinar series running through to February. The webinars cater to botanists across the skill spectrum. Each webinar is on a Tuesday evening at 7pm and lasts for around an hour, and we intend to record them for the BSBI YouTube channel so they can be viewed by anyone who couldn’t join them live. The talk series, and links to book, are:
14th January - Grasses,
Sedges and Rushes for Absolute Beginners
21st January - Grasses
and grassland habitats
28th January - Getting
started with Cotoneasters
4th February - Rubus
(Brambles) in Northern Ireland
James
Harding-Morris, BSBI Countries Manager
That is all for now folks - we shall look forward to seeing you in just over a weeks time!
