Message from Julia Hanmer, our CEO:
"Global warming is already impacting people and the nature we rely on, including wild plants. The COP26 Summit discussions in Glasgow are crucial to ensure global warming keeps within 1.5 degrees. At the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland we are committed to providing high quality, impartial data and interpretation for research and to help address biodiversity loss and climate change and to supporting people in learning about wild plants.
You can help improve the environment and tackle climate change by joining the growing army of citizen scientists photographing, recording & monitoring the wild flowers in your local area. By taking part in country-wide surveys such as our New Year Plant Hunt, to find out which wild flowers are blooming in your area in midwinter, or by signing up for the National Plant Monitoring Scheme, you’ll be contributing vital evidence about how our wild plants are responding to climate change.
You don’t need to know what the plants are called to take part: when you share your photos on social media using the #WildFlowerHour hashtag, the online nature community will help you ID that plant.
The plant records you collect will help guide crucial decisions on how best to manage habitats to support wildlife and combat climate change, such as planting the right trees in the right places, and conserving species-rich grasslands and peatbogs which absorb and store carbon.
Follow us on social media and investigate the activities and resources on this website to find out how you can get involved. You are all invited to attend our (free, virtual) autumn conference, where speakers representing national agencies will explain how BSBI's data and interpretation are helping to address biodiversity loss and climate change. You can register here".
Julia Hanmer, Chief Executive, Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland
