This Network has been formed by active collaboration between the vice-counties of Lanarkshire (vc77), Renfrewshire (vc76) and Dunbartonshire (vc99).
The Lanarkshire Botany Network began in late 2016 as a means of connecting people with an interest in field botany and encouraging recording activity. The network grew rapidly, resulting in a huge increase in interest, in individual skill levels, and in the number of records gathered.
In early 2021, following the COVID-19 year of 2020 when all but some local, individual recording was possible, Jim McIntosh (then BSBI Scottish Officer) asked whether the ‘loose network model’ pioneered in Lanarkshire could also work in the neighbouring vice-counties of Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire. This led to the launch of these two new initiatives, with their first events held on the same weekend in May 2021.
A similar upsurge of interest and activity has followed and the facts and figures are impressive: across the three networks, 200 people are now connected, more than 50 field outings per year have been held, and more than 200,000 plant records have been uploaded to the BSBI Database.
Each of the three vice-counties still has its own leadership and priorities. Please visit the individual vice-county pages via these links
As momentum has built, there has been increased collaboration, leading to all sorts of projects and partnerships. With such a great pool of people come some great ideas - and the skills to bring them to fruition!
Trifoliate Newsletter
At a meeting early in 2024 of representatives from all three vice-counties, it was suggested that a single newsletter and a single outings programme would streamline our efforts and give everyone a wider perspective and greater choice of activities.
‘Trifoliate’ is the title of our new Newsletter and we’re delighted to celebrate its launch in July 2024. Future editions will be published on this page.
Outings Programme
Our Outings Programme will also be published here:
For more information, please contact:
Michael Philip (Network Co-ordinator and Vice-County Recorder for Dunbartonshire)
Peter Wiggins (Joint Vice-County Recorder for Lanarkshire)
Keith Watson (Vice-County Recorder for Renfrewshire)
