2022 County Report for Co. Laois

Mark McCorry

Activities in 2022 were limited compared to other years.   The main event was a BSBI field trip organised for The Mash in Co. Laois.    This got a great response with 18 people attending, including many new members so it was great to meet new people.    The event went well with the weather being good and lots of interesting plants seen.  We focused on some training - use of keys and did less typical recording.

There was less recording in 2022.  But several new sites were visited and new lists made.  I have a backlog of records to upload to Mapmate and onto the DDb.

I engaged with a project funded by Laois Council Council to survey wetland sites in Laois including providing a list of some of the best wetland sites (bog, fen, transition mire, marsh wet grassland etc).

Fiona continues to promote plant biodiversity and the BSBI as part of her professional work, working with local communities.  An example of this is the beautiful painting of Leucojum aestivum on service box in Durrow Town.  Leucojum is one of the most interesting species found in the wet woodland along the River Nore, adjacent to Durrow.

Fiona also prepared and recorded a talk on Irish botany through a local Laois lens for the BSBI AGM held in the National History Museum in London (December).

Several other sites were also re-visited and checks made on some species.