BSBI's much-loved membership magazine BSBI News is published three times a year, in Autumn, Winter and Spring. Print or digital copies are sent to all members (who can choose which format they prefer); electronic versions of all recent issues can also be viewed as pdfs or via Screen Readers on the members-only area of this website. Back issues from 1972 to 2022 are freely available to everyone in our BSBI News archive.
Regular contents of BSBI News include a feature article and several short articles; a regular 'Introducing my vice-county' feature; Beginners' Corner; notes on Identification; news about adventives and aliens; country round-ups; obituaries; book reviews; and short notes by BSBI staff and officers. There are full colour images throughout and we often include flyers for BSBI events, pre-publication offers on botany books, and much much more.
We produce samplers of each issue of BSBI News, to give non-members an idea of what's inside. Head over to the sampler page to view or download samplers of the latest issue and all back issues from April 2020 onwards.
We also make one full article from each recent issue available free of charge to non-members - scroll down this page and start reading your free article now; and if you like what you see, why not join BSBI and start receiving three issues of BSBI News each year.
Free articles
*AUTUMN 2024* The free article from this issue is about the first record in Wales of Thyme Broomrape from a Thyme plant bought in a garden centre!
*SPRING 2024* The free article from this issue is Local groups and their Contribution to BSBI by Tony Marshall.
*JANUARY 2024* The free article from this issue is The Basal Project by Richard Mabbutt.
*SEPTEMBER 2023* The free article from this issue is 'Assessing changes in the diversity of Irish semi-natural grasslands' by Oliver Lynch Milner.
*APRIL 2023* The free article from this issue is another in our regular 'Introducing my vice-county' series; this one is 'Isle of Wight' by Colin Pope
*JANUARY 2023* The free article from this issue is 'Take the risk - do a FISC!' by Sarah Whild and Sue Dancey.
*SEPTEMBER 2022* The free article from this issue is another in our regular 'Beginners' Corner' series; this one is ' Getting to know the common thistles' by Mike Crewe.
*APRIL 2022* The free article from this issue is ' Right tree, right place: using botanical heat-maps to inform tree-planting' by BSBI Head of Science Kevin Walker with Becky Trippier and Clare Pinches from Natural England.
*JANUARY 2022* The free article from this issue is a guide to yellow-flowered trefoils and medicks by John Norton.
*SEPTEMBER 2021* The free article from this issue is 'Common problems with field identification – the Polygonum aviculare aggregate' by Bob Leaney.
*APRIL 2021* The free article from this issue is 'When is a Dandelion not a Dandelion? (A beginner's guide to yellow composites)' by Hazel Metherell.
*JANUARY 2021* The free article from this issue is this article on botanising in the Outer Hebrides by County Recorder Paul Smith.
*SEPTEMBER 2020* The free article from this issue is this review of wildflower ID books by Andrew Branson.
*APRIL 2020* The free article from this issue is this review of plant ID apps by Hamlyn Jones.
If you are already a BSBI member but know anyone who has not yet joined the Society and might be interested in any of these articles, why not send them a pdf and one of the BSBI News samplers, with our compliments? It might be just the nudge they need to join our growing ranks!
Submit an article
BSBI News is for short contributions of topical interest. It is there for BSBI members who have something interesting or informative that they would like to share with others, and is meant to be the place for the ‘ordinary’ member to express her or his opinions.
Contributors may wish to download and read through this guidance before sending material to BSBI News editor John Norton.
Advertising in BSBI News
Our latest BSBI News adverts brochure (November 2022 update) gives details of rates for advertisers. It also gives instructions and deadlines for including flyers and advertisements in BSBI News.
Who edits BSBI News?
The Editor of BSBI News from 2017-2019 was Andrew Branson, a long-term BSBI member who is also the former editor of the very popular and prestigious British Wildlife. Andrew took over from, and built on the excellent work of, Gwynn Ellis and Trevor James who had been at the helm for several decades. In 2019, BSBI welcomed a new Editor, John Norton, and the first issue with John at the helm was published in January 2020.
Book reviews
BSBI News publishes reviews of botanical books: contact Book Reviews Editor Prof Clive Stace to discuss submitting a book for review.