Field meetings and indoor events 2023

Our 11th Hunt will go ahead subject to the latest restrictions around Covid-19. Find out more here and please check with your County Recorder and/ or local botany group for details of any group Hunts in your area.

The Irish Spring Conference will be held online. Further details will be available soon on the Irish Conferences webpage.

This is the eighth long weekend dedicated to the genus Taraxacum (Dandelions), and the first in south-west Scotland. It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid, and is the first to be held since the publication of the Field Handbook to British and Irish Dandelions which will be trialled in the field. Compared to most of Scotland, Wigtownshire is poorly studied for Taraxacum and recent work elsewhere in the far west suggests that interesting discoveries may await. Recent visits out of season suggest that good Erythrosperma and Obliqua species occur above strand-lines, while rich submontane habitats inland may harbour Naevosa and Celtica. It will be interesting to see if Irish specialities occur. Portpatrick has a range of places to eat and stay, but is popular at weekends. Stranraer, Lochans and Sandhead offer alternatives within 15 minutes by car. We will hire a room in a local hall as a centre and for evening studies so there will be a levy of £20 to pay for facilities. Caspian, who has a good knowledge of the area, will act as local agent and field guide.

Whilst there are many exotic species in the beautiful Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, we will search for species native to Scotland in the Rock Garden, the Woodland Garden, around the pond and in the Scottish Native Plant Collection in the Heath Garden. Also, some of the less intensively managed corners of the garden have some rather surprising species like Adoxa moschatellina (Townhall Clock) which we’d hope to see. The emphasis of this field meeting will be on learning and we would particularly welcome anyone who has not been on a BSBI field meeting before.

Further information and booking online: www.tickettailor.com/events/botanicalsocietyofbritainireland/621461

This trip will explore the Shanahoe Marsh area, known locally as the Mash. This is a fascinating area of wet and dry grassland that is collectively managed as commonage grassland and is mown for hay in the summer. It floods as callows grassland along the River Nore in the winter and attracts significant numbers of wintering water-birds. It has a rich history – we will have to watch out for the “Mash Shark!”. The wet grassland is sedge rich and the surrounding hedgerows are also quite diverse with at least one Populus nigra subsp. betulifolia (Black Poplar) present. A small section of dry grassland has Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid).

Meet in Abbeyleix Town at the Heritage House, 10.00 am. Dress for the weather and rough round. Bring a packed lunch.

The first field day of the BSBI Aquatic Plant Project 2022 programme will be held on the Rivers Dee and Glyde in County Louth, with aquatic plants expert Nick Stewart and County Recorder Cliona Byrne. The aim is to improve identification skills and gather records in a range of aquatic habitats.

Everyone is welcome to attend and thanks to the generous funding from the Irish National Parks & Wildlife Service the event is free. For more information and booking use this link: Saturday 28th in Louth.

The aim of the weekend is to explore some of the rugged terrain between Loch Ailort and Loch Morar in hectad NM78. The exact itinerary will depend on the weather but should include the 600 m Sithean Mor (NM7286, the enigmatic second site for Diapensia lapponica (Diapensia)) and surrounding hills, coires and lochans, and possibly also the Ardnish peninsula. Calcareous flushes with species such as Saxifraga aizoides (Yellow Saxifrage), Pinguicula lusitanica (Pale Butterwort) and Platanthera bifolia (Lesser Butterfly-orchid) are known to occur, along with a range of western ferns and wintergreens, but much of the ground is unexplored. Hill-fitness is required. Accommodation (potentially from Friday 3 June to Monday 6 June) nearby is limited so early booking is advisable.

Tarn Moss National Nature Reserve is a basin mire holding a fine collection of sedges and acid-loving plants. The specialities are Carex magellanica (Tall Bog-sedge) and C. lasiocarpa (Slender Sedge) but other sedges including C. canescens (White Sedge), C. paniculata (Greater Tussock-sedge) and C. rostrata (Bottle Sedge) also grow here, along with Andromeda polifolia (Bog Rosemary), Dactylorhiza maculata (Heath-spotted Orchid), Dryopteris carthusiana (Narrow Buckler-fern) and Vaccinium oxycoccos (Cranberry). It is often very wet underfoot. Our second site is Eycott Hill not far from Tarn Moss and recently purchased by Cumbria Wildlife Trust. It is largely a series of mires that occupy a number of parallel troughs in the underlying volcanic rock and it too is very wet in places.  The sedge flora includes good quantities of Carex limosa (Bog-sedge), C. pauciflora (Few-flowered Sedge), C. diandra (Lesser Tussock-sedge), C. dioica (Dioecious Sedge) and up to 16 other Carex species, together with some non-Carex sedges. There is a good range of other wetland species and, on the drier hillocks, Cryptogramma crispa (Parsley Fern) and Viola lutea (Mountain Pansy) are found.

This is a repeat of the 2021 Meeting, mainly to accommodate those who were unable to attend last year. Numbers are limited to 15 to minimise damage to fragile habitats. All sedge enthusiasts are welcome whether experienced or not. This will be a full day outing so please bring packed lunch. The distance covered will not be great – a little more than 5 kilometres but in places it will be very wet underfoot. Wellies or waterproof boots are essential.

This two-day meeting will explore the flora of a number of coastal and upland locations on the Inishowen peninsula, Co. Donegal. The peninsula supports a range of good plant habitats with coastal habitats particularly extensive and well developed. Particular emphasis will be given to exploring areas that have potential for rarer species which have not been seen for some time in Inishowen, such as Pyrola media (Intermediate Wintergreen) and Equisetum pratense (Shady Horsetail).

This will be a continuation of last year's recording on this large site for the London Natural History Society’s London Flora Project. We will aim to explore the remaining parts of Staines Moor that we did not get to in 2021. Staines Moor SSSI is one of the relatively few large areas of open land left in the area. Even so, large parts are occupied by the King George VI Reservoir and the Staines Reservoirs and are now inaccessible. We will be focusing on the lower areas of the Moor (TQ0272, TQ0273, TQ0372 & TQ0373) and will be aiming to rerecord some of the rarities of the area including Groenlandia densa (Opposite-leaved Pondweed), Potamogeton spp. (Pondweeds), Catabrosa aquatica (Whorl-grass), Juncus compressus (Round-fruited Rush), Oenanthe spp. (Water-dropworts) and Persicaria spp. (Water-peppers). Suitable for beginners and experienced botanists.

Meet at Moor Lane, Staines (TQ030722) at 11:00 am. This location is about a 15 minute walk from Staines railway station. There is space for parking on Moor Lane.

On this trip we will visit a range of botanically rich habitats in the Burren including limestone pavement, calcareous grassland and turlough. We envisage the trip to be suitable for botanists of all levels as we aim to cover the unique habitats and plant species of the Burren. If time allows, we will explore some locations that have received less recording attention in recent years in the hope of re-finding interesting species or new sites for others.

Expect to see a range of orchids including: Neotinea maculata (Dense-flowered Orchid), Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. okellyi (Common Spotted-orchid) and Ophrys insectifera (Fly Orchid); as well as plants characteristic of the Burren flora such as Potentilla fruticosa (Shrubby Cinquefoil) and Helianthemum oelandicum (Hoary Rock-rose). Please bring suitable footwear for rough terrain, and warm/waterproof clothing. Also bring a packed lunch, sun cream and water.

Meeting point will be at Cooloortla (R3418 9663) Burren National Park. There is some limited parking available here. If attendees have the option of car-sharing (in accordance with Covid guidance) this is recommended.

This workshop aims to introduce identification of common grasses to beginners and improvers who already have a basic grasp of plant ID. There will be a mix of classroom study and fieldwork, much of it in small groups with expert tutors. The programme will be based on Start to Identify Grasses by Faith Anstey, a copy of which will be included in the cost of the workshop – £30 (Discount for BSBI members, young people & full-time students).

Further information and online booking.

The moorland between Glen Douglas and Arrochar has received insufficient attention from botanists in recent years. This meeting aims to rectify the situation and will search for a number of interesting old records including Asplenium viride (Green Spleenwort), Juncus triglumis (Three-flowered Rush), Polystichum lonchitis (Holly-fern), Saxifraga stellaris (Starry Saxifrage) and Tofieldia pusilla (Scottish Asphodel). Hoping that participants will include at least one experienced recorder willing and able to lead a sub-party, there will be options to follow either a low-level route, keeping to an excellent track, or a higher-level route, involving rough walking on open hillside (with a maximum of around 300m of ascent). Come prepared for a day in the hills.

The week-long annual Carmarthenshire Recording and Monitoring Meeting will include visits to sites around the county. The meeting will cater for both experienced and less proficient botanists and will provide an opportunity for the informal development of identification skills. Arrangements will be flexible, some days the group may stay as one body, other days smaller groups will visit different sites to monitor rare or scarce species or update grid squares not visited recently. Day outings will be tailored to individual needs to cover all fitness abilities. More information on the Carmarthenshire webpage.

The week will be based in Bath and will include a mixture of field trips, lectures and workshops.

Bath is at the centre of a region of very varied geology, which in turn has resulted in a wide variety of habitat types. During the week a series of species-rich woodlands will be visited, including some which are remnants of medieval hunting forests, and other special habitats such as moorland on the high ground of the Mendip Hills and the peat fenland of the Somerset Levels. In the event of wet weather, field trips may be rearranged or replaced by workshops but most will include woodland so will only be cancelled if the weather is particularly bad.

Monday 11 July: 'Secrets of the Mulberry Bush', 7:30 pm, Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution.

Introductory lecture open to all, whether attending the study week or not. Car park available nearby. For directions and to book, see www.brlsi.org.

Tuesday 12 July: Somerset coalfield and Mendip Hills, VC6.

Wednesday 13 July: Somerset peat moors, VC6.

Thursday 14 July: Chippenham, Braydon and Melksham Forests, VC7.

Friday 15 July: Selwood Forest, VC8.

Saturday 16 July: Cotswolds, VC33/34.

Sunday 17 July (am): Bristol coalfield, VC34. The meeting will finish close to the junction of the M4 and M5.

It will be possible for members to attend for part of the week but if so, please indicate this to the leader to ensure you receive details of meeting time and location.

This meeting will visit the Herrington Hill Durham Wildlife Trust Reserve on the west side of A19 and, after exploring the reserve, we will visit Hastings Hill SSSI on the other side of the A19. Both sites are areas of magnesian limestone grassland with all the classic indicator species that define this internationally rare plant community.  Sesleria caerulea (Blue Moor-grass) is the dominant grass with Helianthemum nummularium (Common Rock-rose), Carlina vulgaris (Carline Thistle), Thymus drucei (Wild Thyme), Pimpinella saxifraga (Burnet-saxifrage), Gentianella amarella (Autumn Gentian, or as it is usually known locally, Felwort), Ononis repens (Common Restharrow) and Plantago maritima (Sea Plantain), which is more commonly associated with the coast. We should also see Epipactis atrorubens (Dark-red Helleborine) which was rediscovered here last year, after many years of absence.

Note: There are no defined footpaths and some steep slopes at both sites. This will be a general meeting for all levels of botanists.

We will explore the woodland and spend some time identifying the different plants growing there. Please bring suitable clothing and footwear for all weather conditions, sun protection, a packed lunch and hand lens and ID book if you have one.

Meet at Glenbower Woods carpark (X00097734) at 10:00 am. This is a Coillte woodland and there is parking at this location.

This workshop is the latest in the series of ID workshops for beginners and improvers. There will be a mix of classroom training and hands-on study in small groups, including fieldwork. The booklet Start to Identify Composite Flowers will provide the structure of the course, and will be included in the cost of the workshop – £30. (Discount for BSBI members, young people and full-time students).

Further information and online booking.

These Mosses on the England-Wales border were described by James Robertson in the October 2021 issue of British Wildlife. They form a raised bog, which retains many botanical rarities. The meeting will show off some of these specialties, carry out some recording and provide help on identification of the more common species. We will be joined by members of Natural England’s Marches Mosses BogLIFE team who manage the National Nature Reserve. Some of the terrain that we will venture into is very uneven, though there are more even paths.

Meet: 10:00 am at Morris’ Bridge car park Whixall SJ493354. Nearest postcode SY13 2RX.

An extensive limestone quarry with a wide range of species-rich communities, including exposed rock outcrops, thin-soiled turf and flushed areas. We should see several rare and interesting taxa of these habitats (such as Gentianella amarella subsp. amarella (Autumn Gentian), Erigeron acris (Blue Fleabane) and Hypopitys monotropa (Yellow Bird's-nest)) as well as a good selection of sedges, whitebeams and the more widespread, characteristic species of limestone habitats. Some steep slopes and rough terrain but fantastic views and impressive local wildlife.

Meet: 10:30 am at Pwll Du (plenty of roadside parking at S0244118), walk to quarry and car share to Clydach. Note: Steep upland terrain with rocky areas. Attendees will need good wind and waterproof outdoor gear and walking boots.

When booking, please remember to provide a mobile contact number.

The aim of the meeting is to learn how to identify the two species of Eelgrass Zostera marina (Eelgrass) and Zostera noltei (Dwarf Eelgrass). They both grow on the mudflats, and in places in mixed populations. We will also look at Salicornia (Glassworts) and other saltmarsh plants, and explore the drain behind the seawall to look at Ruppia maritima (Beaked Tasselweed). We will also see Inula crithmoides (Golden-samphire) which grows in the saltmarsh, as well as on the seawall.

This site has been chosen as the mud is firm here, and there is no worry of getting stuck in the mud, plus the Eelgrass grows very close to the shore. Joining details will be sent to you once you have booked.

There is an exciting line up of talks, including Looking at rare plants in Tipperary by Anne Lloyd, The Montane Flora of West Galway by John Conaghan and an Introduction to spikey-rosette aquatics by Nick Stewart. The highlight, of course, will be a talk on the Ireland Officer's year! The talks will be followed by two workshops: Nick Stewart will look at aquatic plants in the ponds in the gardens and Alison Evans will look at Scaly Male-ferns in the herbarium. It's free and everyone is very welcome, but booking is essential: - Irish Autumn Meeting & AGM

This meeting will be held at the Field Studies Council centre at Preston Montford. Further details here; booking link here.

This year’s face-to-face  British & Irish Botanical Conference (the new name for the Annual Exhibition Meeting) will be held at the Natural History Museum in London. The programme has a theme of 'A Festival of Plants' and there will be nine talks, as well as flash talks, exhibits, John Poland's plant ID quiz, networking opportunities and a chance to join a behind-the-scenes tour of the NHM Herbarium. Click the link to book.

The fourth England Annual Meeting and AGM will be an afternoon Zoom meeting. In addition to a short AGM, there will be a mix of short talks and a keynote talk on the theme of alien plants. Further details will be available via the England Annual Meeting webpage and an email invitation will be extended to members.

This meeting is to look at early flowering spring plants on sandy soils, including dunes, and the urban weeds. This is a diverse habitat and will include plants such as Erophila majuscula (Hairy Whitlowgrass), Crassula tillaea (Mossy Stonecrop) and Laphangium [Gnaphalium] luteoalbum (Jersey Cudweed). There will be walking on dunes, and along pavements.

It will be flat walking. Please bring a packed lunch and appropriate gear.

Meet: at 11:00 am in public parking area along roadside opposite church T096156.

The Irish Spring Conference will be held at the National Botanical Gardens, Glasnevin. Registration is essential but the event is free to attend. Click here for more information and to register.
Further details are available on the Irish Conferences webpage.

The 2023 ASM will be based at the Castlerosse Hotel in Killarney. Limited single B&B accommodation will be available for around €120 per night through the BSBI. The Hotel also has two-bedroom self-catering cottages.  There are nearby campsites, or you can book your own accommodation elsewhere. There will be a mix of excursions to interesting sites, recording trips and evening talks or workshops. Excursions will centre on Killarney National Park and adjacent rugged mountains and coastline of the Iveragh Peninsula. Habitats include Atlantic oak woodland, blanket bog and coastal dunes. A wide range of species for which Southwest Ireland is famous will be seen, including Hymenophyllum (Filmy-fern) species, Saxifraga spathularis (St Patrick's-cabbage), S. hirsuta (Kidney Saxifrage), Pinguicula grandiflora (Large-flowered Butterwort) and Arbutus unedo (Strawberry-tree).

Further information is available on the Summer Meeting webpage, and here is the link so you can register for the event and book your accommodation at the Hotel: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/botanicalsocietyofbritainireland/851562

Contact: Micheline Sheehy Skeffington or Jonathan Shanklin will be leading this meeting and you can email them if you'd like to find out more.

On this interesting walk from Scabbacombe Head, we should see Eryngium campestre (Field Eryngo), Festuca longifolia (Blue Fescue), Melittis melissophyllum (Bastard Balm), Hypochaeris glabra (Smooth Cat’s-ear) and much more as we follow the path down to Scabbacombe Sands then south on the cliff path to Ivy Cove. The route continues as a circular walk inland to the car park near Coleton Fishacre, where it might be possible to leave one or two cars. The route back to the start is along quiet lanes. Botanists of all standards, including beginners, welcome.  Joint with Devonshire Association.

This meeting is specifically for beginners and new members of the BSBI, though everyone is welcome to attend. It is designed as an introduction to botany with a chance to see both common and unusual species. The site is a newly developed urban park with both accidentally introduced species such as Eriophorum angustifolium (Common Cottongrass) that came with deliberate introductions and native species such as Torilis arvensis (Spreading Hedge-parsley). We will walk around the site looking at different habitats and the plants within them. If there is time we will also look at some urban sites nearby. There are frequent trains to Cambridge and guided buses to the site are every 20 minutes. Participants are encouraged to use public transport.

Meet: 10:00 am at the guided busway Foster Road stop.

This meeting will take place on the eastern part of the Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA). Salisbury Plain, which is around the same size as the Isle of Wight, has been used by the military for training purposes for more than a century and is now the largest remaining tract of unimproved calcareous grassland in north-west Europe.  We will visit Sidbury Hill and Silk Hill and should see the following: Filago pyramidata (Broad-leaved Cudweed), Clinopodium acinos (Basil Thyme), Neotinea ustulata (Burnt Orchid), Astragalus danicus (Purple Milk-vetch), Tephroseris integrifolia (Field Fleawort) and other notable chalk downland plants.

Please note that there are restrictions on access to the ranges and army training will always take priority. We have chosen the Bank Holiday Monday as this is the least likely day for closure. However, it is still possible that we would have to cancel at short notice or restrict the area visited.

Visitors have to be accompanied by ‘red card holders’, who at present are allowed to take five visitors each. This means that we will have to limit numbers. Guests would need to book a place and leave us with contact details in case of changes. We plan to meet near Tidworth. In the words of John Moon, who will lead the outing, ‘getting there by public transport is just about possible’. Botanists of all standards welcome, including beginners.

Tarn Moor is a rich botanical site on the Orton limestones of Westmorland and is a mosaic of base-rich and acidic areas. More than 25 different species of Carex have been recorded here with Carex capillaris (Hair Sedge), C. diandra (Lesser Tussock-sedge), C. dioica (Dioecious Sedge), C. elata (Tufted Sedge) and C. hostiana (Tawny Sedge) probably the pick of the bunch. There are also numerous non-Carex sedges and records for three Carex hybrids, two of which we should certainly see. Many other attractive species, including Primula farinosa (Bird’s-eye Primrose) and a fine array of orchids, are frequent and should be at their best in early June. If time allows we will also look at some drier limestone grassland near the village of Orton where C. ornithopoda (Bird‘s-foot Sedge) grows.

All sedge enthusiasts are welcome, whether experienced or not, but numbers will be limited to 15 to minimise damage to fragile habitats. This will be a full day meeting so please bring packed lunch. The distance covered will not be great, 5 or 6 kilometres, but parts will be very wet so wellies or waterproof boots are essential. Although Tarn Moor can be idyllic at this time of year please come prepared for less clement conditions. There are no facilities at Tarn Moor but later in the day we will visit Orton which has a shop, cafes and toilets.

Glenshelane is a Coillte owned woodland that spans across two river glens. There is an extensive network of gently graded forest roads and trails within the area. Glenshelane is a mix of broadleaf and conifer woodland and we expect to see a wide range of woodland flora. There is also the potential to see Neottia nidus-avis (Bird's-nest Orchid) and Pinguicula grandiflora (Large-flowered Butterwort).

We envisage the trip to be suitable for botanists of all levels. There are some moderate inclines within the woodland but overall, the walk is not expected to be difficult. Please bring clothing and footwear suitable for all weather conditions, sun protection, a packed lunch and hand lens.

Meeting point will be at the Glenshelane car park at 11:00 am.

Joint with the Royal Entomological Society - this is a new venture to bring different interests together regarding conservation management for plants and invertebrates. Three short talks will be followed by a simple lunch and a 3-hour trip to the Royal Entomological Society Nature Reserve at Daneway Banks.

The Large Blue butterfly should be in flight and it will form one aspect of the excursion. Other invertebrates of interest include the Rugged Oil Beetle and Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

Plants of interest include Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid), Prunella laciniata (Cut-leaved Selfheal) and Galium pumilum (Slender Bedstraw).

Numbers are limited to 15 members from each society and there will be a small charge for lunch and transport.

For more info and to book, please visit: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/botanicalsocietyofbritainireland/882374

The Plant Families workshops are suitable for anyone who can tell a buttercup from a daisy but wants to learn more about plant identification within a structured framework. There will be a mix of classwork, small groups with expert tutors, and fieldwork, following the principle of 'finding the family first'. This is a tried and tested way of getting to grips with ID instead of just playing 'snap' with a field guide or wading through incomprehensible keys. A copy of the booklet on which the course is based – Pocket Guide to Wildflower Families by Faith Anstey – will be included in the charge for the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, register to attend here.

The meeting will visit the coastal flora in the dunes, as well as the salt marshes with sedges. We shall also look at the special grasses that grow in the area. These include Festuca arenaria (Rush-leaved Fescue), Parapholis strigosa (Hard-grass), Brachypodium pinnatum (Heath False-brome) and Corynephorus canescens (Grey Hair-grass).

Meet at Linkfield Car Park NT651786 at 10:00 am with packed lunch and equipped for a day in the field. Parking charge is £2.50. Follow signs off the A1087 Dunbar.

The Crohy Head area is one of the most remote and least developed parts of the Donegal coastline as well as being one of the most scenic. We hope to see Ajuga pyramidalis (Pyramidal Bugle), albeit out of season. Several small lakes need exploring; Eriocaulon septangulare (Pipewort) and Isoetes lacustris (Quillwort) have been found, and pondweed records are required for the area. The lagoon at Maghery is known for its charophytes and for both species of Ruppia (Tasselweed). The extensive dry heath, with characteristic Juniperus communis (Juniper) and Empetrum nigrum (Crowberry) also has many scarcer species; Diphasiastrum alpinum (Alpine Clubmoss) was seen in 1965. We will explore from Terman and Maghery in the north, to Falchorrib and Trawenagh Bay in the south.

Meet each day at the south end of Maghery Strand (B715090), at 10:30. There is plenty of accommodation between there and Dungloe (B7611), but it would be wise to book early. There are trails we can follow, but be prepared for some rough, heathery ground.

When contacting Ralph to book, please give your email address and phone number in case we need to contact you on the days of the field trip.

Brambles form an important element of our flora, which many botanists are reluctant to investigate in detail. This meeting offers an introduction to bramble identification for anybody who has yet to embark on a personal exploration of, or feels in need of basic revision about, this fascinating group of plants. In the indoor morning session we will work through the characters needed to identify a specimen and in the afternoon try out our new skills on some local bushes.

This trip will visit Derrycassin woods and surrounding habitats including a disused quarry, quite lanes and lake shoreline. There are also some boggy habitats with cutover bog present. Derrycassin Woods is in North-east Longford adjacent to Lough Gamhina. It is an amenity woodland with some mature conifers and other woodland habitats. This trip will be suitable for everyone.

Meet at the football pitch adjacent to Derrycassin Woods (N311859) at 11:00 am.

The week-long annual Carmarthenshire Recording and Monitoring Meeting will include visits to sites around the county. The meeting will cater for both experienced and less proficient botanists and will provide an opportunity for the informal development of identification skills. Arrangements will be flexible, some days the group may stay as one body, other days smaller groups will visit different sites to monitor rare or scarce species or update grid squares not visited recently. Day outings will be tailored to individual needs to cover all fitness abilities.

Glynhir Mansion is located about 2 km east of Llandybie on the western flank of Mynydd Du (the Black Mountain) at SN640151. The River Llwchwr runs through the estate and at one point plunges over a 10 m waterfall into a humid, rocky gorge where Dryopteris aemula (Hay-scented Buckler-fern), Hymenophyllum tunbrigense (Tunbridge Filmy-fern) and Asplenium trichomanes subsp. trichomanes (Maidenhair Spleenwort) are among the ferns growing on the cliffs. There will be ample opportunity in the timetable to visit the site.  Large parkland trees provide the setting to the mansion, including Tilia cordata (Small-leaved Lime), and there remains much scope for further discoveries to be made in the vicinity.

The cost of the week from lunchtime on 10 July to breakfast on 17 July, including bed, breakfast, packed lunches and evening meals, will be approximately £600.00 and will be limited to about 15 participants. Accommodation for part of the week will be charged pro rata. A limited number of en suite rooms are available on a first-come first-served basis. Participants not requiring accommodation will also be welcome on a day to day basis. A 35% deposit will be required by Glynhir on booking. Initial bookings to Kath and Richard Pryce.

Rufford Colliery is a vast area with a mosaic of habitats created by clearance of the colliery yards, railway lines and headstocks. A wide range of county rare and scarce species, England Red Data List species and rare neophytes have been recorded. We will be checking on some of the county rare species such as Euphorbia stricta (Upright Spurge), Carex arenaria (Sand Sedge) (only native site on Sherwood Sandstones), Omalotheca sylvatica [Gnaphalium sylvaticum] (Heath Cudweed), Lythrum portula (Water-purslane), Mentha pulegium (Pennyroyal) and Persicaria mitis (Tasteless Water-pepper), but also searching for new taxa. Extensive surveys have been carried out since the colliery closed, but new species are found on every visit. Botanists of all standards, including beginners, welcome. Numbers are likely to be restricted because of the site owners’ safety requirements.

The plants in this area remain surprisingly poorly recorded, despite it having been visited by a steady stream of botanists since Druce’s first reports from Beinn Liath Bheag and Sgurr Mor c.1902. An issue in the past has been poor understanding of the boundary with v.c.106, so great care will be taken on this visit to record using accurate grid references. Targets for re-finds include Alchemilla glomerulans (Clustered Lady's-mantle), Athyrium distentifolium (Alpine Lady-fern), Carex atrata (Black Alpine-sedge), C. vaginata (Sheathed Sedge), Cerastium cerastoides (Starwort Mouse-ear), Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. alpina (Alpine Hair-grass), Juncus castaneus (Chestnut Rush) and Salix lapponum (Downy Willow); help from a Hieracium expert would be particularly welcome, since Archie Kenneth and others noted an impressive number of taxa in 1960-1990. Attendees need to be fit enough to walk up mountains. Attendees will be responsible for their own accommodation, options including camping or indoors at Aultguish Inn, Inchbae Hotel or, further afield, in Ullapool: early booking advisable.

This meeting will provide field training in the identification of grasses, sedges and rushes and repeats the training event held previously at Ben Lawers. Although initially designed to consolidate the skills of attendees on BSBI Scotland workshops, past experience has shown that previous attendance at relevant workshops is not a prerequisite. Copies of the booklets Start to Identify Grasses and Start to Identify Sedges & Rushes are recommended and will be available for purchase on the day.

The meeting is joint with National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and is open to all members of BSBI, NTS and anyone else interested, whatever level they are at. After some revision on what to look for, we will split into those who want to go on up the hill (perhaps those with more experience of grasses etc) and those preferring to stay on lower ground (and/or perhaps needing more ID guidance). Places are limited, booking essential.

This workshop aims to introduce identification of common grasses to beginners and improvers who already have a basic grasp of plant ID. There will be a mix of classroom study and fieldwork, much of it in small groups with expert tutors. The programme will be based on Start to Identify Grasses by Faith Anstey, a copy of which will be included in the cost of the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, register to attend here.

The meeting will be based on the MV Cuma, a converted fisheries vessel (see www.island-cruising.com) with pickup and setdown at Lochmaddy, North Uist (to travel with the boat towards Barra). We will visit a range of islands and islets around Barra, including some of the islands to the south which have a variety of habitats including machair and moorland. The larger islands have reasonable lists, but have not been recorded in tetrads or monads, and this meeting will provide detailed records for a new flora. Several smaller islands are completely unrecorded. The terrain is generally rough, but there should be a variety of easier and more strenuous options each day. The cost is £1100 per person full board, sleeping on the boat, which takes 12 people, so please book early, preferably by the end of February.

This event is now fully booked, but contact the organiser Paul Smith to be added to a reserve list.

This meeting aims to introduce participants to the main indicator species which assist in habitat classifications, touching on several Phase 1 habitats and NVC plant communities. The workshop is not suitable for complete beginners but is more aimed at those who have some basic or intermediate plant identification skills who are also interested in understanding the relationships between plant species and the habitats in which they grow. (Please note that this is not a training course on Phase 1 habitat or NVC surveys but rather a workshop to assist participants in identifying key plant species in different habitats).

The meeting is open to all members of BSBI and BSS or anyone else who may have an interest (Priority will be given to BSBI and BSS members in the first instance). It is likely that the workshop will involve some rough walking over the open hill in places. Come prepared for a day in the hills! Places are limited, booking essential.

This will be a day learning fern ID. It is aimed at the Dryopteris affinis group, but we will look at all ferns. We will visit more than one site, and it should be fairly level walking. Location to be confirmed. Email Paul Green for more information and joining details.

Wallasea Island lies more or less at sea-level at the confluence of the Rivers Crouch and Roach. It was formerly a site of intensive agriculture, but under the management of the RSPB and with the deposition of vast amounts of substrate from the Crossrail excavations, it is being transformed. A range of habitats is being created over several square kilometres, and coastal realignment is taking place, with the removal of a section of seawall. This is allowing the development of an extensive transitional intertidal zone, a rare thing in Essex where transitional zones are usually prevented from developing by the presence of seawalls.

Our visit is timed to fall between the sensitive bird breeding and wintering seasons, and is optimal for many of the late-growing coastal plants of the region in particular the Chenopodiaceae. The habitats are continuing to mature, and, because of the site’s location and recent history, we should expect the unexpected.

This is a day-long meeting. Access to the site is really only possible by road. The site is quite isolated, with no nearby shops or hostelries, so please bring everything that you will need for the day. There is a portable toilet located at the carpark. The terrain is moderate. It is largely flat, but we will encounter steep-sided seawalls, borrowdykes and ditches, and the intertidal zone may be uneven or muddy.

The purpose of this meeting is to acquaint participants with some of the up-and-coming, as well as the long-established weeds, of urban Ireland. As a transport hub with a mainline railway, both used and disused canals, and a port area developed for recreation, it has a rich urban flora, including Potamogeton trichoides (Hairlike Pondweed) at its first confirmed Irish site, Galinsoga quadriradiata (Shaggy-soldier) and two species of Erigeron (Fleabanes). Our aim will be to refind and quantify some of the less common species and foster interest in a sometimes neglected aspect of the Irish flora.

Meet in car park at Newry Railway Station (Grid Ref J069279). Time to be arranged.

This residential meeting is aimed at all BSBI members, especially County Recorders and referees, who make botanical records. There will be a mix of talks, walks and workshops, with plenty of time for general discussion.

More information to follow on the Recorders' Conferences & Meetings webpage.

Contact Jonathan Shanklin for enquiries.