South Yorkshire Botany Group
South Yorkshire Botany Group began in 2013 with aims to:
- Update plant records in each hectad for the current decade 2010 to 2019
- Assist the VC Recorder(s) and the VC63 Red Data Plant Group
- Re-locate historic plant records
- Support new botanists to improve their skills
We welcome both experts and beginners who want to enjoy field visits with like-minded people and contribute to records for the area. We aim to participate in varied projects, and run joint events with other local groups such as Yorkshire Naturalists Union, Sorby Natural History Society, Barnsley Naturalists, Doncaster Naturalists and Rotherham Naturalists Society.
Our remit is the county of modern South Yorkshire and as such the group covers VC 63 and some small parts of v.c. 54 (N. Lincolnshire), v.c. 56 (Nottinghamshire), v.c. 57 (Derbyshire) and v.c. 58 (Cheshire). Records will be sent to the relevant VC Recorder.
The Flora of South Yorkshire
The county of South Yorkshire offers a diverse flora that reflects the varied underlying geology of the region.
To the west, there is the high altitude Millstone Grit of the Pennine moors. In the central area, there is a mixed agricultural/industrial belt, reflecting the coal mining history of the area. To the east, there is Magnesian Limestone and lowland bogs such as Hatfield Moor, with the Humberhead Levels close to sea-level.
Such a variety of habitats, including many renowned nature reserves, provide opportunities to discover a wide range of species such as Gnaphalium sylvaticum, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae and Carex ericetorum.
Links
To read the latest field reports, please visit our blog.
Contacts
If you are interested in getting involved with the Group, please contact us for more details:
Field Meetings
All botanical meetings will start at 10am and finish by 4pm unless otherwise stated. Please bring packed lunch and a drink, along with a field guide and hand lens if you have one. Walking will be limited to a couple of miles. You do not need to be member of the BSBI to come along. You can be a beginner or an expert: you just need an interest in finding and identifying plants. Please consult the BSBI’s Code of Conduct and Safety in the Field documents beforehand.
To receive a copy of the latest programme, please email us.
Books about South Yorkshire
Wilmore, G.T.D., Lunn, J., Rodwell, J.S. (eds.) (2011). South Yorkshire plant atlas. Yorkshire Naturalists Union
Wilmore, G.T.D. (2000) Alien Plants of Yorkshire, Yorkshire Naturalists Union
G.L.D. Coles (2011) The Story of South Yorkshire Botany.