Field meetings and indoor events

This workshop aims to introduce the identification of some common ferns and is for "complete and utter beginners" in fern identification. Ferns are often thought of as difficult, so participants will gain some foundational knowledge which may then be confidently built upon through outings, field meetings and workshops elsewhere. Introductory work in the classroom with experienced tutors will be followed by fieldwork in the spectacular surroundings of the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Falls of Clyde Reserve. The programme will be tailored carefully, assuming no previous knowledge. All course materials will be provided and included in the cost of the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, register to attend here.

An opportunity to help record in varied coastal habitats in NE Anglesey as part of the ongoing monad-based updating of the Anglesey Flora. We will concentrate our efforts in SH4987, looking closely at strand line, sand dune, soft coastal cliff, saltmarsh, heath, scrub and unimproved grassland habitats. We hope to relocate a twenty year old record of Mentha pulegium (Pennyroyal) at its only known Anglesey site as well as assess the populations of two horsetail hybrids (Equisetum x font-queri and E. x robertsii) and search for Helictochloa pratensis (Meadow Oat-grass). We will be joined by members of the Anglesey Flora Group. Please wear appropriate footwear and bring sun cream and waterproofs.

*UPDATE* Apologies that this event has had to be cancelled.

This is two days of very different habitats. On the Saturday we will be exploring the coast looking at saltmarshes where we hope to learn how to identify Salicornia (Glassworts), Atriplex (Oraches) and many other coastal plants.  The Sunday will be a complete contrast as we will be exploring the urban flora of Limerick City.

There are a number of small lakes and ponds on both limestone and cut over raised bog in the area; few have been surveyed. The day will be spent exploring these sites, (bring grapnels and chest waders if available). We expect to find a mixture of charophytes and acid loving water plants but anticipate some sites may be damaged by excess phosphorus.

Meet: Croughwell railway station at 10:30 am.

The Irish Autumn Meeting and AGM will be held at the National Botanical Gardens, Glasnevin. There will be talks on subjects including good farming practice, botanical networks, Irish bryophytes and the life and work of botanist Evelyn Booth, plus a workshop, tour of the Gardens and the AGM. A programme, info sheet and booking link can be found on the Irish Autumn Meeting webpage.

The AGM is a chance for BSBI members to have their say in how the Society is governed. Everyone is welcome but only members may vote. The AGM starts at 7.15pm and will be preceded by talks starting at 6.15pm.

Find out more and book to attend: bsbi.org/annual-general-meeting

Our Winter Talks take place at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of each month from December to March on Zoom.

Stephen Parker joins us to talk through the conservation challenges of the Somerset Levels.

BSBI County Recorder for South Somerset and member of the Somerset Rare Plant Group, Steve previously worked for Natural England and was particularly focused on the Somerset Levels and Moors.

Our Winter Talks take place at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of each month from December to March on Zoom.

Martin Hammond, ecologist with the Lower Ure Conservation Trust, will be talking about using plants of local provenance to create wetland habitats. Martin will then be joined by two lead volunteers, Pandora Thoresby and Laurie Reed, to talk about plant propagation methods.

A joint meeting with The Wildflower Society.

Fancy getting to grips with Conifers, can't tell your Spruce from your Firs, or would like to separate the 'Cypresses'? Then join Mark Duffell on a BSBI/WFS field-based training workshop on Nesscliffe Hill. A range of different keys and other resources will be used to show the beginner and intermediate how to accurately identify a variety of conifer species. There will be a charge of £2 to cover the cost of printed resources including a mini-booklet. The number of participants will be capped at 15. Priority will be given to those who booked for 2023 when the workshop was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.

This is an opportunity for attendees to familiarise themselves with some of the rapidly increasing community of Mediterranean ecosystem plants that are establishing in our cities. Species such as Sisymbrium irio (London-rocket), Polycarpon tetraphyllum (Four-leaved Allseed), Urtica membranacea (Mediterranean Nettle) and Laphangium [Gnaphalium] luteoalbum (Jersey Cudweed) are locally frequent. Other, more unusual species such as Genista aetenensis (Mount Aeta Broom), Eriobotrya japonica (Loquat), Calocedrus decurrens (Californian Incense-cedar) and Persea americana (Avocado) will also be seen. This meeting is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch.

Meet at 11:00am outside the entrance of Farringdon Underground, Cowcross Street, Clerkenwell (TQ31598183).

The Cambridgeshire Flora Group makes an early start to the season with a tour of churchyards. This year it is exploring some in the south-east of the county. We should see various varieties of Violets and perhaps different species of Ranunculus auricomus (Goldilocks Buttercup). We will begin with Ashley churchyard and its cemetery then continue to Woodditton (about 11:45), Borough Green (13:30), Brinkley (14:30) and Weston Colville (15:30). We might call in at Six Mile Bottom as we return if there is time.

Meet at 10am at Ashley churchyard TL700616.

This is the tenth long weekend dedicated to the genus Taraxacum. Compared to surrounding counties, the dandelions of Wiltshire are poorly studied, and v.c.8 (S. Wilts.) in particular has only 20 records of 14 species. Nevertheless, some interesting species are known from v.c.7 (N. Wilts.) including T. anglicum and T. cherwellense. Our centre will be Devizes, close to the boundary between the v.cc. and handy for distinguished calcareous grasslands and flood meadows which we hope to visit. A full programme including details of a room for evening meetings will be sent to participants.

The Irish Spring Conference will be held at the National Botanical Gardens, Glasnevin. Further details here.

Following the talks on bryophytes at the Irish Autumn Conference, this is a joint meeting of the BSBI and the British Bryological Society (BBS) to enable BSBI members to learn more about bryophytes in the field. The Correl Glen and Lough Navar Forest are among the richest areas for bryophytes in Northern Ireland. Apart from mosses and liverworts there will be an opportunity to see some of the specialities of the north facing scarps and woodland: both filmy ferns (Hymenophyllum spp.), Dryopteris aemula (Hay-scented Buckler-fern), Asplenium viride (Green Spleenwort), Orthilia secunda (Serrated Wintergreen) and Saxifraga aizoides (Yellow Saxifrage) are possibilities.

Meet at the car park at the entrance to Lough Navar Forest Park (H074547) at 10:30am on both days. Bring packed lunches and be prepared for some rough ground.

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, booking essential.

Guernsey is famous for its orchid meadows, shaded hedge banks, cliff tops and coastal heaths. There will be a mix of excursions to interesting sites, recording trips and evening talks or workshops. Excursions and recording visits will cover the island and species that we might see include Anacamptis laxiflora (Loose-flowered Orchid), Asplenium x microdon (Moore's Spleenwort or Guernsey Fern), Hypericum linariifolium (Toadflax-leaved St John's-wort), Isoetes histrix (Land Quillwort), Ophioglossum lusitanicum (Least Adder's-tongue) and Ophioglossum azoricum (Small Adder's-tongue).

Further information and links to register and book accommodation and evening meals can be found here. Please register by 3rd May. B&B accommodation at the Premier Inn, St Peter Port is £430 (single or double) for the week and you can book this through the BSBI up to 31st March or through the hotel. There are nearby campsites, or you can book your accommodation elsewhere. There is a weekend meeting in Jersey immediately after the Summer Meeting, but you will need to make your own arrangements for travel and accommodation and to book.

On Saturday 25^th May we shall meet at Le Charriere car park in St Ouen and head off into the sand dunes. There we should find Bupleurum baldense (Small Hare’s-ear), Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid), Silene nutans (Nottingham Catchfly) and Viola kitaibeliana (Dwarf Pansy). After having lunch at Le Braye café we will move to another sandy area nearby where we hope to find Taraxacum platyglossum (Tongue-leaved Dandelion), Crassula pubescens (Jersey Pigmyweed) and Crassula tillaea (Mossy Stonecrop).

On Sunday 26^th May we will meet at the car park at Beauport and go on a hunt for Ranunculus paludosus (Jersey Buttercup) and Orobanche rapum-genistae (Greater Broomrape). Other plants we might find include Juncus capitatus (Dwarf Rush), Silene gallica (Small-flowered Catchfly) and Ornithopus perpusillus (Bird’s-foot). In the afternoon we will visit Jersey’s best known site for Anacamptis laxiflora (Jersey Orchid). We should also see many wet meadow plants such as Parentucellia viscosa (Yellow Bartsia), Cuscuta epithymum (Dodder), Cyperus longus (Galingale) and possibly Oenanthe fistulosa (Tubular Water-dropwort).

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 27 May to breakfast on 3 June, including bed, breakfast, packed lunches and evening meals, will be approximately £600 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, preferably by the end of January, to Kath and Richard Pryce

There is further information on the Carmarthenshire webpage.

Joint with Plantlife

At Joan’s Hill Farm there are around 40 acres of neutral hay meadow to explore, as well as traditional orchards and a small area of broadleaved woodland. Species of note include Silaum silaus (Pepper-saxifrage), Genista tinctoria (Dyer’s Greenweed) and Orchids Anacamptis morio (Green-winged), Dactylorhiza fuchsii (Common Spotted) and Platanthera chlorantha (Greater Butterfly). We will also look out for Dactylorhiza maculata (Heath Spotted-orchid) and the hybrid Dactylorhiza x transiens. A single spike of Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Southern Marsh-orchid) appeared for the first time in 2022 and we hope to re-find it.  This meeting is suitable for beginners and more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch. Numbers may be limited.

Meet at 11:00am at Forestry England’s Haugh Woods Car Park (SO59233657) where it is free to park. From the car park, there is a 1 km walk on forest tracks to reach the reserve.

Jonathan Stone is Nature Reserves Manager for Plantlife - contact him to book and for further information.

Everyone is very welcome for a weekend of botanical recording in and around the coastal towns of Banffshire, looking for notable Scottish plants not seen since 2000 (SHARPP). With over thirty species of interest, there will be treasures to refind for all experience levels, ranging from mulleins and mints to pondweeds and rushes. Eyebrights optional! We will explore a variety of habitats, from beaches to coastal grassland and fringes of arable fields. There will also be opportunities to update inventories in monads not visited for the past ten years. Please note descents to beaches can be steep; easier terrain options will be available (but inland).

This grasslands-focused event will explore some of the variety of flora that occurs in Limerick's grasslands. On the day, there will be an opportunity for training to focus on the identification of specific plant groups such as Carex spp. (Sedges) and grasses, for example, as well as general plant recording. Bring notebooks, any keys you may have, and a hand lens. There will be a limited supply of these available on the day also. Throughout the day, there will be discussions on grassland ecology, and management from grassland ecologists.

Appropriate footwear and clothing should be worn to cover any eventualities of difficult terrain and weather.

Meeting point to be arranged. The location is to be decided, but is expected to be held approximately 30 minutes from Limerick city.

On the morning of day one we will visit Sheringham & Beeston Regis Commons SSSI. The site is a mosaic of calcareous mire, bog, and heath, together with some woodland, scrub, grassland, small streams and a pond, which between them provide a very diverse flora which is occasionally joined by garden escapes from the adjacent housing. Over 350 vascular plant species have been recorded here; perhaps the most notable of these are Blysmus compressus (Flat-sedge), Carex dioica (Dioecious Sedge), Drosera anglica (Great Sundew), Dryopteris cristata (Crested Buckler-fern), Eleocharis quinqueflora (Few-flowered Spike-rush), Gymnadenia densiflora (Marsh Fragrant-orchid), Isolepis cernua (Slender Club-rush), Parnassia palustris (Grass-of-Parnassus), Pinguicula vulgaris (Common Butterwort), Schoenus nigricans (Black Bog-rush), Solidago virgurea (Goldenrod) and Thelypteris palustris (Marsh Fern).

The terrain is generally easy on the main footpaths, elsewhere it can be a little more challenging and can be very wet in places, so stout waterproof footwear or welly boots are recommended.

In the afternoon we will visit to the nearby cliffs (about 900 m away). Beeston Cliffs are designated as a SSSI for both biological and geological reasons. We will focus on the calcareous cliff-top grassland, both here and on the adjacent cliffs at Sheringham. Particularly notable species recorded here include Phelipanche purpurea (Yarrow Broomrape) and Silene conica (Sand Catchfly). Other species we could see that may be of interest include Allium vineale (Wild Onion), Cerastium arvense (Field Mouse-ear), Lepidium latifolium (Dittander), Lupinus arboreus (Tree Lupin), Orobanche elatior (Knapweed Broomrape), Trifolium glomeratum (Clustered Clover) and Trifolium scabrum (Rough Clover).

The terrain is generally easy but the path over Beeston Bump is relatively steep and please note that the cliffs are eroding and it is dangerous to go too close to the edge. A short walk through the town (c.800 m) will bring us back to the morning meeting point.

On day two we will visit some of the coastal parts of Holkham NNR by kind permission of the Holkham Estate. We will look at the sand dunes including the pine woodland which was planted on the dunes in the late 19th century.  These comprise an intact sequence of dune communities from fore-dunes through to yellow and grey dunes and ultimately fixed dune grassland, including dune slacks supporting Laphangium luteoalbum (Jersey Cudweed) (an ‘old’ site for the plant before its expansion into urban areas) and Centaurium pulchellum (Lesser Centaury). The western end of the site also features saltmarsh, and a range of Salicornia (Glasswort) species, along with Limonium bellidifolium (Matted Sea-lavender), several of the Limonium binervosum (Rock Sea-lavender) aggregate, Frankenia laevis (Sea-heath) and Suaeda vera (Shrubby Sea-blite). Species recorded in the pinewoods which may be of interest include Goodyera repens (Creeping Lady's-tresses) (which may have been introduced with the pines) and Hypopitys monotropa (Yellow Bird's-nest). Depending upon livestock movements and presence/absence of breeding waders, it may also be possible to visit the fresh-marsh behind the dunes to see Carex divisa (Divided Sedge) and Ranunculus baudotii (Brackish Water-crowfoot).

The terrain is generally easy, but will involve a walk of about 1 km on level ground before reaching the main saltmarsh area, and a further 1 km before reaching the dune grassland (the woodland area would involve a c.8 km round trip) We will time visiting the saltmarsh to low tides on the day, which are likely to coincide with our return trip to the car park. Stout waterproof footwear (or something that you don’t mind getting muddy) is recommended.

Botanists of all skill levels are welcome, from beginners to specialists.

Meet at 10.30 each day.

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, booking essential.

Joint with the Devonshire Association's Botany Section

Saturday will be spent investigating the Belstone/Sticklepath area on the Dartmoor fringe, which includes a variety of bramble-friendly habitats and should provide an introduction to brambles for those botanists wishing to expand their knowledge of Rubus species. Sunday will be spent exploring other localities in the vicinity to improve coverage of this critical group, for which there are very few recent records.

We are sorry to inform you that Rob Randall, who was due to lead this event, very sadly died this spring, so the event has had to be cancelled.

This will be a two day event. We will be exploring some sites in the Slieve Aughty Mountains and will be looking for new records or re-locating old records of filmy ferns and other species by following clues in old geological maps. Along the way we will look at fens with Eriophorum gracile (Slender Cottongrass), rock outcrops with filmy ferns and old Oak woods.

Meeting location to be arranged.

Booking is essential as participant numbers will be limited to 10.

The aim of this meeting is to look for the Fionn Gleann hawkweed Hieracium basicrinum, a rare species of mountain ledges and screes. It has only ever been recorded in 1889, 1897 and 1953 from Fionn Gleann and Clach Leathad in the mountains above Glen Coe and no precise locations are known. Hieracium basicrinum is a relatively distinct hawkweed in having toothed, spotted leaves and thus no specialist knowledge is required (identification guidance will be given!). Whilst the meeting will focus on H. basicrinum, other hawkweeds and mountain species will also be recorded. We will access the mountains via the chairlift in Glencoe Mountain Resort on both days (c.£15/trip), and the terrain will be challenging with cliffs, screes, steep ground and possibly wading the River Etive. As the practicality of survey is very dependent on weather, we will take a cautious approach for safe access in the mountains, perhaps even abandoning the high ground for the safer areas near the chair lift. Even if we do not find H. basicrinum we should see a good range of other species.

This Wildflower Walk is a structured field meeting suitable for anyone from complete beginners upwards. We will be walking alongside the River Dee, looking at the plants we come across and learning how to identify them by 'finding the family first'.  A copy of the booklet explaining the strategy we use – Pocket Guide to Wildflower Families by Faith Anstey – will be provided to use on the walk and will be available to buy on the day.

Places are limited, booking essential.

Joint with the London Natural History Society.

Trent Country Park is part of the former, much larger, Enfield Chase. The site has extensive areas of woodland, grassland and some aquatic habitats but has been poorly recorded in recent years. As well as general recording, we will also be aiming to refind regional rarities such as Campanula rotundifolia (Harebell), Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Southern Marsh-orchid), Dryopteris carthusiana (Narrow Buckler-fern) and Hypericum humifusum (Trailing St John's-wort). The site also has a number of veteran Malus sylvestris (Crab Apple), a regionally scarce but often over-recorded plant, that need verifying. This meeting is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch.

Meet at 11:0am outside the entrance of Cockfosters Underground station on Cockfosters Road, Cockfosters (TQ28099637).

This workshop aims to introduce identification of common sedges and rushes 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 the booklet Start to Identify Sedges & Rushes, 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, booking essential.

Recording and general meeting to explore the Afon Mwyro valley mires, where there is Cirsium dissectum (Meadow Thistle) and Wahlenbergia hederacea (Ivy-leaved Bellflower) etc. For more energetic members of the party, Llyn Gynon has Luronium natans (Floating Water-plantain), Nitella gracilis (Slender Stonewort) and historical Pilularia globulifera (Pillwort) etc.

A walk along the River Slaney to look at aquatic species such as Callitriche truncata (Short-leaved Water-starwort) and Ruppia maritima var. brevirostris (Beaked Tasselweed), and a variety of Potamogeton spp. (Pondweeds). There is a marsh to explore which has a good mixture of species including Oenanthe fistulosa (Tubular Water-dropwort) if the area hasn’t been grazed. There will also be areas of woodland and semi-natural grassland to look at. Fairly easy walking, but can be muddy in places.

Meet at 11:00am in the Ballyhoge church car park (S982 294).

A joint meeting with the Wild Flower Society

 The aim of the meeting is to show Minuartia recurva (Recurved Sandwort) found in 2006 new for Co. Waterford. While there we will do a population count of the Sandwort. This is a harsh walk; a good level of fitness is required. Strong footwear is a must. This is a joint meeting with the Wild Flower Society.

Meeting point will be the forest car park at 11:00am on the side of the R676, the Lemybrien to Carrick-on-Siur road (S341 102).

We will focus on urban plants and explore various habitats and areas around Carrigtwohill. Please bring suitable clothing and footwear for all weather conditions, sun protection, a packed lunch and hand lens and ID book if you have them.

Meet at 10:00am at the train station carpark in Carrigtwohill (W81897380).

Much of the Campsie Fells has been poorly recorded in recent years, despite supporting a range of interesting upland habitats and species. This meeting will explore the south slopes of the Campsies above Queenzieburn, taking in a range of habitats including narrow stream gorges, outcrops and waterbodies, and aims to record across a number of previously unexplored monads. There are small areas of limestone bedrock here, potentially holding interesting calcareous species, and old records of unusual plants such as Sedum villosum (Hairy Stonecrop) and Cryptogramma crispa (Parsley Fern) suggest the area may repay further investigation.

This area has some access tracks, but much of the day will be spent on rough, untracked ground, exposed to the elements. Parking will be available nearby, with the meeting location to be confirmed depending on the number of attendees. Everyone from beginners to experts are welcome to join us, but places are limited so booking is essential.

An opportunity to examine the flora of Killard Point NNR including the recently discovered colony of Spiranthes spiralis (Autumn Lady’s-tresses) at its only site in Northern Ireland and record along the coast at Legnaboe including a visit to the colony of Limonium procerum subsp. procerum (Tall Sea-lavender).

Meeting point to be arranged.

This workshop aims to introduce the identification of some common ferns and is for complete and utter beginners in fern identification. Ferns are often thought of as difficult, so participants will gain some foundational knowledge which may then be confidently built upon through outings, field meetings and workshops elsewhere. Introductory work in the classroom with experienced tutors will be followed by fieldwork along the wooded shore of Loch Lomond. The programme will be tailored carefully, assuming no previous knowledge. All course materials will be provided and included in the cost of the workshop: £40 (50% discount for BSBI members and full-time students). Places are limited, booking essential.

Joint with the London Natural History Society

The LNHS visited this area in 2018 and made several significant records of aquatic plants for the county, particularly Potamogeton spp. (Pondweeds); we will be aiming to re-record some of these species as well as explore of parts of this complex area of waterways with the aim of finding other regionally scare wetland and aquatic plants such as Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (Frog-bit), Cardamine amara (Large Bitter-cress) and Thalictrum flavum (Common Meadow-rue). This meeting is suitable for beginners and for more experienced botanists. Please bring a packed lunch.

Meet at 11:00am outside West Drayton Overground station, Station Approach, West Drayton (TQ06108013).

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 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 Botanical Society of Scotland (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. £40 (50% discount for BSS and BSBI members and full-time students).

Please note this meeting is now fully booked.

This field trip will visit the Correl Glen, one of the best temperate rain forests in the North of Ireland where we will see both Tunbridge and Wilson’s Filmy-ferns Hymenophyllum tunbrigense and H. wilsonii, Hay-scented Buckler-fern Dryopteris aemula and oak trees covered in mosses and Polypody ferns. We will then visit some north facing sandstone scarps in Lough Navar Forest where we will see Shade Horsetail Equisetum pratense, One-sided Wintergreen Orthilia secunda, Green Spleenwort Asplenium viride, Brittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis and Blue Moor-grass Sesleria caerulea, a speciality of western Ireland and the Yorkshire Dales. We should also come across Cowberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea and Lesser Twayblade Neottia/Listera cordata.

This field trip is suitable for improver and experienced botanists who are relatively fit and agile and, due to the sensitive nature of the habitat, is limited to ten people.

Meet at the car park at the entrance to Lough Navar Forest Park (GR H074547) at 10.30. We should finish by 4.00.

Bring packed lunches and be prepared for wet weather, steep slopes and very rough ground.

There are no toilets at the site.

Join Aquatic Plant expert Nick Stewart for a day in the field learning how to collect and identify aquatic plants, and/or improve your existing aquatic plant ID skills!

This event is suitable for all skill levels, from beginner to experienced botanist. You will need to bring a packed lunch and suitable footwear and clothing.

Getting started with Plant and Leaf Anatomy
Jen Farrar, BSBI Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Officer

In this webinar we will be looking at and describing the structures found in the non-flowering, vegetative parts of plants.

The webinar will focus on the most important aspects of a plant's anatomy when it comes to describing a plant and help to build confidence when using a key.

Topics covered will include the leaf arrangement; determining where the secondary bud is positioned in relation to the leaf stem and how this informs our understanding of the leaf structure; leaf structure; describing the shape of a leaf blade; describing the edge, base and tip of a leaf blade; bark characteristics, bud shape.

Timing

The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.

 This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.

Getting started with Plant Keys
Jen Farrar, BSBI Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Officer

In this webinar we will be working through how to use a key to identify a plant to species.

The webinar will focus on building confidence to begin using keys to identify a plant. Using commonly available plants and flowers we will work through a key step by step together. Step one: How to identify the plant family. Step two: How to use a family key to identify the plant genus. Step three: How to use a genus key to identify a plant to species.

The webinar will also cover Useful equipment to have when using a key; How to use a hand lens to look at key characteristics described in a key; Where things might go wrong when using a key and how to solve problems and Finding the key which works best for you.

Timing

The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.

 This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.

An Introduction to the Horsetails (Equisetum spp.) of Fermanagh, Ireland, and the UK
Robert Northridge; Vice-county Recorder for Fermanagh for over 40 years and joint author, with Ralph Forbes, of the Flora of Fermanagh.

More than half the world's horsetails grow in Robert's home county of Fermanagh and, by extension, Ireland and the UK. His presentation will show all the Irish species together with several of the hybrids, as well as pictures of key features which are useful in identification.

Timing

The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.

 This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.

Our Winter Talks take place on Zoom.

The Monkey Orchid (Orchis simia) is restricted to only three populations in the UK, however it has been the subject of hybridisation events with other anthropomorphic Orchis species.

In this talk, Dr David Roberts of the University of Kent, will look at the pollination ecology of O. simia and its conservation challenges.

Grasses and grassland habitats
Dr Maria Long works for the Scientific Advice and Research Directorate of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), an executive agency of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in Ireland.

Maria will introduce some of the main grassland types found in Ireland, and will talk us through some tips and tricks for identification of some key species. This talk will be aimed at beginners and improvers.

Timing

The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.

 This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.

Rubus (Brambles) in Northern Ireland
David Earl, VCR for Lancashire and BSBI Referee for Rubus in Northern England and North Wales

This talk will cover some of the more widespread species of Rubus that occur in Northern Ireland and will include images of the features that aid identification

Timing

The webinar will begin at 7:00pm. You will only be able to view the video and audio of the speaker and panellists but a Q&A feature will be live throughout for questions, which we will try to get through in the course of the evening.

 This webinar is made possible thanks to DAERA-funding for our Botanical Skills Project in Northern Ireland.

This day course is mainly aimed at sedge beginners but due to the richness of the site it will also suit intermediate sedge enthusiasts. We will start with the features of sedges most useful at identifying them. Work with a range of sedge specimens indoors and then move out onto site in the afternoon. Numbers will be limited to 14.

This will be a full day meeting so please bring a packed lunch. The distance covered will not be great, but parts will be very wet so waterproof boots or wellies are essential. Although Tarn Moor can be idyllic at this time of year, please come prepared for less clement conditions. The indoor meeting has toilets and facilities to make tea and coffee. There are no facilities at Tarn Moor.

For full information and to book, visit the event page.