News

Scroll down for: forthcoming workshops and conferences; news about BSBI books and periodicals; field meetings and training opportunities; new scientific papers; BSBI in the media; what's new on the BSBI website; and much much more... and don't forget to sign up here for our mid-monthly eNewsletter!

Looking for job vacancies for botanists? Check out our Jobs in Botany webpage.

Vegetative Key reprinted

The second edition of John Poland & Eric Clement's Vegetative Key to the British Flora has just been reprinted - it had been out of print for some time. The reprint incorporates corrections made since the first printing, and is now available from Summerfield Books and other natural history book-sellers.

New Year Plant Hunt

Our thirteenth New Year Plant Hunt ran from 30th December to 2nd January. Results have been analysed: an in-depth report and a press release/ summary are available here.

From Russia with love?

An article in The Herald reports on how seed collected in Russia and frozen at RBG Edinburgh is helping to conserve two rare Scottish plants.

Interesting paper on two thistle species

A paper has been published by the Ecological Society of America (although both the species considered occur in Britain and Ireland, where neither is considered invasive) on how Climate warming increases insect-driven seed removal of two elaiosome-bearing invasive thistle species.

BSBI trustee honoured

Congratulations to Prof Pete Hollingsworth, BSBI trustee and Director of Science & Deputy Keeper at RBG Edinburgh. Pete was awarded a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours' List for services to botanical science.

British & Irish Botany 5.3 published

The latest issue of our online, Open Access scientific journal has been published. This blogpost by Prof Ian Denholm, the journal's outgoing Editor-in-Chief,  summarises the six papers, or you can go straight to the full issue and download or view all the papers free of charge, no registration required.

BSBI grants are go!

Our grants for training, plant study and research are now live - visit the grants page to download the guidance and application forms.

British & Irish Botanical Conference: videos

The videos from this year's Conference, which took place on 2nd December at University of Newcastle, are now available here.

New social media platforms for BSBI

We're establishing a presence on three social media platforms - BlueSky, Threads (only on smartphones) and TikTok - to complement our presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. If you use one of these social media platforms, why not give us a follow?

New paper published

'Genetic monitoring for effective plant conservation: An example using the threatened Saxifraga hirculus L. in Scotland' by Aline Finger, Iain Macdonald & BSBI trustee Pete Hollingsworth. It's Open Access so you can read it here.

Sad news

We are sorry to report the sad news that Michael Braithwaite, long-time County Recorder for Berwickshire and past President of BSBI, has passed away.

New paper published

A paper has been published in Environmental Science & Policy titled 'How do gardeners define ‘invasive’? Implications for invasion science and environmental policy instruments on invasive species'. Read it in full here.

International Botanical Congress

Online registration is now open for the International Botanical Congress, to be held in Madrid 21-27 July 2024. More info here.

BSBI AGM 2023

Our Annual General Meeting was held online on 16th November; members voted unanimously on proposals to (re-)elect three trustees, a President-elect and two Hon. Members: details are on the AGM page. The AGM was preceded by short talks on urban botany and on the Society's activities and successes over the past year. The talks were recorded and the videos are available on our YouTube channel or via the links on the AGM page.

News about non-native species

The latest issue of Non-native species News has several items which may be of interest to botanists. Read the issue here.

BSBI Photo Competition 2023

The winners have been announced in the 2023 BSBI Photo Competition. Congratulations to Bert Barnett who won the 'Plants in the Landscape' category and Philippa Swann who won the 'People & Plants' category, and thank you to everyone who took part and to Summerfield Books who provided the prizes.

Scottish Botanists' Conference

Talks from this event, which took place on 4th November in Edinburgh, were recorded and are available here where you will also find links to exhibits, abstracts and hand-outs from the workshops.

BSBI member in the news!

Dr Margaret Bradshaw MBE, a BSBI member since 1951, has been in the news lately, talking about the rare plants of Teesdale which she has spent many years recording. Read an interview with Margaret in The Guardian and listen to her on BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House (starts at 55.26).

BSBI eBooks launched!

All BSBI Handbooks, and several county Floras, are now available to buy as eBooks; we hope to make more BSBI books available digitally in future. Visit the eBooks page to find out more.

Irish Autumn Meeting

Presentation slides from this event, which took place on 21st October in Dublin, are available here.

Recorders' videos to watch

The 2023 BSBI Recorders' Meeting was held at FSC Preston Montford on 7th October. We recorded four of the talks and they are now available to view on the BSBI YouTube channel.

Become a BSBI trustee

We currently have three trustee vacancies: one to join the Board of Trustees, one to become our Hon. Gen. Secretary and one to become our Hon. Treasurer. Visit our Vacancies page to find out more about these exciting opportunities to help shape and govern the Society's work.

BSBI News #154 published

The latest issue of our colourful membership magazine has been published. Copies have gone out to all BSBI members, both print and digital, but if you are not yet a member, head over here to view or download a sample issue, here to view or download one full free article and here to join BSBI and enjoy three issues per year of BSBI News.

Orchid discovered new to Northern Ireland

The orchid Spiranthes spiralis (Autumn Lady's-tresses) has been discovered for the first time in Northern Ireland, by a BSBI member out walking with his mum! The story has been picked up by the BBC and other media outlets - find out more.

BSBI Annual Review 2022-23

Read our latest Annual Review to find out what BSBI's wonderful volunteer members have achieved.

Autumn Membership offer now open

Join BSBI in October and you could enjoy up to 15 months of membership benefits for the price of 12 months! Find out more about all the benefits of BSBI membership and how joining our growing ranks will help British and Irish wildflowers.

State of Nature 2023

The latest report has been published and includes BSBI data - find out how plant records collected by BSBI members and supporters fed into the nationally important State of Nature 2023 report.

Media spotlight on Scotland's highest birch sapling

Sarah Watts (BSBI Committee for Scotland) appeared on BBC Scotland on 19th September to talk about the highest birch sapling in Scotland (on Ben Nevis). Listen to Sarah here (starts at 02:50:40). More about altitudinal records here.

New plant find causing a splash

David Elston, BSBI's County Recorder for Kincardineshire, recently found Small Adder's-tongue Ophioglossum azoricum at St Cyrus NNR - a new record for his vice-county. A press release was circulated and the story was picked up in The Scotsman.

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