The British Lichen Society has a full calendar of activities, meetings and taught courses that are open to members and non-members.
Bolded dates are official British Lichen Society meetings
March 14 - 16, 2008 - Identifying lichens: Flatford Mill. Tutor, John Skinner
March 29 – April 5, 2008 - Lichen identification: Kindrogan. Tutors, John Douglass and Peder Aspen
April 18 - 20, 2008 - Lichens near London: Juniper Hall. Tutor, Frank Dobson
April 23 - 30, 2008 - SPRING MEETING: FALMOUTH, CORNWALL. Leader, Peter Lambley
CANCELLED (May 2 - 6, 2008 - Orielton. Tutor, Pat Wolseley)
July 25 - 28, 2007 - An Introduction to Lichens: Slapton Ley. Tutor, F Dobson
August 18 - 24, 2008 - SUMMER MEETING:HOY, ORKNEY ISLANDS. Leader, Chris Ellis
August 29 - 31, 2008 - Lichens in the Dales: An Introductory Course. Tutor, Allan Pentacost.
September 19 - 21, 2008 - Identifying lichens: Flatford Mill. Tutor, John Skinner
October 2 -5, 2008 LICHEN RECORDING WORKSHOP: WOOLER, NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND Leader, Janet Simkin
Jan 9th - 11th, 2009 - Meeting after the 2009 AGM in Edinburgh or environs
Official BLS meetings in CAPITAL letters
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
The 2008 Programme of British Lichen Society Field Meetings
Participants are asked to observe any special instructions from the leader of the meeting, especially regarding access, collecting specimens other than small collections for essential identification purposes and any safety hazards there may be on site.
Although field meetings are well in hand for the near future, it would be greatly appreciated if members who would like to lead field meetings would get in touch with me at least eighteen months in advance of any meetings they would wish to run. The most important requirement in a prospective leader is a good knowledge of promising sites, access points etc. and a suitable base to operate from. The Field Meetings Secretary will continue to provide support by contacting members prior to meetings, and send out lists of hotels and accommodation where appropriate. Although prepared to give advise, the Field Meetings Secretary is not prepared to organise travel arrangements for individual members.
SPRING FIELD MEETING IN WEST CORNWALL
23 – 30 APRILRosslyn Hotel, Falmouth
Leader: Peter Lambley
This meeting is based in Falmouth, which is an ideal centre to explore West Cornwall, especially in the spring when the coastal cliffs and gardens should be at about their glorious best. The meeting will start on the evening of Wednesday 23 April and finish on the morning of Wednesday 30 April. Falmouth can be reached by rail on the branch line from the mainline station at Truro and Newquay airport is about an hour away.
There are a good variety of habitats in the area including coastal rock, mine sites, calcareous dune systems, woodland and granite outcrops. We should spend at least one day on the Lizard with its serpentine flora but also explore some of the relatively unknown inland parts of the peninsula. There are also some superb gardens in the area with sub-tropical plants and we hope to visit at least one of these for lichens. During the meeting we should see some of the largest British populations of species such as Fulgensia and Teloschistes flavicans.
The headquarters hotel is The Rosslyn Hotel (tel. 01326 312699), which is family-run and about 10 minutes walk from the town and waterfront. The tariff is £30 per person bed & breakfast based on two people sharing or £40 for one person occupying a twin bedded room. Please try and book before January 31 as rooms cannot be guaranteed after that date, mentioning the BLS. For further details see www.rosslynhotel.co.uk. Members are asked to make their own arrangements. Other accommodation is available in the town, for details contact Falmouth Tourist Information Centre tel. 01326 312300, www.acornishriver.co.uk.
Please also fill in the booking form and return to Peter Lambley or email Peter as it will be important to assess numbers.
SUMMER FIELD MEETING: EXPEDITION TO THE ISLAND OF HOY, ORKNEY.
18 – 24 AUGUSTLeader: Chris Ellis
‘There is another Britain, to many of us the better half, a land of mountains and mist and of sun and cloud’ – Professor Pearsall.
The summer field excursion to be held on the Island of Hoy will showcase some of Scotland’s most awe-inspiring landscapes and wilderness lichen habitat. There is no need to make the tortuous journey to Hoy alone - a minibus will depart from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on the morning of the 18th, calling at Inverness and Thurso railway stations en route to mainland Orkney, and from there to Hoy. Simply arrive in Edinburgh, or Inverness or Thurso, at the appropriate time, and we’ll travel in marvellous bonhomie. We will be based at the Hoy Centre, which has comfortable accommodation in a tremendous setting, and includes ample space for microscope facilities.
The week will be spent exploring the rugged coastline, montane communities (at sea-level!), saxicolous habitats and lichen-rich heath. Prizes will be awarded for the first lichen collected from the summit of ‘The Old Man’. Needless to say this is a trip that appeals to the adventurous heart of the BLS, to visit an under-worked square soaked in the mists of the northern seas. We will return to Edinburgh on the evening of 24th August.
The cost (all inclusive: travel, accommodation & food), will be ca £375 – though this is dependent on 20 confirmed bookings before 4th April 2008, and will be limited to a maximum of 30 people.
If you wish to come on this excursion, please fill in the form at the end and also send a cheque to me, made payable to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, for the full £375 before 4th April 2008. I will send out full details to those confirmed bookings shortly after this date. The excursion account will be administered by the Finance Dept. at RBGE.
Cheques, made payable to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to:
Christopher Ellis, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR.
AUTUMN FIELD MEETING: WOOLER, NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND
2-5 OCTOBERLeader: Janet Simkin
The autumn field meeting will be on 2-5th October, based at the Tankerville Arms Hotel in Wooler, North Northumberland (VC68).
Interesting lichen sites within reach include Holy Island, the whin outcrops near Bamburgh, Hethpool and the College Valley. There are some lovely rural churchyards including Kirknewton (norse carvings) and Old Bewick (a fabulous apse), and for the more adventurous we might the mount an expedition to the Bizzle or the Hen Hole on Cheviot, so we will have plenty to choose from.
The theme of the meeting will be Recording, and there will be workshops in the evenings on different aspects of recording and the use of computers and internet resources. In order to fit these in we will be starting on the Thursday evening, rather than the Friday, and there will be local outings on the Friday for those who are not involved in committee meetings. If there is sufficient interest we may also extend the meeting into Monday to allow time for a longer session on Recorder 6, as we did a few years ago when we held the Biobase workshop. It would help if a few people could bring laptops for the workshops, but this is by no means a requirement.
The hotel is the an old coaching inn, recently refurbished and very comfortable (see www.tankervillehotel.co.uk). The room rate will be £45 a night B&B, and most of the rooms are available for single occupancy if required. Dogs are welcome. Dinner will be about £10-£12 a night. To book, please phone the hotel on 01668 281581 and say you are part of the British Lichen Society party. They will ask for a £25 deposit. There are cheaper options nearby including a privately run youth hostel, I can provide a list if required.
The hotel is on the outskirts of Wooler, on the A697. The nearest train station is probably Berwick, but Alnmouth and Morpeth are also within reach and my husband has kindly offered to take a carload of people from Newcastle or Morpeth stations to Wooler on the Thursday if we can coordinate times. Let me know if you need a lift (preferably before you book your ticket!).
Please fill in the booking form and return to Janet Simkin or email me [Janet] if you are intending to come, so that I can send you further details nearer the time. I look forward to seeing you in Wooler. Good weather cannot be guaranteed, but early October is usually quite pleasant in Northumberland – by local standards!
2008 FIELD STUDIES COUNCIL COURSES
See also www.field-studies-council.org
Flatford Mill, Suffolk
14 -16 March 2008Tutor: John Skinner
Identifying lichens
£174 res/ £135 non-res.
Kindrogan, Perthshire
29 March – 5 April 2008Tutors: John Douglass & Peder Aspen
Lichen identification
£455 res/ £315 non-res.
Juniper Hall, Surrey
18 - 20 April 2008Tutor: Frank Dobson
Lichens near London
£185 res/ £140 non-res.
Orielton, Pembrokeshire
2 - 6 May 2008Tutor: Pat Wolseley
Lichens as Environmental Indicators
£355 res/£265 non-res.
Slapton Ley, Devon
25 – 28 July 2008Tutor: F Dobson
An Introduction to lichens
£235 res/ £175 non-res.
Malham Tarn, Yorkshire
29 – 31 August 2008Tutor: Allan Pentecost
Lichens in the Dales: An introductory course
£175 res/ £135 non-res.
Flatford Mill, Suffolk
19 - 21 September 2008Tutor: John Skinner
Identifying lichens
£175 res/ £135 non-res.
Members are requested to fill in a form if intending to attend one of the field meetings, and send to the appropriate person.
The 2009 AGM (January 9-11, 2009) will be held in Edinburgh - details will be forthcoming later in the year.
Churchyard Group
If you are interested in participating in churchyard surveys contact Ivan Pedley for any of the Midland Counties Tel. 01162 876 886, Don Smith for north and east Yorkshire including Durham Tel. 01751 431648.
Date TBA: West Dorset - An Introduction to their Lichens, Mosses and Liverworts, The Kingcombe Centre, Dorset churchyard group - Members who record lichens in churchyards in various parts of the country.
Sorby Natural History Society Lichen Meeting in Deep Dale, King Sterndale, Buxton, Derbyshire
Saturday 7 June 2008
Meet at 10.00am by King Sterndale Church grid reference SK 093 717. King Sterndale is best approached by turning off the A515 3km south of Buxton.
Leaders: Joan Egan and Steve Price
This full day meeting will look at lichens on limestone outcrops, crevices and bedrock pedestals at the southern end of Derbshire Wildlife Trust's Deep Dale and Topley Pike Nature Reserve.
Attendees need to be strong willed so as not to be distracted by other superb botanical interests on the site!
The meeting is open to both members and non-members.
Sussex Lichen Recording Group
The Sussex Lichen Recording Group holds four meetings a year on Saturdays in venues in both East and West Sussex. All are welcome.
Next meeting: to be arranged ... For details of the group's activities please contact the Sussex Lichen Recording Group secretary, [Jacqui Middleton].
Wessex Local Group
Contact Sheila Street tel. 01983 568281 or e-mail streetecology@yahoo.co.uk
Norfolk Local Group
Contact Peter Lambley tel. 01603 872574 or e-mail plambley@aol.com
2007 Meetings
Bolded dates are official British Lichen Society meetings
March 16 -18, 2007 - Identifying lichens: Flatford Mill. Tutor, John Skinner
March 30 – April 7, 2007 - Lichen identification: Kindrogan. Tutors, Brian & Sandy Coppins
April 20 - 22, 2007 - Lichens near London: Juniper Hall. Tutor, Frank Dobson
June 10 – 15, 2007 - BACIDIA & MICAREA WORKSHOP, OBAN. Leader, Brian Coppins
July 13-15, 2007 - Lichens - An Introduction: Preston Mountford. Tutor, Trevor Duke
July 27 - 30, 2007 - Lichens: Slapton Ley. Tutor, F Dobson
August 13-20, 2007 - Lichens as Environmental Indicators: Orielton. Tutor, Pat Wolseley
September 6 – 11, 2007 TUCKERMAN/BLS MEETING NEWFOUNDLAND
21 - 23 September 2007 - Identifying lichens: Flatford Mill. Tutor, John Skinner
October 5 – 7, 2007 CHARNWOOD FOREST, LEICESTERSHIRE. Leader, Ivan Pedley
Jan 11th - 13th, 2008 - Meeting after the 2008 AGM at Nettlecombe Court, Somerset
The 50th AGM on 11-13th January 2008
The increased expense of holding an AGM in London, the difficulty of finding a place to have a dinner at a reasonable cost, or a venue for ‘the Secret Life of Lichens’ made us reconsider the offer from Mark Bolland to hold the 50th AGM at the Field Studies Centre at Nettlecombe Court in Somerset.
Following the notices sent out prior to the Adjourned AGM held at the Natural History Museum on 19th April, there was overwhelming support for this at the AGM.
Why Nettlecombe?
Nettlecombe Court offers several advantages over London. There is ample space to have committee meetings, have the exhibition, make tea and coffee in the students pantry, and sit in the bar with a drink in the evenings. In addition it is surrounded by ancient parkland containing remnants of wild wood that is a Site of Scientific Interest for its lichen communities and its beetles.
Where is it?
The field centre at Nettlecombe Court lies in a secluded valley on the eastern edge of Exmoor National Park. The nearest railway station is Taunton and we can arrange to collect you if you are coming by train. There is ample parking space if you are coming by car, so I hope that this notice gives you time to make arrangements to share transport.
Mark Bolland will take bookings individually so that you can get the accommodation that you want. There are few single rooms but plenty of double or triple rooms where perhaps you can arrange to share with another person. You can contact the centre by e-mail or by telephone 01984 640320. All information and booking forms are downloadable from the FSC website. If you would prefer outside accommodation this can be arranged, but this is easier for people with a car.
The price at full board from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon is £158.63. For those who are prepared to share in a student dormitory and don’t mind sleeping in bunk beds there is a 15% discount which works out at £134.83. We will probably have 2 committee meetings on the Thursday and those people will need to book for Thursday night which will cost an extra £56.23. There is a bar at Nettlecombe where you can also buy wine by the bottle to have with your evening meal. We will have a special dinner on the Friday evening for which there will be an extra charge.
Members please remember to bring exhibits of your projects, or of past events in the BLS. Mark Seaward will be talking about the history of the BLS and I hope that you can provide some extras towards this – comic or serious! It will be a good opportunity to share past, present and future projects!
2008 AGM Agenda and full details
For full details and the Agenda for the 2008 BLS AGM please follow this AGM Link. For the prices and application form for full board and lodging at Nettlecombe please follow Nettlecombe Pricing Link.
