If you have just joined the Society, or are considering doing so, you might find it helpful to get in touch with a local BLS member who knows your area and can help you with identification. In some areas there are also active local groups which meet from time to time to record from a particular site or habitat.
Below is a list of members who are willing to be contacted.
Last updated: 20 December 2024.
An Interactive Map to Highlight BLS Local Contacts across Vice Counties
England
Bedfordshire - VC30 - Martin Butler (martin_j_butler@talk21.com)
Berkshire - VC22 - vacant
Bristol area - VC34 - David Hill (davidlichenhill@gmail.com)
Buckinghamshire - VC24 - vacant
Cambridgeshire - VC29 - Mark Powell (markpowell222@btinternet.com)
Cheshire - VC58 - vacant
Cornwall - VC1 VC2 - Nicola Bacciu (ngbacciu@gmail.com)
Cornwall (Isles of Scilly) - VC1a - Bryan Edwards (b.edwards695@btinternet.com)
Cumbria - VC69, VC70 - Allan Pentecost, The Old House, Storth Road, Storth, Cumbria, LA7 7NS (allan.pentecost@kcl.ac.uk).
Derbyshire - VC57 - Steve Price (lichenrecords@sorby.org.uk)
Devon North - VC4 - Maxine Putnam (maxieput@hotmail.co.uk)
Devon South - VC3 - Barbara Benfield (bbenfield2@bbmax.co.uk)
Dorset - VC9 - Vince Giavarini (v.giavarini@sky.com), Bryan Edwards (b.edwards695@btinternet.com) and Neil Sanderson (neilsand@dircon.co.uk)
Durham - VC66 - Doug McCutcheon (doug.mcc@hotmail.co.uk)
Essex - VC18, VC19 - John Skinner (johnskinner082@gmail.com)
Gloucestershire - VC33, VC34 - Juliet Bailey (glos.lichens@gmail.com)
Hampshire - VC11, VC12 - Neil Sanderson (neilsand@dircon.co.uk) and Ken Sandell, 95 Porter Road, Basingstoke, Hants RG22 4JR (contact by post)
Herefordshire - VC36 - vacant
Huntingdonshire - VC31 - Mark Powell (markpowell222@btinternet.com)
Isle of Wight - VC10 - Colin Pope (colinrpope@gmail.com)
Kent - VC15, VC16 - Ishpi Blatchley (ishpi.blatchley@gmail.com)
Lancashire - VC59, VC60 - vacant
Leicestershire - VC55 - Ivan Pedley (ivan.pedley@gmail.com)
Lincolnshire - VC53, VC54 - Mark Seaward (m.r.d.seaward@bradford.ac.uk)
London - VC16, VC17, VC18, VC19, VC20, VC21 - John Skinner (johnskinner082@gmail.com)
Norfolk - VC27, VC28 - Rob Yaxley (rob@wildfrontier-ecology.co.uk)
Northamptonshire - VC32 - Ivan Pedley (ivan.pedley@gmail.com) and Mark Powell (markpowell222@btinternet.com)
Northumberland - VC67, VC68 - Janet Simkin (records@britishlichensociety.org.uk)
Nottinghamshire - VC56 - Peter Crittenden (pdc@nottingham.ac.uk)
Oxford - VC23 - Vanessa Winchester (vanessa.winchester@geog.ox.ac.uk)
Rutland - VC55 - Ivan Pedley (ivan.pedley@gmail.com)
Scilly Isles - VC1a - Bryan Edwards (b.edwards695@btinternet.com)
Shropshire - VC40 - Mary Steer (mary.steer1@btopenworld.com)
Somerset - VC5, VC6 - Pat Wolseley (P.Wolseley@btinternet.com)
Staffordshire - VC39 - Mark Stephens (mark.stephenslichens@hotmail.com)
Suffolk - VC25, VC26 - Chris Hitch (cjbh.orchldge@freeuk.com)
Surrey - VC17 - David Hawksworth (d.hawksworth@nhm.ac.uk)
Sussex - VC13, VC14 - Sylvia Davidson (sussexlichen@gmail.com)
Warwickshire - VC38 - Di Napier (zoom-microscopy@britishlichensociety.org.uk)
Wiltshire - VC7, VC8 - Neil Sanderson (neilsand@dircon.co.uk)
Worcestershire - VC37 - Eluned Smith (ehsbiol@gmail.com)
Yorkshire - VC61, VC62, VC63, VC64, VC65 - Mark Seaward (m.r.d.seaward@bradford.ac.uk)
Wales
All - Steve Chambers (sterilecrust@gmail.com)
Mid Wales - VC42, VC43, VC46, VC47 - Ray Woods (Raygwoods@aol.com)
Carmarthenshire - VC44 - Theresa Greenaway (theresagreenaway@btinternet.com)
Glamorganshire - VC41 - vacant
Gwynedd - VC48, VC49 - Tony Fletcher (a.fletcherfletcher@btinternet.com)
Monmouthshire - VC35 - vacant
Pembrokeshire - VC45 - Jon Hudson (jonhudson1@outlook.com)
Scotland
Angus - VC90 - Richard Brinklow (herbarium@britishlichensociety.org.uk)
Argyll and western Scotland - VC97, VC98, VC100, VC101, VC102, VC103, VC104, VC105, VC110 - Andy Acton (andy.acton.ESM@gmail.com)
Ayrshire - VC75 - John Douglass (jrdouglasslichens@gmail.com)
Berwickshire - VC81 - Brian Coppins (lichensEL@btopenworld.com)
Dumbartonshire - VC99 - Keith Watson (keith.watson@glasgowlife.org.uk)
Dundee - VC90 - Richard Brinklow (herbarium@britishlichensociety.org.uk)
Edinburgh and Lothians - VC82, VC83, VC84 - Brian Coppins (lichensEL@btopenworld.com)
Fife - VC85 - Peder Aspen (paspen@tiscali.co.uk)
Glasgow - VC76, VC77 - Keith Watson (keith.watson@glasgowlife.org.uk)
Kincardineshire - VC91 - Petra Vergunst (petravergunst@hotmail.com)
Lanarkshire - VC77 - John Douglass (jrdouglasslichens@gmail.com) and Keith Watson (keith.watson@glasgowlife.org.uk)
Moray and East Inverness-shire - VC95, VC96 - Heather Paul (paulheather12@yahoo.co.uk)
Renfrewshire - VC76 - John Douglass (jrdouglasslichens@gmail.com) and Keith Watson (keith.watson@glasgowlife.org.uk)
South Aberdeenshire - VC92 - Petra Vergunst (petravergunst@hotmail.com)
Sutherland - VC107, VC108 - Ian Evans (ian.evans.nedd@gmail.com)
Ireland
Northern Ireland - H33, H36, H37, H38, H39, H40 - Mike Simms (michael.simms@nmni.com)
Republic of Ireland - H1-H32, H34, H35 – Irish Lichen Field Club - Paul Whelan (paul@lichens.ie)
Overseas
Many lichenological organizations have their own newsletters, bulletins, or scientific journals as well as web sites.
International Association for Lichenology: the international umbrella association for lichenology, the Newsletter of which should be consulted for a full list of lichenological societies - http://lichenology.org