Intermediate level 1 lichen course ( LEAF 1)

Start date

Friday 30^th May 2025- 10:00 am

End date

Monday 2^nd June 2025- 16:00pm 

Event duration: 4 full days

Location: Nettlecombe Court, The Leonard Wills Field Centre , Williton, TA4 4HT

Tutor: Nicola Bacciu

Local Organiser: Fred Gibson

Target audience: This course has been designed for people who have attended a Lichens for Absolute Beginners course with the BLS and who have been practicing lichen identification for a minimum of 12 months following completion. Applications will also be considered from people who have not attended a Lichens for Absolute Beginners course but who are confident that they have sufficient skills and knowledge. 

Aims The main focus will be on tutor supervised identification both in the field and in the laboratory, with a significant component in the laboratory. Supportive development of microscopy related skills is a key component of this course. These correspond to the ‘intermediate stage 1 Skills and Knowledge for Lichenologists’  https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/learning/skills-and-knowledge

By the end of this course participants will:

• Have increased the number of lichen structures and lichens that can be identified in the field in different habitats and in the laboratory employing a structured approach, using the ID guides including Dobson and the Flora (LGBI2&3) etc, chemicals C & K , UV and microscopy.
• Have gained confidence in the preparation of specimens and use of the compound microscope for ID. 
• Improve understanding and identification of different habitats/microhabitats
• Be familiar with the BLS database and recording and environmental drivers of lichen distribution.

See further information on the BLS News Page

Methods: The methods will be based on participants working together in the field and laboratory for ID work, under tutor direction. This will be supplemented by, tutor led whole group worked examples and a small series of lectures. Regarding microscope work, the more experienced participants will aid those with less experience. Dissecting and compound microscopes will be available but please bring your own, if you have either or both of these.

Cost: The cost of the accommodation/meals package at the Centre will be approx. £220 (single occupancy) or £142 ( twin occupancy) , on a full board basis. Once a place has been formally offered a contribution of £75 towards teaching costs is required and further information will follow

Grants: Participants should not be discouraged due to costings and are encouraged to consider applying for a grant from the society’s Wallace-Burnet-Gilbert Fund if needed. Details of this can be found at https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/the-society/membership/grants-schol…. There is an application form at the bottom of the webpage.

Application process: To apply for the course please email sueknight10@btinternet.com for an application form. Deadline for submission of the completed application form is November 1^st 2024

Strathclyde Lichens field trip

Date: Thursday 5th September

Location: Neilston Pad, Neilston, East Renfrewshire

Time: 10.00am

Details: The Pad is a hill with areas of woodland and conifer plantation, some drystone walls,  rocky outcrops and a dam. There has been substantial felling of some of the plantations in recent years.

For more information please contact:  Alison Adams at afadams910@googlemail.com

BLS Spring Meeting based in Dolgellau, North Wales

The meeting focuses on Southern Snowdonia where there is diverse geology and a wide range of habitats and associated substrates.

Local Contact: Raymond Griffiths

Date: Arrival Saturday 12th April, departure Saturday 19th April 2025

Meeting Base

The meeting will be based at Plas Caerdeon field centres, Bontddu between Barmouth and Dolgellau LL42 1 TH, telephone 01341 430 276

Accommodation and costs

Accommodation for 20 people has been booked on a fully catered basis in single/twin (shared) rooms at a cost per night of £65 per night (£455 per week). There is also limited shared self-catering accommodation on site at a cost of £25 per night (£175 per week).

Booking

Attendees should book their rooms with the field meeting secretary, Graham Boswell, email togooutdoors@hotmail.com or by post to Base Lodge 16 The Parks, Minehead TA24 8BS. And pay a deposit of £50 in to the British Lichen Society (not the BLS) Bank Account, CAF Bank sort code 40-52-40 Account No. 00012363 and reference the payment Plas Caerdeon.

Microscope Work

Meeting rooms have been reserved for the duration of the meeting for microscope work and presentations. The BLS microscopes will be available for communal use.

Maps

OS Landranger 124 Dolgellau & surrounding area. OS Outdoor Leisure 17 Harlech, Porthmadoc & Bala.

A Bring your Problems workshop

Workshop facilitators: Brian Coppins & Neil Sanderson

Field visit leaders: Mary & Eric Steer

Date: Friday 21st to Monday 24th February 2025

The ‘bring your problems’ workshop has been a feature of the BLS meetings programme for some time, all Lichenological & Lichenicolous fungi problems large and small are welcome. The meeting features a field visit to Alcott ancient woodland.

Meeting Base

The meeting will be residential at Preston Montford Field Studies Council centre near Shrewsbury SY4 LDX 

www.field-studies-council.org/prestonmontford

Phone: 01743 852 040

Accommodation and costs

Accommodation for 20+ people in single and twin en-suite rooms has been reserved and a deposit paid by the BLS. Full board accommodation including dinner, breakfast and light lunch for 3 nights is £295.20 including VAT for single rooms and £226.80 for twin (shared) rooms. The price includes the cost of the meeting and microscope rooms 

Attendees wishing to stay on Thursday night must book and pay their own accommodation. The cost of a single room for Thursday night is £42.00 and £35.00 for a twin (shared) room.

Booking

Attendees should book their rooms with the field meeting secretary, Graham Boswell, email togooutdoors@hotmail.com or by post to Base Lodge 16 The Parks, Minehead TA24 8BS. And pay a deposit of £50 in to the British Lichen Society (not the BLS) Bank Account, CAF Bank sort code 40-52-40 Account No. 00012363 and reference the payment Winter Workshop.

Microscope Work

Meeting rooms have been reserved for the duration of the meeting for microscope work and presentations. The BLS microscopes will be available for communal use.

Tayside Lichen Group field trip

Date: Wednesday 11 September 2024

Location: Glen Tilt, Old Blair, Perthshire

Time: 10.30 am

For more information contact: Margaret Chapman    mgtlichenchapman@gmail.com

More information about this local group can be found here: https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/local-groups/tayside

Tuesday Evening Zoom Lichen Chat and Improvement Group (LCIG)

This is a friendly informal group that meets on Zoom to hear talks and discussions about lichen. It welcomes all ranges of lichen expertise from beginners to experts.

The group meets once a month from May to September on Tuesday evenings from 7pm -9pm.

If this isn't a good time for you, there's also Wednesday mornings from 10am to noon.

From October the groups meet every fortnight.

Read more here:

 https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/online-zoom

Wednesday morning Zoom Lichen Chat and Improvement Group (LCIG)

This is a friendly informal group that meets on Zoom to hear talks and discussions about lichen. It welcomes all ranges of lichen expertise from beginners to experts.

The group meets once a month from May to September on a Wednesday morning from 10am to noon.

If this isn't a good time for you, there's also Tuesday evening from 7-9 pm.

From October the groups meet every fortnight.

Read more here:

 https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/online-zoom