Improvers lichen microscopy on Zoom

Date: Monday 3rd March 2025 

Time: 19.00-20.30

This ‘Improvers’ microscopy group on Zoom is open to anyone who has some experience of microscopy with lichens. It is fine to just attend one or two sessions. We meet monthly to share short presentations and have informal discussion about techniques and the interpretation of what we have been looking at under the microscope.

Questions and contributions especially welcome if you are lacking confidence. We’re all learning.  If you haven’t shared photos in a Zoom session before, don’t be put off, we can help you with that.

Contact: To join this session, or for more information, contact Di Napier (Warwickshire): 
zoom-microscopy@britishlichensociety.org.uk

If you have only recently started using a microscope, you might prefer the basics microscopy group.
Read more here:

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

Improvers lichen microscopy on Zoom

Date: Monday 3rd February 2025 

Time: 19.00-20.30

This ‘Improvers’ microscopy group on Zoom is open to anyone who has some experience of microscopy with lichens. It is fine to just attend one or two sessions. We meet monthly to share short presentations and have informal discussion about techniques and the interpretation of what we have been looking at under the microscope.

Questions and contributions especially welcome if you are lacking confidence. We’re all learning.  If you haven’t shared photos in a Zoom session before, don’t be put off, we can help you with that.

Contact: To join this session, or for more information, contact Di Napier (Warwickshire): 
zoom-microscopy@britishlichensciety.org.uk

If you have only recently started using a microscope, you might prefer the basics microscopy group.
Read more here:

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

Beginners lichen microscopy on Zoom

Date: Monday 10th March 2025 

Time: 19:00 – 20:30

This ‘Basics' lichen microscopy group on Zoom meets monthly. It is open to recent beginners who have already had some practical experience of lichen microscopy. You will have your own microscopes (dissecting low-power and a high-power microscope). We mostly focus on interpreting what you can see, and sharing your progress towards cutting thinner sections.

Questions and contributions especially welcome from anyone lacking confidence. We’re all learning.  If you haven’t shared photos in a Zoom session before, don’t be put off, we can help you with that.

Contact: To join this session, or for more information, contact Di Napier (Warwickshire):

 zoom-microscopy@britishlichensociety.org.uk

There is also an improvers microscopy group for when you feel a bit more confident. Read more here:
https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/online-zoom#MICROSCOPE

Beginners lichen microscopy on Zoom

Date: Monday 10th February 2025 

Time: 19:00 – 20:30

This ‘Basics' lichen microscopy group on Zoom meets monthly. It is open to recent beginners who have already had some practical experience of lichen microscopy. You will have your own microscopes (dissecting low-power and a high-power microscope). We mostly focus on interpreting what you can see, and sharing your progress towards cutting thinner sections.

Questions and contributions especially welcome from anyone lacking confidence. We’re all learning.  If you haven’t shared photos in a Zoom session before, don’t be put off, we can help you with that.

Contact: To join this session, or for more information, contact Di Napier (Warwickshire):

 zoom-microscopy@britishlichensciety.org.uk

There is also an improvers microscopy group for when you feel a bit more confident. Read more here:
https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/online-zoom#MICROSCOPE

BLS Summer Meeting based in the Isle of Man

THIS MEETING IS NOW FULLY BOOKED

Lichens are one of the most under-recorded groups on the Island hence the need for another meeting; the last meeting was held in 2010. Weather permitting a visit to the Calf of Man will be arranged.

A large number of sites are under consideration, including woodland, coastal, upland, historic buildings, and mine sites. There is a variety of substrate within these sites.

Local Contact: David Bellamy, Manx Wildlife Trust

Date: Arrival Monday 14th July, departure Friday 18th July 2025

Meeting Base

The meeting is hosted by Manx Wildlife Trust which is providing full board accommodation at King William College, Castletown. Accommodation comprises single and twin rooms along with breakfast, a packed lunch and evening meals.

Cost

A £50 deposit is payable to book the meeting and is likely to cover the cost of the field meeting.

Booking

Attendees should book their rooms with the field meeting secretary, Graham Boswell, email togooutdoors@hotmail.com and once you have a confirmed place, please pay the £50 direct to the British Lichen Society (not the BLS) Bank Account, CAF Bank sort code 40-52-40 Account No. 00012363.

Microscope Work

Meeting rooms have been reserved for microscope work and presentations. 

Maps

OS map 95 covers the whole Island.

Sorby Natural History Society (Sheffield)

Lichen Meeting to Sheffield General Cemetery

Tuesday 25 March 2025

Leader: Steve Price, email: lichenrecords@sorby.org.uk

The trees and stone work at the General Cemetery will give us plenty to look at. Currently there are no lichen records on the database for this site – so everything counts!

The plan is for a full day meeting and, time and weather permitting, there will be the option of walking on to record lichens at the nearby Sunnybank Nature Reserve.

Meet at 10.30am by the gatehouse at the end of Cemetery Avenue, Grid Ref SK 34009 85933.

As always beginners are most welcome. Bring along a hand-lens and id. guides if you have them. The plan is for a full-day meeting so do bring along a drink and lunch.

To give an idea of numbers and to allow for easy contact if the event has to be cancelled due to bad weather, please email Neil Sanderson (contact on the Wessex group page below) if you plan on attending.

Contact details can be found here: https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/local-groups/wessex

This talk has been cancelled due to snow and road conditions. It may be held at a later time.

Talk by Judith Allinson at Upper Wharfedale Field Society meeting.  This is an Introduction to identifying some of the commoner and more conspicuous lichens of Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales.  Thus members of the society and visitors will be able to recognise and appreciate some of the fascinating lichens they see covering the trees, rocks and wall on their walks. 

Grassington and nearby Grass Wood have the Great Scar Limestone as their geology, and nearby above Grassington are the millstone grit and the lead mines of Grassington. 

See Link to the Upper Wharfedale Field Society event  

The talk is at the Octagon Theatre: Devonshire Institute (Town Hall) in Grassington  SE 00346420

There is parking in a car park on the road 60m above the Devonshire Institute.

Strathclyde area local meeting

Location: Balloch Castle Country Park, West Dunbartonshire

Date: 25th February 2025

Start Time: 10.00am

Meet: Meet in the car park which is accessed via Mollanbowie Road, Balloch. NS390830

For more information please contact Alison Adams

afadams910@googlemail.com