2010
Scottish BSBI Field Meeting Programme
Conifer
Workshop (Perth) - Sat
27th March
Conifer Workshop (Reelig) - Sun 28th March
Arthur's Seat - Sun 16th May
Lady Mary's Walk - Sun 23rd May
Kyle of Lochalsh - Mon 14th June
Hill of Garvock - Sat 12th June
Loch Katrine - Sat 19th June
Ben Vane - Sat 26th June
Carrifran Woods & Moffat Hills - Sat 10th July
Alchemilla Workshop (Glen
Clova) - 17th to
18th July
Orkney - Thurs 29th to Sun 1st August
North Uist - Mon 2nd to Fri 6th August
Introduction to Sedges (Whitlaw
Mosses) - Sat 7th
August

SATURDAY 27 MARCH
CONIFER WORKSHOP- PERTH (v.c.88)
Leaders: Cameron Crook & Jim McIntosh
This workshop will be repeated at Reelig, near Inverness
on Sunday 28 March. The event is being repeated so
that members can choose to attend their nearest venue
to minimise travel.
Conifers
are rather poorly understood by botanists and therefore
under-recorded, despite their importance
to Scotland’s landscape and economy. This workshop
aims to promote a better understanding and better
recording. This one day workshop follows on from
the theme of the Spring Conference in Berwick-upon-Tweed
last May.
Places will be strictly limited to 12. Bookings
from Vice-county Recorders received by 1st March
will get priority. For further information and to
book, please write to Mrs Jane Jones, BSBI Admin
Assistant, Cuilvona Cottage, Aberfoyle, Stirling,
FK8 3TQ
SUNDAY
28 MARCH
CONIFER WORKSHOP- REELIG, WESTERNESS (v.c.96)Y
28 MARCH
Leaders: Cameron Crook & Jim
McIntosh
This a repeat of the workshop held near Perth on
Saturday 27 March. The event is being repeated so
that members can choose to attend their nearest venue
to minimise travel.
Conifers
are rather poorly understood by botanists and therefore
under-recorded, despite their importance
to Scotland’s landscape and economy. This workshop
aims to promote a better understanding and better
recording. This one day workshop follows on from
the theme of the Spring Conference in Berwick-upon-Tweed
last May.
Places
will be strictly limited to 12. Bookings from Vice-county
Recorders received by 1st March
will get priority. For further information and to
book, please write to Mrs Jane Jones, BSBI Admin
Assistant, Cuilvona Cottage, Aberfoyle, Stirling,
FK8 3TQ.
SUNDAY 16 MAY
ARTHUR’S SEAT, MIDLOTHIAN (v.c. 83)
Leader: Jim McIntosh
Holyrood
Park’s dramatic hills and crags give
Edinburgh its distinctive skyline. They also provide
grassland habitats for a remarkably diverse and interesting
flora. We hope to see species such as Adder’s-tongue
(Ophioglossum vulgatum), Spring Sandwort (Minuartia
verna), Spring Cinquefoil (Potentilla tabernaemontani)
amongst many others. Historic Scotland manages the
park and we may persuade one of their rangers to
give a short talk about its conservation management.
The emphasis of this field meeting will be on learning
to identify and record and we would particularly
welcome beginners and anyone who has not been on
a BSBI field meeting before. We have held field meetings
here for the past two years running and they have
been so popular that we have had to turn people away
on both occasions. So due to popular demand and for
a third and possibly final time we are returning
to Arthur’s Seat – book now!
Rail & bus
stations within reasonably short walking distance.
Places will be limited. For further
information and to book, please write to Mrs Jane
Jones, BSBI Admin Assistant, Cuilvona Cottage, Aberfoyle,
Stirling, FK8 3TQ
SUNDAY 23 MAY
LADY MARY’S WALK, CRIEFF (v.c.88)
Leader: Jim McIntosh
Lady
Mary’s Walk is a popular local walk in
the highland Perthshire town of Crieff. The path
goes through semi-natural riparian woodland along
the banks of the River Earn, and its tributary the
Turret and a small area of species rich grassland.
We will look at a range of spring flowers in these
habitats. One of the more notable species here is
Ranunculus auricomis (Goldilocks Buttercup). The
emphasis of this field meeting will be on learning
to identify and record and we would particularly
welcome beginners and anyone who has not been on
a BSBI field meeting before.
For further information and to book, please write
to Mrs Jane Jones, BSBI Admin Assistant, Cuilvona
Cottage, Aberfoyle, Stirling, FK8 3TQ.
For more general information aboutWhitlaw Mosses
NNR see www.nnr-scotland.org.uk
FRIDAY
11 – MONDAY 14 JUNE
KYLE OF LOCHALSH, WEST ROSS (v.c.105)
Leaders: Duncan Donald & Jim McIntosh
The
area around Kyle in the very south of West Ross
is a much under-recorded corner of the vice-county.
We should like help from members to undertake some
general recording to redress this oversight. We hope
to record a variety of habitats including coastal,
semi-natural woodland and montane. In particular
we shall arrange to visit the saltmarsh site of Carex
salina (Saltmarsh Sedge) – one of the most
recent native additions to our flora. We should also
like to visit Rassal ashwood and adjacent grasslands
on Durness limestone: species we hope to see include
Dryas octopetala (Mountain Avens) and Cephalanthera
longifolia (Narrow-leaved Helleborine), and we shall
try to refind Melampyrum sylvaticum (Small Cow-wheat)
at Francis Rose’s 1965 site. It is hoped a
group of more adventurous members might also visit
the lower reaches of the Allt nan Carnan gorge at
Lochcarron, to try to refind Pyrola media (Intermediate
Wintergreen) at one of its few West Ross localities.
For further information and to book, please write
to Duncan Donald, 16 Midtown of Inverasdale, Poolewe,
Achnasheen, Wester Ross IV22 2LW .
SATURDAY 12 JUNE
HILL OF GARVOCK (v.c. 91)
Leader: David Welch
The main area to be visited is an upland ridge SE
of Laurencekirk. A considerable part remains uncultivated,
and holds a variety of plant communities notably
calcareous grasslands, mires and wet heath.
Past botanists took little interest in these modest
hills, being more attracted to the nearby St Cyrus
coast or taller mountains further west. But 117 ha
were declared an SSSI in the 1990s, species such
as Carex disticha, Helianthemum chamaecistus, Platanthera
bifolia and Trollius europaeus having been found.
Some time may also be spent in nearby woodlands
or arable land, the latter in case the seasons are
sufficiently early to follow up the local recent
discovery of Fumaria reuteri. This meeting will be
joint with the NE Scotland branch of the Scottish
Wildlife Trust, for whom I normally lead a day excursion
in June. Further information from David Welch, East Fernbank,
Woodside Road, Banchory, Kincardineshire.
SATURDAY 19 JUNE
LOCH KATRINE (v.c. 87)
Leaders: Liz Lavery & Jane Jones
A chance to explore remote parts of the loch shore,
burns and ravines around Loch Katrine. To protect
the quality of the water sheep were removed from
the surrounding area about 5 years ago and the greatly
reduced grazing pressure has improved the vegetation
and allowed plant life to flourish. We hope to get
special access to areas around the loch which have
not been botanised before. There are very few records
from this area and it is hoped this meeting will
fill in many gaps. Anything may turn up! We hope
to find more Hymenophyllum wilsonii, found in 2009,
and there is even the possibility of discovering
Hymenophyllum tunbridgense.
An informal excursion on Sunday 20 June, botanising
in the Loch Lubnaig, - Balquidder areas, may be
arranged for any members who would like to see
some local rarities such as Lysimachia thyrsiflora,
Stellaria palustris and a new Scottish site for
Calamagrostis purpurea.
For further information and to book, please contact
Liz Lavery Burach, Carnbo, Kinross KY13 0NX
SATURDAY 26 JUNE
BEN VANE, DUNBARTONSHIRE (v.c. 99)
BSS & BSBI Joint Alpine Field Meeting
Leader: John Holland
The
Botanical Society of Scotland BSS has invited BSBI
members to join them on this year’s BSS
Alpine Field Meeting to Ben Vane in Dunbartonshire.
Despite Ben Vane only just qualifing as a Munro,
being 3,002 feet (915m) above sea level, it is surprisingly
rough and has many rocky outcrops scattered across
its summit and flanks where interesting alpines might
occur. Species previously recorded on Ben Vane and
its near neighbour Beinn Dubh, include Loiseleuria
procumbens (Trailing Azalea), Orthilia secunda (Serrated
Wintergreen), Poa glauca (Glaucous Meadow-grass),
Polystichum lonchitis (Holly-fern) and Saussurea
alpina (Alpine Saw-wort). However this area has not
been well botanised in recent years and there are
few recent records. The aim of this field meeting
is therefore to undertake a thorough search of all
of Ben Vane’s montane habitats to update our
records. (It is no co-incidence that the BSS Alpine
Field Meeting leader is also the BSBI Vice-county
Recorder for Dunbartonshire!)
For further information and to book, please write
to Dr John Holland, 3 Monemore, Killin, Perthshire
FK21 8XD
THURSDAY 8 - SATURDAY 10 JULY
CARRIFRAN WOODS & MOFFAT HILLS (v.c.72)
Leaders: Chris Miles & Crinan Alexander
The Moffat Hills with rocky slopes and screes, boreal
heath and flushes have been known for a long time
to support small populations of montane species not
found elsewhere in the Southern Uplands. Woodsia
ilvensis is the most celebrated of these and will
be seen. The Moffat Hills is currently the focus
for two interesting restoration projects both under
the wing of Borders Forest Trust. The aim of the
weekend will be to record tetrads or monads particularly
on the two areas and locate populations of Moffat
Hills specialities. There will be a revisit to the
Carrifran area ten years after the wildwood project
commenced. This area has had graziers removed for
a number of years and now shows montane and flush
vegetation in recovery. Two target species are Polystichum
lonchitis and Crepis mollis. The Corehead area including
the famous Devils Beef Tub has recently been acquired
by the trust and the aim here is to provide some
baseline recording in tetrads or possibly monads
as they commence a woodland, moorland and hay meadow
restoration project. Carex vaginata is a possibility.
For further information and to book, please write
to Chris Miles Braeside Boreland Lockerbie Dumfriesshire
DG11 2LL
SATURDAY 17 - SUNDAY 18 JULY
ALCHEMILLA WORKSHOP
GLEN CLOVA (v.c. 90)
Leader: Margaret Bradshaw
The aim of this workshop is to promote a better understanding
and better recording of Alchemillas in Scotland.
The workshop will start in the classroom on Saturday
morning and go out into the field in the afternoon,
and be entirely field based on the Sunday. We will
be in Glen Clova on Saturday, where there is a
good selection of Alchemilla species and where
the Vice-county recorder has recently found Alchemilla
glaucescens. We will look for Alchemilla wichurae
and other species on The Cairnwell 933m, Glenshee
on the Sunday, weather permitting.
Places will be strictly limited to 15. Bookings
from Vice-county Recorders received by 1st March
will get priority. For further information and to
book, please write to Mrs Jane Jones, BSBI Admin
Assistant, Cuilvona Cottage, Aberfoyle, Stirling,
FK8 3TQ
THURSDAY
29 JULY – SUNDAY
1 AUGUST
ORKNEY (v.c. 111)
Leaders: John Crossley, Effy Everiss & Eric Meek
The
Orkney islands support an unusual variety of habitats
from montane hilltops on the island of Hoy
and wind-blasted western coast to low-lying mires,
clear lochs and sheltered shores elsewhere. There
will be a good choice of these and others to botanise,
most very easily accessible from the road, others
requiring a good walk to fully appreciate them. Hoy
has Britain’s most northerly native woodland
and some mountain plants at unusually low altitude.
These include Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Arctostaphylos
alpinus. There are steep corries with base-rich flushes
and broad valleys with diffusely flushed mires. Away
from Hoy, the Orkney Mainland has lochs unusually
rich in stoneworts and other aquatics, and there
will be the opportunity to examine these with local
expert Effy Everiss. No visit to Orkney would be
complete without seeing maritime heath and its unusual
flora: we shall visit the spectacular Stromness Heaths
and Coasts SSSI and SAC where Primula scotica is
locally common. In contrast, we can also explore
some weedy field margins, still quite easily found
in the mixed crops-and-grassland farming landscape,
where up to five species of fumitory are a feature,
and we should certainly see Fumaria purpurea. On
one day we take a short ferry journey to the low-lying
island of Egilsay, which packs a wealth of habitats
into its small area (4 km long, maximum 1.5 km wide),
much of it RSPB reserve, and thoroughly explore and
record.
Numbers are limited to 15 and early booking is advised.
The town of Kirkwall will be our base. For booking
and information if needed on travel and accommodation,
please write to John Crossley, North Flaws, St Margarets
Hope, Orkney KW17 2RW
MONDAY 2 - FRIDAY 6 AUGUST
NORTH UIST, OUTER HEBRIDES (v.c.110)
Leaders: Paul Smith & Richard Pankhurst
The meeting will be based in Lochmaddy, North Uist,
with the aim of visiting underworked areas to help
with tetrad recording for the flora of the Outer
Hebrides, and to record Threatened Plant populations
(Chrysanthemum segetum is the most likely species
of interest from the 2010 list). There should be
an interesting mixture of habitats from machair to
moorland, sea cliffs and lochs, and we hope to be
able to visit some of the islands off the north east
of N Uist (in which case there may be a small charge
to cover boat hire).
For further details and to book, contact Paul Smith
128 Llancayo Street, Bargoed, Mid Glamorgan, CF81
8TP.
SATURDAY 7th AUGUST 2010
INTRODUCTION TO SEDGES
WHITLAW MOSSES NNR, ROXBURGHSHIRE (v.c. 80)
Leaders: Jim McIntosh
Whitlaw Mosses is an extremely rich and diverse
series of basin mires. It has a remarkably diverse
sedge flora including, amongst many others, Carex
paniculata, C. diandra (Greater and Lesser Tussock-sedge),
C. lasiocarpa (Slender Sedge) and Carex
limosa (Bog-sedge).
The emphasis of this field meeting will be on learning
to identify sedges and we would particularly welcome
sedge-beginners.
For further information and to book, please write
to Mrs Jane Jones, BSBI Admin Assistant, Cuilvona
Cottage, Aberfoyle, Stirling, FK8 3TQ. For more general
information about Whitlaw Mosses NNR see www.nnr-scotland.org.uk

2009 Field Meeting Programme
2008 Field Meeting Programme
(J.Squirrell) Last
updated 12th January 2010 |