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News
BSBI Data for Forestry Commission Scotland Scottish Ministers have endorsed the Scottish Forestry Strategy target to increase woodland cover to 25% of the Scottish land area by the second half of the century. The aim is to increase the capacity of Scotland’s forests to sequester carbon and help mitigate our impact on climate change. The increase will require additional planting levels of up to 15,000 hectares per year, compared with the current much lower rates of one third of that. This is good news - providing valuable habitats and rare plant populations are not damaged and the landscape is not adversely affected. The BSBI was very pleased to be asked to supply all our Scottish notable plant records to the Forestry Commission, to help inform forestry management decisions and protect rare plant populations. The data will be available to all staff involved in considering forestry grants as well as those who manage the Forestry Commission’s own estate. The data – some 100,000 records in total - was collated from a number of sources; principally the BSBI Vascular Plant Database (72%), the BSBI MapMate hub (21%) and the BSBI Threatened Plant Database (7%). 2010 International Year of Biodiversity The Scottish Minister for Environment launched the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity in January. In Scotland the aim is to celebrate the wonderful biodiversity that we have and explain why biodiversity is important and why we need to look after it. The emphasis is on the benefits to Scotland from a healthy biodiversity - to jobs, wealth, food, fresh water, flood control, enjoyment and health. The main action being promoted is to encourage businesses, schools and councils to do more to help conserve our biodiversity - and I would add “government and agencies” to that list! Other key actions include participating in wildlife surveys; experiencing nature on your doorstep; gardening to improve biodiversity and buying seasonal produce. For more information please see www.biodiversityislife.net and www.snh.org.uk/scottish/2010yearofbiodiversity.asp In response, we have put together one of the largest and most diverse programmes of BSBI field meetings ever seen in Scotland. It includes an Alpine meet to Ben Vane, Loch Lomond; two island meetings to Orkney and North Uist; two beginners’ meetings to Arthur’s Seat and Crieff; an “Introduction to sedges” day at Whitlaw Mosses and a couple more advanced educational field meetings on Conifers and Alchemillas. A total of thirteen meetings! We would like to see good attendances on all these field meetings and would encourage you to book up now! Remember that everyone is welcome on the beginners’ meetings – whether BSBI member or not. See to check out the list of field meetings. BIODIVERSITY IS LIFE Easter Ross (VC106) website now on-line Easter Ross is the latest vice-county in Scotland to host its own website. The website provides access to the vice-county's latest checklist and current Rare Plant Register. Also provided are the contact details for the VCRs - Brian and Barbara Ballinger. Other Scottish vice-counties with websites include 2009 BSBI Scottish Newsletter now available electronically As part of the on-going project to digitise all the BSBI's publications, making them freely available to everyone, the 2009 BSBI Scottish Newsletter is now available to view on-line. All future editions of the newsletter will be available digitally and it is also planned that all previous newsletters will be scanned and made available similarly. VCR and Assistant VCR vacancies in Scotland We are looking for keen, fit and reasonably competent botanists to fill a number of existing and forthcoming Vice-county Recorder vacancies, which will arise when the present recorders retire. The current vacancies are for VC83 (Midlothian) and VC85 (Fife). Further information on the vice-counties and details of how to apply can be downloaded here. The closing date for applications is March 1st 2010. We are also looking for VCR assistants to help VCRs computerise their botanical records. Currently the VCs of Angus, the Lothians, Mid-Ebudes (Mull, Tiree & Coll) and Peebles require assistance. Full details of what is required of the applicant and how to apply can be downloaded here. The closing date for applications is March 1st 2010. Elaine Bullard retires as Orkney VCR Elaine Bullard has retired from her official role as Orkney's BSBI Vice-County Recorder at the remarkable age of 93. She was appointed as VCR for Orkney in 1963, some 46 years ago. In that time she has contributed greatly to the knowledge of Orkney's plants and habitats, gathering information from all over the isles. Elaine undertook valuable early work on Scottish Primrose with the Orkney Field Club and made an important contribution on plants and vegetation in 'The Natural History of Orkney' by R. J. Berry. Her checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of Orkney, first published in 1972, is still an essential reference for anyone interested in the Orcadian flora. For many years she was a determined campaigner for a biological records centre for Orkney, a one-stop shop where all the data could be safely stored and readily accesses for the benefit of all, and in this she has been successful, with the eventual founding of the Orkney Biodiversity Records Centre. Elaine's contribution to Orkney botany has been widely recognised - both locally and further afield. She was awarded an MBE in 1981 for services rendered to nature conservation in Orkney. In 2007 Heriot-Watt University awarded her an honorary doctorate in recognition of her contribution to botany. Darwin Exhibition at Elgin Museum As part of the 2009 Darwin anniversairies, Elgin Museum will be putting on display six original letters from Charles Darwin. The letters relate to Darwin's search for three orchids he needed for his study leading to the publication of the first edition in 1862 of The Various Contrivances by which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects. Also on display are a couple of related letters from Watson, photos of the orchids in question and a copy of Darwin's orchid book. The Museum holds several collections of pressed plants, dating from the 1830s, as well as various fossil plants. As an independent museum, a small entry charge has to be made, but a visit to the Museum, in its Grade A listed building, with award winning collections of Pictish stones, fossil fish and reptiles, and other tales of Moray and beyond, is unlikely to disappoint. Elgin Museum: 1 High Street, Elgin, Moray, IV30 1EQ
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