Meetings

Dr Dan Field is a University Lecturer in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Birds are the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrate animals, boasting nearly 11,000 living species. But how did this awe inspiring diversity arise? Dan will discuss recent advances in our understanding of how, where, and when birds […]

Living on Lyncombe Hill, a few minutes walk from Bath Spa railway station yet surrounded by a great variety of wildlife in the woods, meadows, parkland and gardens of Widcombe, David takes us on a ramble through his local patch, demonstrating the value of living close to nature during lockdown. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members […]

Several short talks and reminiscences from members of the Society will illustrate our activities over the years as part of our 80th Anniversary celebrations. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members or £4 guests

Mathew has a particular interest in the relationship between nature and society in towns and cities. He has 30 years’ experience of land management policy and practice in nature conservation and has worked with various organisations to develop and promote better understanding of biodiversity conservation in urban areas, whether it’s in private gardens, parks, housing […]

Stephen has recently retired from Natural England after working on the Somerset Levels for over 25 years. His main interest is field botany. He is the BSBI recorder for South Somerset. His interest in rewilding and reintroductions dates back to time spent in the Netherlands where he visited a range of sites undergoing Wilding. Doors […]

Our Annual General Meeting for 2022 will be held at 2.00 pm on Saturday 8th January 2022  by Zoom. The original plan to hold it at BRLSI has been changed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A Zoom lnk has been emailed to members. The business meeting will commence at 2.15pm, but there will also be […]

Fred Rumsey was for over 20 years the British plant specialist at the Natural History Museum. He has recently co-authored a BSBI handbook on the Broomrapes of Britain and Ireland, following the earlier publication of one on Eyebrights. In this talk he will look at parasitic plants from around the world, those we can find […]

Chris is the Restoration Director of the Beaver Trust. The talk will include the biology of Eurasian beavers, and their status internationally. It will focus particularly on introductions in the UK discussing successes and problems. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

Chris has spent his entire working life in nature conservation – latterly employed by Natural England. Since taking early retirement he is still immersed in the natural world – leading tours and day walks, nature photography and more recently writing a book about the Essex Coast. If you would like to contact Chris or find […]

Join the President for coffee and a chat followed, weather permitting, by a short local walk.

Revival of what used to be a popular feature at the start of past indoor programmes. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

Speaker: Andrew Daw, past President, photographer, illustrator and master of the art of origami. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

BRLSI Coffee morning, 11 am to 12 noon. A chance to socialise and provide ideas for next summer's programme.

Speaker: Dan Merrett The Bathscape Manager has had plenty of experience, having been involved in schemes to create species-rich grassland before moving to Bath. We hope to follow-up this talk with a visit to one of the local examples of a man-made wild flower meadow. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

Speaker: Rob Randall will illustrate some of the problems that plants encounter in their struggle to survive and strategies they employ to ensure that they do. They are not always successful ,of course. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests

BRLSI Coffee morning, 11 am to 12 noon. A chance to socialise and provide ideas for next summer's programme.

Speaker: Jeremy Padfield runs a mixed farm at Stratton-on-the-Fosse, as a LEAF Demonstration Farm. LEAF encourages and helps land-owners to farm sustainably and aims to educate the public about the benefits to the environment of sustainable land management. See Stratton Farms | LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception.

Speaker: Mike Hackston, An entomologist and botanist, will introduce us to the world of beetles. Mike is a teacher and produces a range of educational material on the internet, including identification keys Mikes Insect Keys (google.com) Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084

Leader: lucy starling, past President and expert on bird song recognition. Sydney Gardens Community Pavilion (inside entrance at end of Bathwick Street) Start: 10:30 am, followed by a short walk round the Gardens.  

A Tale From A Birder's Log Book Speaker: Chris Vines, Bird Recorder for Bath Natural History Society. Doors open 7.00pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084

Venue: BRLSI, 16 Queen Square, Bath Please contact the President  if you wish to give a short talk. Doors open: 19:00 for refreshments and a chat. Start: 19:30 Finish: 21:00

Speaker: Steve Smailes. An introduction to Solitary Bees and Bumblebees, their diverse natures and lifestyles, both in the garden, and the wider countryside. Steve's uncle was a beekeeper so his interest in bees began at an early age. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings beginning at 7.30pm £2 members  £4 guests […]

Help the Programme Committee plan our summer field programme and next year's indoor programme. Coincides with the BRLSI's coffee morning. Followed by a local field meeting - at Henrietta Park – see next event this date Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E

Speaker: Hugh Williamson, one of the organisers of the Bath Urban Treescape trails. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings beginning at 7.30pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E

Speaker: Rob Randall. An in-depth study of the developing dune system in Sand Bay. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings beginning at 7.30pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E

Agenda to be published neaer the time Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E

Speaker: Kate Souter, Magazine Editor for Bath Nats. Kate will report on her recent holiday in the Caribbean. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings beginning at 7.30pm £2 members  £4 guests Wheelchair access is available by contacting  BRLSI reception 01225 312084E

Speaker: Dr. Helena Crouch, Botanical Recorder for VC6 (North Somerset) for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland and Secretary of Bath Nats. Ferns are one of Helena's favourite botanical subjects. This talk was originally scheduled for 4 March 2024 but had to be postponed. Doors open 7.00pm, for coffee and a chat, with proceedings […]

(This event precedes the Malaby Gas Biodigester tour, also at Warminster) Leader: Phillip Delve Bookings: Phillip Delve Start: 12:30 Finish: approx. 15:30 Meeting place: Explorer 153 (ST 893 452). Take the Imber Road from Warminster, drive through the MOD houses, turn right towards Battlesbury Barracks just before the rise of Sack Hill, follow the avenue […]

Doors Open 7.00pm for coffee and chat Speaker: Alan Feest Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 ( Finish 21:00 Description: Alan will demonstrate the deficiencies of the current definition of biodiversity and offer suggestions for a way forward, explaining the approach used in our local surveys.  This talk will be an […]

Speaker: Steve Smailes Venue: BRLSI, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HN Start: 19:30 (Doors open: 19:00 for coffee and chat) Finish: 21:00 Description: In this illustrated talk, Steve will cover the social and the solitary aculeate wasps of our islands, and briefly touch on the parasitic wasps too. Most people are acutely aware of the […]