British Lichen Society

British Lichen Society
Name	British Lichen Society
Formed	1958
Type	Learned society
Headquarters	London
Region served	United Kingdom
Membership	scientists, naturalists, conservationists
Leader title	President

British Lichen Society The British Lichen Society is a learned society dedicated to the study, conservation, and promotion of lichens across the United Kingdom, engaging researchers, amateurs, and institutions through fieldwork, publication, and advocacy. It connects specialists associated with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Natural History Museum, London, University of Cambridge, and museums such as the National Museum of Wales and the Hunterian Museum while collaborating with environmental bodies like Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage, and Natural Resources Wales.

History

Founded in 1958, the Society emerged amid postwar expansion of natural history networks that included the British Mycological Society, the Linnean Society of London, and conservation groups such as the RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts. Early figures and correspondents included researchers affiliated with University of Oxford, the University of Edinburgh, the Royal Society, and museums like the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Its development paralleled botanical initiatives at the Royal Horticultural Society and global dialogues from events like the International Botanical Congress. The Society fostered links with field clubs such as the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union and regional societies including the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and the Shetland Amenity Trust.

Mission and Activities

The Society promotes taxonomic study, distribution mapping, and habitat protection, collaborating with institutions such as Natural History Museum, London, Kew Gardens, and academic departments at University of Glasgow and University of Manchester. Routine activities include organized field excursions to sites like the New Forest, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and the Isle of Skye, training workshops in partnership with museums like the Ulster Museum and civic bodies such as City of London Corporation. It liaises with conservation agencies including Environment Agency (England), Forestry Commission, and international partners like the International Union for Conservation of Nature and networks tied to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Membership and Governance

Members include professional lichenologists from universities such as University of Leeds, University of Plymouth, University of Aberdeen, and museum curators from institutions like the Manchester Museum and Bristol Museum. Governance follows a committee structure with elected officers comparable to arrangements at the Royal Geographical Society and the Geological Society of London, holding annual general meetings at venues including the Natural History Museum, London and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The Society works with funding bodies such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund, trusts like the Leverhulme Trust, and research councils including UK Research and Innovation.

Research and Conservation

Research priorities encompass taxonomy, ecology, and bioindicator studies performed in collaboration with laboratories at Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London, and field stations at sites like Ben Nevis, the Cairngorms, and the Lake District National Park. Conservation efforts address threats in landscapes managed by bodies such as National Trust, Forestry Commission Scotland, and Historic England. The Society contributes to red-listing exercises and reporting frameworks used by IUCN Red List, supporting conservation designations like Sites of Special Scientific Interest coordinated by Natural England and species action plans aligned with the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area model and other protected-area initiatives.

Publications and Resources

The Society publishes peer-reviewed and popular outputs, collaborating with publishers and repositories associated with the Royal Society Publishing, the Natural History Museum, and university presses at Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press. Key resources include distribution atlases that inform databases like the National Biodiversity Network and contribute records to portals used by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Field guides and keys produced in association with authors affiliated with University of Nottingham, University of Exeter, and Cardiff University support identification across habitats including coastal zones studied by the Marine Biological Association.

Education and Outreach

Outreach programs target schools and amateur naturalists through partnerships with organizations such as the Field Studies Council, the National Trust, and regional museums including the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. Training courses and citizen-science surveys align with initiatives from the Biological Records Centre, the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, and community projects run with local groups like the Glasgow Natural History Society and the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club. The Society also presents at conferences including meetings of the British Ecological Society and participates in public events coordinated by venues such as the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum, London.

Category:Lichenology