Future Meetings
Probably a meeting in Dorset
Further details latter.Any further suggestions welcome.
Recent Meetings
Sloden Inclosure, New Forest, Thursday, 28th December 2017
The New Year meeting was a visit to Sloden Inclosure (SU2112), a complex of mixture of old Forest woodland, including18th plantation reverting to pasture woodland, unusually with old Ash away from floodplains, partly set over the site of a medieval coppice. A bit of a walk in over heathland, which is why I have not been their since 1996! Meet at Gorley Bushes, Fritham (SU229140) at 10.30 Report in preparationBurley Old Inclosure, New Forest, 19th November 2017
A visit to Burley Old Inclosure (SU2404), an interesting area of old growth Oak, within a 18th century inclosure. This inclosure, unusually does not appear to have been clear felled as were other 18th C inclosures and has some very old woodland. It did have quite a lot of trees with Lobaria species, but I have not been there since 2003 and the site needs a modern resurvey. The reason I have not been there since then is that there is no parking nearby, so we will need to walk in from the car park at Anderwood Inclosure 1km to the north at SU249056, meeting at 10.30 Report in preparationBeaulieu River, New Forest, 6th May 2017
A visit to an old growth floodplain woodland of the Beaulieu River, the largest in the New Forest, rated by George Peterken as the best floodplain woodland in Britain. I did known the wood well but have not seriously looked at it since the 1990s. A recent a reconnaissance of with Andy Cross found the habitat to be very dynamic and appears much less acidic than in the past. It has lots of dead wood in the flood zone which producing odd things such as Agonimia allobata and Absconditella delutula on logs, while one surprising find was Vezdaea retigera overgrowing Agonimia flabelliformis on an Ash and a Sallow produced a strong Schismatomma graphidioides colony. Lots more of this habitat which has not looked at for a couple of decades, also some lichen rich heath to look at on the way back. Meet at 10.30am at the car park at SU385048. Report in preparationMorden Bog, Dorset, 26th March 2017
A visit to a heathland site which has had grazing restored and large areas heath restored from conifer plantation; lichen diversity was thought likely to have increased with better management and some of the recently discovered New Forest specialities should also occur the Dorset Heaths, and this was a likely site to find them. Bryan Edwards leaded. We met at 10.30 at the car park at Sherford Bridge at SY9195 9260. Report in preparationWoodhouse & Highwood Copses, Roydon Woods, New Forest, 12th March 2017
A joint meeting with the Hampshire Flora Group, to Roydon Woods on the edge of the New Forest. The area is the southern part of Brockenhurst Park, a 18th C park created out of farmland, but now well wooded and colonised by may typical New Forest lichens. Neil Sanderson leading. We met at 10.30 at the pulling in on the side road to Brockenhurst just off the A337 opposite the Filly Inn at SU302 002. Report in preparationMark Ash Wood, New Forest, 30th December 2016
A visit to continue, and possibly compete, a several year long circuit of the fabulously rich ancient Beech wood of Mark Ash Wood. This meeting explored the south east of the wood, along the western side of Barrow Moor, an area not visited for at least a couple of decades. We meet at the small pull in at SU24730719 at 10.30am, wellies were advised as it was intended to explore some bog woodland. Report in preparationCoppice of Linwood, New Forest, 13th November 2016
A visit to an area of 18th century Oak plantation within the New Forest, which has been colonised by many of the more sensitive New Forest old growth specialist lichens. This Inclosure had been damaged by 20th century conifer planting, but the last Forest Design Plan proposed restoration to pasture woodland. This has already been partly carried out, but the next draft Forest Design Plan is proposing reversing this and turning the stand into normal managed broadleaved woodland. The visit was intended to update the lichen data for this site, to help inform the future management of the site. We meet at Janesmoor Pond Car Park at SU246136 at 10.30am. Report in preparation.Lin Wood and Amies Wood, New Forest, Sunday the 9th October 2016
After a gap in the summer back looking form lichens again! A meeting to record the epiphytic lichen assemblage in a couple of New Forest Woods, which had not had out a serious visit for 20 years (I did have a look about 10 years ago but lost the notes). Part of the Red Shoot wood complex and has well developed Oak and Holly communities. We meet at the Appleslade Car Park SU184 092 at 10.45am. Report in preparation.Kingston Lacy Park, Dorset, Saturday, 7th May 2016
A meeting to record this park, which has not been surveyed for a decade at least. It has decent Xanthorion with Anaptychia and Pleurosticta acetabulum, also Cryptolechia on Maple. We meet in the car park main at 10.30am. Report in preparation.The Ridge, Busketts Wood, New Forest, Saturday 2nd April 2016
An afternoon meeting to record a rich dead wood assemblage recently found on the dead branches on a recently fallen stag headed Oak. A previous brief examination suggested the dead branches were a rich habitat with species such as Protoparmelia oleagina, Pycnora sorophora and Ochrolechia arborea, the latter new to Hampshire; an interesting and little seen habitat. Once finished recording the tree, it was planed have a wander in the surrounding very rich woodland. We met at the Busketts Cricket Pitch car park, SU311111 at 13.00. Report in preparation.Anses Wood, New Forest Tuesday 29th December 2015
The 2015/16 New Year meeting was held at Anses Wood, with the aim of recording some Lobaria pulmonaria trees for the BLS Lobarion project. We meet at Cadman's Pool car park, SU229121, at 10.30. Report in preparation.Hartfordbridge Flats, North Hampshire Saturday 11 July 2015, 10.30am–4pm
A joint meeting with the Hampshire Flora Group, to record the Hampshire Wildlife Trust’s new heathland reserve at Hartfordbridge Flats. The HWT have recently taken on the management of this part of the Yateley Common SSSI for the private owner. It is a strip of heathland immediately south of Blackbushe Airport and the A30, about 1.6km long and 180m wide. The Flora Group has been requested to make a baseline botanical survey before grazing begins on the site. The WLG was to record the lichens. We met in the Bush Café car park, Terminal Buildings, Blackbushe Airport GU17 9LQ, SU8085 5880. We met at 10.30am and we started with at least a cup in the café as ‘courtesy payment’ for using their car park. Report in preparation.Bonchurch Down, Isle of Wight, Saturday 27th June 2015, 10.30am
A joint meeting with the new Isle of Wight Lichen Group organised by the Streets. They had found a very interesting lichen rich heathland on top of the down, which the WLG was invited the to visit. We met at the car park at the end of the rough track on top of Bonchurch Down beyond the radar station SZ57327868 at 10.30am. q.Anses Wood, Dockens Water and Rakes Brakes Bottom, Sunday 31st May 2015
A joint meeting with the BBS Southern Group. John Norton led a BBS Southern Group in the north of the Forest. in which Wessex Lichen Group members were welcome to join. We meet at Cadman's Pool car park, SU229121. Read report.Setley Common, Roydon Woods NR, Hampshire, Tuesday, 30th December 2014
The New Year meeting of the Wessex Lichen Group. This was held at Setley Common in Hampshire Wildlife Trust’s Roydon Woods nature reserve, to mark the near completion of the field work phase of the New Forest Heathland Lichen Survey. The area has some old woodland as well as heathland and is former common off the open New Forest grazings. We met at 10.30 at the pulling in on the side road to Brockenhurst just off the A337 opposite the Filly Inn at SU302002. Read report.Stansore Point, Hampshire, Saturday, 13th September 2014
A meeting to explore another area of costal shingle, here east the Leap Country Park on the Solent NNR. We meet in the main lower car park of Lepe Counrty Park at 10.30am SZ455985. Read report.Hazeley Heath, Sunday 17 August 2014
A joint meeting with the Hampshire Flora Group, to record the RSPBs new heathland reserve at Hazeley Heath. Meet at 10.30 am in the car park in the centre of Hartley Wintney at SU7669 5697. This can be accessed by turning off the High Street (A30) at Monachus Lane at SU7683 5698. Read ReportKits Grave, Hampshire, Saturday, 5th July 2014
A meeting to explore a relict pasture woodland on the chalk at Martin Down and possibly later look at a known area of lichen rich down on Martin Down itself. Meet at 10.30 5th, July 2014 at the main northern car park for Martin Down NNR SU037201. Report in preparationHolt Heath, East Dorset, Sunday, 23rd March 2014
A meeting to explore one of the better conserved Dorset heaths and record its lichen assemblage. Wet met at 10.30 23rd, March 2014 by the NNR sign on Holt Heath on the south side of the road from Three Legged Cross to Holt around 1km west of the Cross Keys pub at SU0517 0455. Read report.Frame Wood, New Forest, Monday, 30th December 2013
The New Year meeting at Frame Wood in the New Forest, with the main aim of searching for Lobaria species as part of the BLS Lobarion project. We met at the Rans Wood car park, Furzey Lodge at SU3665 0252, at 10.30. Read report.East of Gravelly Marsh, North Solent NNR, New Forest, Sunday, 10th November 2013
A meeting to look at a stable shingle beach in the morning and acid grassland with coastal scrub in the afternoon within the North Solent NNR in the Beaulieu Estate. We met at the shore hide car park at SZ4202 9726, at 10.30 on Warren Lane. An interesting meeting, with a potentially exciting find, a member of the Caloplaca cerina group growing on the ground and on under shrub bases in the transition to saltmarsh. Read report.Rufus Stone, New Forest, Saturday, 26th October 2013
Neil Sanderson lead a Wessex Bryology Group meeting at t Rufus Stone on the 26th October, this concentrated on bryophytes but all interested were invited and one very significant lichen find was made. Report in preparationHeadon Warren on the Isle of Wight, Saturday, 14th September 2013
As a joint meeting with the new Isle of Wight Lichen Group organised by the Streets, the original founders of the WLG, there will be a meeting to look at Headon Warren, a lichen rich heathland on the coast, with a landslip below. It is known as the richest Cladonia site on the Islands but has not been looked at in detail for sometime. For mainlanders, the IoW people can pick up passengers from the ferry leaving Lymington at 9.25am. At the site we met at 10.30 at a car park on the road near a footpath to Headon Warren at SZ319864. Read report.Melchet Court, Naturalist groups/recording weekend, Wiltshire, Sunday, 7th July 2013
The Wessex Lichen Group will be joining a recording weekend at an old park, with veteran Oaks, which has not been recorded for lichens perviously, SU2705 2231, we will start at the front of the main school building where you can park at 10.30. Read Report.Studland, Dorset, Wednesday, 26nd June 2013
A general study of the Studland Dunes is being under taken, so it would be good to start a modern look at the Dorset heathland lichens by contributing some lichen survey to this, start at 10.30, meeting at the National Trust car park near the ferry at SZ0352 8635. Read Report.Wilverley, New Forest, Evening Meeting, Wednesday, 19th June 2013
As part of the New Forest Heathland Lichen Survey, an evening meeting to start the survey the grid square SU2502. We met in the small northern car park at Wilverley Plain at SU256012 at 6.45pm. Read report.Parkhurst Forest, Isle of Wight, Saturday, 20th April 2013
Parkhurst Forest is the largest pasture woodland relic in the Isle of Wight with a rich ancient woodland lichen assemblage, but it had not been looked at for sometime. Started at the parking at Marks Corner approx. OS grid ref SZ470920. Read report.Browndown, Gosport, Wednesday, 27th March 2013
A meeting looking at the shingle beech at Browndown, Gosport, where John Norton has been finding lots of interesting lichens. We met at 10.30, at the large car park at western end of Browndown grid reference SZ5689 9965, with a good range of lichens found including one very interesting Lecanora discovered new to Hampshire. Read report.Keyhaven, New Forest, Hampshire, Saturday the 16th of March 2013
An afternoon visit to Keyhaven to look at coastal scrub in the hope of finding Teloschistes chrysophthalmus. Meet at the car park at SU306915 at 1.30pm. A successful meeting with the target species found. Read reportNew Year Meeting, 28th December 2012
The New Year meeting will look at the richest Ash site in the New Forest, the riverine woodland along the Highland Water below Lucas Castle. The aim will be to record the lichen flora of the Ash trees along with the other tree species, before any potential negative effects from Ash dieback. Meet at 10.30am at the pull by the ride into Highland Water Inclosure by the Canadian Memorial at SU240093. Read ReportHeathland Lichen Training Day in the New Forest Saturday 1 December 2012, 10.30am
A joint meeting with the Hampshire Flora Group lead by Neil Sanderson. Read ReportA day looking at and recording heathland lichens in a rich area in the north of the New Forest with lichen expert Neil Sanderson. Beginners welcome but bring a hand lens if at all possible. Meet in the car park at Canada Common at SU 2874 1773 at 10.30. The meeting included recording1km squares for the New Forest Heathland lichen survey. Read report.