Indoor Meeting

Lee Davies, Collections Manager, gave an informative and lively talk on Zoom to 23 members. The collection has 1.3 million specimens from all over the word with nearly 4,000 being added each year, sent in by the British Mycology Society and from expeditions.  Dry condition of 43% humidity and cool conditions of 18°C are needed […]

After the short business meeting there will be an illustrated Talk. Wildlife Projects in Haslemere and BeyondSpeaker: Gareth Matthes (Ecologist and HNHS member) The talk will focus on local wildlife and provide a broad view of wildlife surveys, including reptile, riparian and hedgerow corridors, and conservation projects such as community orchards.

Paul Stevens (Ecologist with increasing specialisation in hirundines and swifts) Paul will describe his love and interest from boyhood in these migratory birds. When Reserve Manager at Arundel Wetland Centre he instigated the Sand Martin hide.

Speaker: Michael Blencowe (Sussex naturalist, co-author of “Butterflies of Sussex” and wildlife guide) Michael will “take us” on a night walk in Sussex gardens, woods, marshes and meadows and describe the wildlife to be found there.

Speaker: Chris Stewart (Professional Gardener) Is the Earthworm an eco-engineer or a simple hermaphrodite? It is a vital inhabitant of gardens and soil generally, affecting wildlife and life itself. The importance of composting will be described. The joining code for ZOOM will be sent out nearer the time.

Birds, climate and habitat in a changing world Speaker: Alan Perry (HNHS Committee member and Emeritus President of Sussex Ornithological Society) In the UK global warming is affecting birds, butterflies, moths and plants which are known to be moving northwards from areas that are too warm for them to thrive.Species moving north: Golden Plover, Dunlin, […]

Speaker: Richard Fortey (Paleontologist with research interests including trilobites, long-time career as Paleontologist at Natural History Museum, London, writer of 14 books on wildlife, presenter of television programmes including BBC4 “Nature’s Wonderlands: Islands of Evolution”). The subject of the talk was taken from the title of Richard’s recent book of memoirs of his early years. […]

Speaker: Dave Elliott (Lead Ranger: National Trust, South Downs West Area) Dave spoke to an audience of 60 members.The Valewood Project, was aimed to increase the biodiversity by natural processes: bringing in Longhorn Cattle and Beavers (a keystone species).  Beavers feed on soft vegetation, the cambium layer of tree trunks, shoots and buds of trees. […]

VIRTUAL PRESENTATION ON ZOOM by Rupert Soskin (nature photographer, naturalist, writer and author of the impressive book “Metamorphosis.”) This was held as a Zoom presentation with 26 members logging on.In higher creatures the young gain intelligence from their parents but young insects and spiders develop by themselves and are given no survival techniques.Rupert posed the […]

Matthew Phelps, Safari Guide at Knepp Estate The illustrated talk with videos had 4 sections: 1.Introduction of herbivores: Tamworth Pigs, Fallow and Red Deer, Exmoor  Ponies and Longhorn Cattle are now established. 2. Wildlife successes: Arable becoming wood pasture; layering of scrub; no flaying  of hedges; spreading of laggs (ribbons of water) and river restoration […]