Irish BSBI Conference

Enjoying the Gardens during lunch-break
Image: J. Denyer

The 2017 Irish BSBI Conference was held last month at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin, and you won't be surprised to hear that it was a roaring success.

Prof Daniel Kelly talks about  David Webb
Image: R. Hodd

You can see the programme on the Irish Conference webpage, or read a bit more on this blogpost. 

The hashtag for the conference proved very popular and lots of people used it throughout the day (to share their enthusiasm for all the great talks and workshops) and afterwards (to tell us what a brilliant day they'd had!)

We were all delighted to see how many newcomers attended: people who had not been to a BSBI meeting before and were not BSBI members. 

Many of them were under-30 so organisers Maria Long (BSBI Irish Officer) and Paula O'Meara (Secretary of the Committee for Ireland) are obviously doing a great job enthusing the next generation of Irish botanists!  

Maria (on left) & rushes expert Lynda Weekes
Image: F. O'Neill 

Robert Northridge MBE, County Recorder for Co. Cavan and joint County Recorder for Fermanagh) emailed Maria after the conference: "The programme was really excellent – very diverse, with something for everyone. The preponderance of younger attendees was really impressive! It’s very reassuring to see such a level of interest, and bodes well for the future. Thank you and well done".

Zoologist Ruth Carden tweeted "Enjoying the #IrishBSBIConference in National Botanic Gardens on a glorious day, a zoologist among friendly botanists"; student Cian White enjoyed the "fascinating talk on David Webb" and Fiona O'Neill tweeted: "Loving the #IrishBSBIConference, learning so much and meeting terrific people".

"All ready to teach aquatics": Joanne Denyer 

Ralph Forbes, the other County Recorder for Fermanagh said "It was really terrific to see so many people there interested in plants and the work of BSBI... I am sure the new and non-members present were impressed and hopefully they will become actively involved. Old fogeys like me need reassurance that a new generation of people exist who are genuinely interested in getting their feet wet and recording plants, and addressing the problems that plants face persisting in a rapidly changing environment".

Waterford Institute of Technology's Horticulture Dept. tweeted:

 HorticultureWIT‏ @HorticultureWIT  Mar 25

Great day at the #IrishBSBIConference in Dublin today. Will be encouraging our students to attend next yr. Hort & botany an ideal marriage!

And finally, delegate Colm Clarke put it most succinctly of all: "It was a cracker of a conference".