BSBI Annual Exhibition Meeting 2014: open for bookings

Botanists at the 2013 AEM
Image: L. Marsh

The leaves are starting to fall so it's time to think about this year's BSBI Annual Exhibition Meeting (AEM), which is being held at the University of Leicester on Saturday 22nd November.

If you are a BSBI member, you will have received a flyer and booking form inside the latest BSBI News but the AEM is open to everyone interested in botany in Britain and Ireland - you don't have to be a BSBI member to come along and enjoy all the exhibits, talks and workshops that we have planned for you!

BSBI Scientific Officer Pete Stroh & aquatics expert
Richard Lansdowne by the Plant ID table
Image: L. Marsh 

We will also have two natural history book stalls at the AEM - both Summerfield Books (new and second-hand books and a range of hand-lenses) and Acanthophyllum Books (secondhand and antiquarian books). There will be our usual Plant ID stand, where you can get help from our experts to ID that plant  and - John Poland willing - we will be able to offer our ever-popular Vegetative Plant ID Quiz. 

Our exhibitors always come up with interesting things - not just posters. University of Reading's 'Testa yourself' quiz was a big hit last year. You had to beat the clock to match the seed to the wildflower. More difficult than it looked, but great fun! 

Wildflower Society and other exhibitors
Image: L. Marsh 

You can find out more about the AEM here, where there is a flyer with further details and a booking form. The form is so you can book for one of our Herbarium tours (which are usually over-subscribed so act quickly if you want a space!), or if you want to offer an exhibit on any aspect of British or Irish botany, or if you want to book the £10 AEM food and drink package that we have put together for you. 

It's also nice to know who is coming to the AEM (looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones each year is a big part of the AEM experience) so as well as our shiny new AEM webpage (thanks Alex!) we also have a shiny new Meetings Gmail address (thanks Tom!) so you can email me and the rest of the AEM Organising Team from Meetings Committee and let us know if you are hoping to join us next month. 

Univ Reading Team & John Poland's ID Quiz
Image: J. Mitchley

We are still finalising all the talks and workshops (Meetings & Communications Committee met a few weeks ago and ironed out some final details) but we can confirm that Prof. Clive Stace has agreed to talk to us about his forthcoming Hybrids Book. I'll post more details of the day's attractions here, as they are confirmed. 

Let's hope this year's AEM is even better than last year's, when 192 of us enjoyed a packed day at the Natural History Museum and we captured the images on this page. See you on 22nd November in Leicester!