Happy New Year – it's our big anniversary!
The New Year is here – and with it we start celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society, which includes the Herts Bird Club.
Keep an eye on the website for information about anniversary year activities, and make a diary note of these three upcoming events:
2025 Gerald Salisbury Memorial lecturer announced
Entomologist Adrian Dutton will give the 2025 Gerald Salisbury Memorial lecture which takes place on Wednesday 22 January in Welwyn Civic Centre* (8pm).
He will talk about the saproxylic beetles of Panshanger Park, reporting on exciting findings from his recent survey work with Tarmac and Natural England supporting efforts to improve the site's wildlife potential.
The 1,000 acre park, near Hertford, has emerged as one of the most important habitats nationally for saproxylic beetles, which require decaying wood habitats.
The ups and downs of Hertfordshire's butterfly species
There was good news and bad when recorder Andrew Wood reported on the changing status of Hertfordshire's butterflies at the Society's Autumn Meeting on Saturday 16 November.
Enthusiasm for wildlife education links HNHS Award winners
Two expert naturalists with a passion for sharing their knowledge about wildlife with future generations are winners of the 2024 HNHS Awards
Stephen Lings, posthumous winner of the Trevor James Award for an outstanding Hertfordshire naturalist was county recorder for bees, wasps millipedes and centipedes before his sad death in March, aged 63. But his natural history achievements went far beyond that, as the Society's Autumn Meeting heard on Saturday 16 November.
Programme announced for Autumn Meeting and AGM (Saturday November 16)
The 2024 HNHS Autumn Meeting and AGM will take place on Saturday 16 November from 2 to 5.30pm at the offices of Affinity Water, Tamblin Way, Hatfield. AL10 9EZ
The speakers include Andrew Wood, author of Butterflies of Hertfordshire and Middlesex, who will talk about species and population trends including the most recent, disappointing season for butterflies. Marc Wilcox of Hertfordshire County Council will speak on the county's Local Nature Recovery Strategy, currently being drafted.
The Society's awards for an outstanding county naturalist and an outstanding contributor to natural history will also be presented.