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The Society
Founded by a group of Victorian amateur naturalists, the Birmingham Natural History Society has played a leading role over the years in the study of natural history in the Midland Region, and beyond.
The society has long standing links with local universities and is in touch with regional wildlife trusts and with kindred bodies through the country.
Membership is open to all who are interested in natural history, whether amateur or professional, and beginners are as welcome as experienced naturalists.
We keep the annual membership subscription low, (£6).
Particular groups of organisms are studied by sections within the society, and each section arranges its own programme of activities. The entomological and mycological sections are particularly strong, and other sections are given encouragement. There is always scope for new sections to be formed.
Members receive a printed programme card every year, and a newsletter is produced three times a year to keep members up to date with items of interest.
Members also receive the 'Proceedings of the Birmingham Natural History Society', a journal of high repute containing scientific articles by members, and other naturalists reporting on their studies.
Activities
Illustrated talks are given at monthly intervals during the winter season (September to April) on a variety of subjects. The meetings are held in Selly Oak at the Friends Meeting House Ref. Map
Members bring specimens for identification and discussion before and after the main part of the meeting. The society lending library, with a good collection of works and journals on a wide variety of natural history topics, is also available at these times.
The Entomological Section arrange visits, usually at short notice, to Midland sites, taking advantage of suitable weather conditions.
The Mycological Section, who have their own Web Site, arrange fungus forays throughout the fungus season as well as regular visits to the Society's Nature Reserve at Edgbaston Park, and to Elmdon Manor Nature Reserve.
Nature Reserve
Edgbaston Park Nature Reserve, thanks to Edgbaston Golf Club, is accessible to Society members. The site is of great historical interest as Edgbaston Hall (now the clubhouse of the golf club) was occupied by William Withering in the eighteenth century. Withering, famous for the discovery of the use of 'Digitalis', was also the author of the 'British Flora' which has many records of flowering plants and fungi from Edgbaston Park.
Today, the Nature Reserve is a SSSI. and is managed by a joint committee with members from both the society and from Edgbaston Golf Club.
The reserve is not open to the public, but members of the society have limited access to the reserve through Winterbourne Gardens, which are the property of the University of Birmingham. Regular planned visits are made throughout the year to study and record plants, birds and other animals.
Access is through Winterbourne Gardens and members are given details of the method of entry to he gardens outside normal working hours.  Recent Achievements The Society has always had distinguished Members, who have made studies and collections, which have sometimes resulted in publications. Recent Publication Associated with the Society are. 'A Computer Mapped Flora' by D. A. Cadbury, J. G. Hawkes and R. C. Readett, 1971 - a study of the flora of Vice-County 38, Warwickshire, published in conjunction with the University of Birmingham.
'A Fungus Flora of Warwickshire' edited by M.C.Clark, 1980, published in conjunction with the University of Birmingham and the British Mycological Society. Described
'Lepidoptera of the Midland (Birmingham) Plateau', published in 'Proceedings of the Birmingham Natural History Society
' Vol.26, Nos.3 and 4, 1992/93. Officers
President - Mrs J. A. Osborne
Secretary - Dr Peter Jarvis
Mycological Section - Dr.David Antrobus
Entomological Section - Mr L. J. Evans
Programme - Mr Brian Perry
List of contacts:- Dr Peter Jarvis (Direct email links do not work with all emailers)
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