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Fern of the Week: Beech Fern
Our next ‘Fern of the Week’ is the delicate Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis, an uncommon species of old woodlands and mountain sides.
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The Tees to High Force
A condensed account of a fantastic trip to Teesdale exploring the wildflowers and ferns to be found near High Force.
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On the hunt for Dryopteris lacunosa
Ramblings on this week’s hunt for a particularly perplexing fern – Alpine Male-fern Dryopteris lacunosa.
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Along the Hareshaw Burn
A short account of a walk along the Hareshaw Burn in search of ferns and other woodland plants.
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Arctic-Alpine Plants in the Cheviots
A report from a spectacular trip to the Cheviots in search of a range of rare and elusive arctic-alpine plants.
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An expedition to Falcon Clints
An account of an overdue expedition to Falcon Clints in Upper Teesdale, a exquisite valley home to all manner of rare and interesting plants
North East Botany
An amalgamation of botanical blog posts, identification crib sheets, special interest pages, and assorted useful information, all centred around the wonderfully diverse plant life of North East England.
Ladybirds
Helpful articles, species profiles, and assorted titbits focused on our surprisingly diverse ladybird fauna, a relatively recent obsession of mine that, unfortunately for my free time, shows no signs of fading.
British Ferns & Clubmosses
A gradually growing library of ferns and fern allies photographed during my ongoing quest to find and enjoy Britain’s pteridophytes, alongside the occasional trip report and identification ramble. Quite unapologetically, my favourite subject of all.
Urban Flora of Newcastle
The Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside is the first comprehensive account of the wild plants growing across the Newcastle and North Tyneside conurbation, one of the largest in the UK.
Published with the generous support of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) and Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN), it is essential reading for botanists, ecologists, conservationists and anyone curious about the surprising richness of nature in Newcastle and urban areas more generally.
Training & Tours
Through my role as Senior Naturalist with the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN), I am lucky to spend much of my time outdoors leading trips, training sessions and guided walks for all manner of groups.
From field trips in search of ferns and orchids to multi-week courses on grasses, ancient woodlands and beginner plant identification, if you are interested in collaborating, please get in touch.
Meet James
Born and raised in North East England, James is a botanist, general naturalist and biological recorder with a passion for sharing the joys of North East nature with others.
He currently works as Senior Naturalist for the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) and volunteers as a vice-county recorder for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), both of which allow him to spend ample time outdoors leading trips, courses, surveys and guided walks.
