The Flora and Vegetation of Shropshire is a remarkable new publication which describes the distribution and ecology of every one of the plants and types of vegetation types found wild in the county. It takes knowledge and understanding of our flora to new levels. The Flora and Vegetation of Shropshire will play an important part in helping us to know and conserve the special character and amazing diversity still present within the Shropshire landscape.
It represents a tremendous amount of effort by the authors and society members and co-operation from the people of Shropshire. As many as 350 000 records have been made by well over 1 000 recorders made since the last account in 1985. Attractively designed and illustrated with species and location photographs and maps, this book aims to make the diversity, abundance and beauty present in the Shropshire flora available to everyone from beginners to experts.
Alex Lockton, who graduated in Biology from Queen Mary College, London University, and with a MPhil from the University of Birmingham, is the national Website and Network Officer of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) and serves on their Publications, and Training and Education Committee. He is an associate tutor on the Biological Recording Programmes at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Dr Sarah Whild, who graduated in Biological Sciences at the University of Wolverhampton and was awarded her PhD at the University of Birmingham, is a long-term Shrewsbury resident and since 1997 the official Vice-county Recorder for Shropshire for BSBI. She is a trustee of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, a trustee of the Field Studies Council and Vice-president of the Linnean Society of London. She is chair of the national Training and Education Committee of BSBI and Senior Lecturer in Plant Ecology at the Shrewsbury Office of Manchester Metropolitan University for whom she heads their biological recording programmes.
"[...] overall this is a superbly researched and produced flora that provides a wealth of local information, and gives insight into changes happening to the flora of this important county."
– Peter Thomas, BES Bulletin 46(4), December 2015