Jonathan Briggs Associates: News & updates

For the 2011/12 winter season we are launching a new project, the Mistletoe League, to investigate mistletoe on fruit trees - aiming to gather information on mistletoe management in orchards and gardens, including data on which varieties of fruit tree mistletoe prefers.

This is a subject area where there is currently very little hard data (despite lots of anecdotal information) and it's hoped the new initiative will help determine future mistletoe management needs. Details are available at www.british.mistletoe.org.uk.

Ongoing mistletoe initiatives from earlier in the year include re-assessment of mistletoe's Uk distribution, investigating reported increased spread in some areas, and further studies of mistletoe-dependent insects. A review of this has recently been published in British Wildlife magazine (Vol 23.1 October 2011).

New media projects for the winter season and 2012 include a review of various publishing initiatives, including the overdue (due to the publisher going bust!) of the Canal Wildlife book, and, more imminently, development of a Kindle edition of the Little Book About Mistletoe.

A new review of wildlife issues on canals is currently being prepared by Jonathan Briggs, and is due to be published in British Wildlife in April 2012.

Redevelopment of websites for various clients, including the Romany Society and Stroud Civic Society is due later in the New Year.

Upcoming projects for 2012 include development of a new research project on teasels - their ecology and historic industrial usage. And a new blog project on plant names might be coming soon too...

More details on these, and other news, later in 2012...