London’s first moss trail launched
by Alice Wright
One of the shots taken at the photography workshop featuring moss from the trail, credit: SLBI
The South London Botanical Institute (SLBI) has launched London’s first trail dedicated to mosses and liverworts.
The trail features twelve different bryophytes in the SLBI garden. These include the curly Tortula muralis (Wall Screw-moss), silvery Bryum argenteum (Silver-moss) and the vivid yellow-green Barbula unguiculata (Bird’s-claw Beard-moss).
“The SLBI has a history of over 100 years of bringing botany to the people of South London in an unusual and inspiring way, and our Moss Trail will be a great addition,” said Roy Vickery, SLBI’s President.
The trail is the culmination of a two-year “Mad about Mosses” project funded with a grant of £25,000 from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. Previous activities have included field identification trips, lectures, moss graffiti workshops, moss photography and drawing classes and children’s moss drama days.
The SLBI is also set to unveil a new website and refurbished lecture room this week, funded as part of the institute’s £100,000 support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The new website will allow visitors to take full advantage of all the SLBI’s events and activities, while the revamped lecture hall boasts wallpaper designed by local artist Augusta Akerman and inspired by the SLBI garden and herbarium.
The SLBI is open on Thursdays (10am-4pm) and Saturdays (10am-2pm) for people to visit the garden, library and herbarium. Full details of all other events and activities can be found on the SLBI’s website, www.slbi.org.uk.