Herbarium Symposium 2026

About this event

Join is for the Herbarium Symposium 2026 at Lincolnshire University with an optional visit to Horncastle. Celebrating the flora of Lincolnshire, the Fens and the wider UK, alongside plant science and the use of seed banks and herbaria, over two days at the University of Lincoln. Join us for a site visit to Horncastle, the formal launch of the magnum opus Fenland Flora, and a day of talks and discussions about plants, herbaria, seed banks, and the scientific stories they can tell us about a changing world. Optional tour of Horncastle Herbarium and related facilities – Friday 20 November 2026 Join Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Sir Joseph Banks Society on a tour of their facilities created during the National Lottery Heritage Fund supported project, Love Lincs Plants. This included creating a contemporary herbarium and demonstration habitat beds and meadows that can act as a living seed bank in the market town of Horncastle. A free coach will transport people to and from Lincoln train station, and lunch will be provided in Horncastle. The site visit is optional and requires a separate ticket. • 11.00: Coach departs Lincoln Train Station for Horncastle • 11.45: Arrive Horncastle , visit the Herbarium, Joseph Banks Centre and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust HQ’s living seed bank. Buffet lunch provided • 14.30: Coach departs Horncastle • 15.15: Coach arrives back at Lincoln Train Station Official Launch of Herbaria 2026 and Fenland Flora - 6pm - 9pm, Friday 20 November 2026 Professor Libby John will give the welcoming address to the symposium and introduce Owen Mountford and Jon Graham to launch their comprehensive two-volume hardback book: The Fenland Flora The Fenland basin was the largest lowland wetland in Britain, straddling six historic counties. It now has a reputation for uniformity, but The Fenland Flora disproves that assumption, showing how an impressive range of plants survive against the odds, and how the region is a key biodiversity stronghold for some groups. There will be an opportunity to browse exhibits and network with representatives of the partners in the Love Lincs Plants project: Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Lincolnshire Naturalists’ Union, Natural History Museum, Sir Joseph Banks Society and the University of Lincoln, for the launch and welcome evening. Herbarium Symposium – Saturday 21 November 2026 A chance to immerse yourself in plants – alive and preserved – through listening to a series of presentations and exploring the topics through questions with experts in their field and the collaborating partners. Refreshments and lunch are provided. • 09.00: Registration opens • 09.30: Welcoming address and introduction to day • 09.45: Session 1 – The importance of plants and what they are telling us • 10.45: Q&A • 11.00: Morning break • 11.30: Session 2 – The importance of herbaria and seed banking • 13.00: Q&A • 13.15: Lunch • 14.00: Session 3 – Building skills and collections • 15.00: Q&A • 15.30: Wrap-up and depart