Life Membership awarded to two stalwarts of the BSS
At our meeting on January 18th 2024 Chris Jeffree and Julia Wilson were each awarded the honour of Life Membership. Both are long-standing members of the BSS who have contributed very strongly over many years as Council Members and office bearers. Chris served as President of the Society from 2008-2010 and Julia in 2019-2021.
Chris Jeffree’s work on aspects of the ultrastructure of plants is known internationally. His images of leaf surfaces made during his employment at Edinburgh University are perhaps his highest achievement. He has also contributed to the field of the phenology of flowering plants– an area which he inherited from his father who researched the food for bees long before it became a fashionable topic. In retirement he developed his innovative techniques for the photography of plants and also pursued an artistic line in glass fusion. In both of these retiral projects he has brought botany to the people. Chris’ lovely photographs can be seen throughout our website, especially in the Plant of the Week Blog.
Julia Wilson’s most important science contributions have been in the context of the NERC Centre of Ecology and Hydrology. She has elucidated aspects of the ecology of dryland ecosystems in Africa, often connected to agroforestry, and in the important field of mycorrhizal associations. In the Botanical Society her contributions to Council have been immense – often she has been the go-to person when others have wondered how to proceed. Her grasp of detail has astonished her colleagues, and her organisation skills have impressed us all.
