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This will be an online event held over Zoom open to members and non-members. It will be free but donations are welcome.

Talks

Dragonflies of Poland, and the European Congress of Odonatology 2026 ~ Agnieszka Tańczuk, PhD, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University

In 2026, European Congress of Odonatology will take place in the heart of Europe – Poland. The main event will be held near the capital city – in Niepokalanów monastery, in Teresin, from the 23rd until the 26th of June. The mid-congress trip is going to be organized in Kampinoski National Park, known as “the green lungs of Warsaw and Mazovia region”. Post congress trips, from 27 th of June until 2 nd of July, will be located in Kashubia ethnocultural region in the northern Poland. There will be the possibility to see such precious Odonata species as: Sympecma paedisca, Ischnura pumilio, Coenagrion hastulatum, Nehalennia speciosa, Aeshna juncea, A. subarctica, A. viridis, Ophiogomphus cecilia, Cordulegaster boltonii, Somatochlora arctica, Leucorrhinia dubia, L. rubicunda, L. pectoralis, L. albifrons, L. caudalis and Sympetrum danae.

Organizing Committee: Adam Tarkowski, Paweł Buczyński, Edyta Buczyńska, Maria Gołąb, Krystian Ołdak, Szymon Śniegula.

See you in Poland!

Quarries and Nature ~ David Payne, Senior Planning Advisor, Mineral Products Association

Quarry restoration projects that are supporting Odonata and nature conservation in Britain.

Going Peat-free ~ Sally Nex, Peat-free Partnership

Peatlands are among our most precious natural resources – yet they’re still being dug up to grow petunias, despite the government promises to bring in a ban. Sally Nex talks about her work as advocate for the Peat-free Partnership and why we must get the peat out of our gardens, once and for all.

Marsh Wood Pond, a case study of Odonata population changes in Oxfordshire ~ Stephen Burch, County Dragonfly Recorder for Oxfordshire.

With seemingly ideal conditions for dragonflies in 2025, it was surprising that casual observers reported a general lack of activity at multiple sites in Oxfordshire during the height of the season. Systematic recording data from four sites were therefore analysed and found to be consistent with this trend in most cases. Possible reasons for this decrease are outlined.

The Weird World of Dragonfly Larvae ~ Jon Van Gowler, a County Dragonfly Recorder for Somerset, and wildlife photographer Mark Webb

Did you see the emerging Emperor on Attenborough’s Will London? Hear from the man who raised them. Dive into the mysterious underwater world of Dragonfly larvae.

Over 200 New Ponds and Counting: How the National Education Nature Park Is Supporting Biodiversity in Schools  ~ Victoria Burton and Tom Lawrence, Natural History Museum, London

The National Education Nature Park is a free, Department for Education–commissioned programme supporting schools, colleges and nurseries across England to create and enhance habitats on their grounds. Since 2023, over 8,000 settings have joined, backed by more than £12 million in grants. This has already resulted in over 200 new ponds and many other wildlife improvements. Alongside habitat creation, young people and educators are mapping their sites and recording species, contributing data that helps reveal biodiversity on educational land – one of the most under‑recorded types in England. This talk will highlight what the programme is achieving and how you can get involved or offer support.

Nature over Natter x BDS Colab ~ Tammie Esslemont Co-founder of Nature Over Natter

This is a community-based social media campaign that aims to prove that there’s a way everyone – including you – can get involved and make a difference.

Programme