Biosearch Expeditions

2010-11-15T11:03:00.004Z

We leave for Malawi for our pioneer Christmas Expedition to the Nyika National Park in just over three weeks. We have three schools in Lincolnshire ready to link up with three schools near the Park in Malawi to improve international understanding and encourage environmental education. We are delighted to have a herpetologist and botanist from Malawi joining our team this year.

We enjoyed the Nyika Vwaza Trust annual event and the Explore 2010 weekend at the Royal Geographical Society, making more useful contacts and continuing our representation at the heart of Nyika Conservation. We are now Patroni naturae of the Nyika Vwaza Trust, which means we have forget closer links to support direct conservation action on the Nyika. Our reports are now accessible by a link through their website and of course through our own Reports secton of the Biosearch Expeditions website. Pictured above are Peter Overton, Sarah Sandon (2009 expedition) Marianne Overton and Dr Dick Brummitt, consultant to Biosearch for many years and also member of 1972 Expedition to Nyika with Peter Overton. Also Quincy Connell on the right who has led several of our expeditions.

2010-10-04T09:07:00.000+01:00

COMING TO THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOC IETY ON TUESDAY 9TH NOVEMBER?

Marianne and myself are planning to be there for the annual Nyika-Vwaza Trust evening. Always interesting and a chance to meet others with a Nyika passion.

Please join us if you can.

Doors open at 6pm

The lecture, “Thin on the Ground: Land Resources Survey in Malawi and the Commonwealth”, will be given by Professor Anthony Young.

He tells the story of how the agricultural potential of Malawi has been assessed, as a contribution both to Colonial history and to the history of science.

Those interested in the capacity of Malawi's land to feed its people will want to attend.

Anthony Young was Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia, and subsequently Principal Scientist at the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, Nairobi. His numerous and wide-ranging publications on the environment, resources and land management include studies of the development problems of Malawi extending over more than 40 years.

The UN has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity, making this a
timely lecture.

There will be a cash bar both before and after the lecture, when Malawian merchandise will be on sale.

All profits will go towards the conservation of the Nyika National Park and the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve.

Just give us a call or email if you can join us; the tickets are £18

We are now organised for our December expedition to the Nyika and have a place for you on our transport if you can make it 12th-29th December. Go for it!

Camp reunion

2010-06-14T21:50:00.004+01:00

Fifteen expeditioners, some pictured here, got together for a night in camp on June 12th. After a soggy week the weather cleared to give a fine day but some challenge in getting a good fire going with damp wood. Bill Renwick, our expert fire lighter made light work of it on the Sunday morning. Quincy Connell put up a selection of tents in one of his regular demos. Our December 2010 expedition is underway with some of the team signing up for a Christmas south of the equator enjoying the early Malawian summer.

2010-02-02T12:21:00.004Z

2010-02-02T11:42:00.002Z

STOP PRESS

Biosearch runners are entering the Lincoln 10 k charity run on March 28th. You can join us by registering on https://online-services.lincoln.gov.uk/AF3/an/default.aspx/RenderForm/?ID=Svf9rJmQJw9&F.Name=p5yuh69Em6F&fs2s=McGYoSTNwkB. Or just look up Lincoln 10 km run on your search engine.

We shall be raising money for cerebral palsy and also to fund the Educational Charity, Malo, set up by Biosearch Expedition team members to support the children of game scouts and others.

Can you join us for the run and for lunch afterwards? Just let us know and we will make arrangements to go as a group.

Last year the laid back group cruised round in 1 hr 15 minutes so it is not too serious, just an appetiser for lunch!

Joining us out in Malawi this year? Plenty of time to get on board and we would love to hear from you. Just give us a call on 01400 273323 to have a chat.

In 2009 we explored the virtually unvisited Mwenembwe Forest on the Nyika eastern escarpment for the first time and Steven Mphamba, seen here found yet more new species for the Millenium Seed Bank collection

Royal Geographical Society Evening

2009-12-14T17:19:00.007Z

Peter and Marianne Overton photographed here at the Royal Geographical Society on Wednesday 9th December, with Prof Brian Morris, who gave an entertaining lecture on "Animals in Malawian Culture and Beliefs". We were delighted to meet up with past Biosearch team members and get out some invitations for our lunch on January 16th. Don't forget this fun launch to 2010!

Photo left: Biosearch expeditioners Sarah Sandon, Marianne and Peter Overton, with His Excellency, Francis Moto, London University lecturer Mpalive Msiska from Rumphi District and Acting Chairman of the Nyika Vwaza Trust.

2009-10-22T16:31:00.004+01:00

COME TO LONDON FOR A NYIKA NIGHT IN EARLY DECEMBER

We invite you to join us at the Royal Geographical Society on Wednesday 9th December to support The Nyika-Vwaza (UK) Trust

A lecture by Professor Brian Morris entitled“Animals, Anthu and Ancestors : Relationships between Malawians and the World of Wildlife”Brian Morris is Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He is a lively speaker and his lecture will help to inform non-Malawians about the complex factors that motivate Malawians in their relationships with, and attitudes to, the wildlife around them.

Admission tickets are £15 per person.
Please email nyika@biosearch.org.uk for a ticket or ring 01400 273323

Doors open at 6 pm. The Chairman’s Welcome will be at 6.45 p.m followed by a brief account of work-in-progress and the Lecture.

A cash bar will be available both before and after the lecture. Doors close at 9 p.m.

Expedition Photo session

2009-09-01T11:06:00.002+01:00

Saturday 19th September

Starts at 3 pm

We are having our post expedition photo show and barbecue; all are invited.

The event is free but only if you prebook your place

Full briefing and update on recent expedition with some really great photos hot from the bush

Free bush cook-out in the wood

Option to camp overnight and enjoy a camp fire breakfast - or leave at your convenience

E mail now on expeditions@biosearch.org.uk to secure your place

2009-02-24T17:19:00.003Z

Our expedition training weekend on 2nd-4th May is one of the best events of the year. If you really want to know how our expeditions work without leaving the country then this one is for you. A complete 48 hour mock-up of the real thing!

If you are one of our 2009 team members or a past member of a team you will know this event is free but we want to lower the bar to encourage others to have a taster so here is a little incentive.

Book your place at half price before the end of March!

Just £99 for the weekend. If you want a full schedule of the programme then simply ask and we will send one to you.

If you subsequently join our team then the cost can contribute towards your place in the bush so the event becomes effectively free.

If you are not sure whether you can make it then you can still book later, subject to availability but the full advertised price applies.

Go for it! We hope you can join us.

Photo copyright David Bailey. Biosearch sponsors the Kestrel in the new Bird Atlas of Britain and Ireland

2009-02-10T10:06:00.001Z

SPONSHORSHIP OF THE KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus)

Biosearch Expeditions has its roots in actively assisting wildlife conservation in the UK and also in the Nyika National Park in Malawi. Each year we take teams out to the remotest parts of the bush to camp and explore, recording data on all wildlife and assisting with monitoring poaching activity.

In the UK we have received the Lincolnshire Environmental Award for our farm, where we operate our training weekends and other events, which are open to all.

We have now set up a sponsorship agreement with the British Trust for Ornithology http://www.bto.org/ to support wild bird monitoring and the new Atlas of Breeding and Wintering Birds in the UK and Ireland.

The bird we are sponsoring for this atlas is the Common Kestrel. Kestrels have a wide distribution in Europe, Asia and Africa but are particularly well known in Britain, where they are frequently seen hovering over motorway verges or seen sitting on roadside posts. In Africa there are other subspecies of this iconic bird. In the Nyika National Park Falco tinnunculus rupicolis can be seen over the short grassland but it is far from common and we have not found evidence of breeding. We encourage those with an interest in birds and all wildlife to join our teams to help us research and explore the wildlife resources of Nyika. It is a beautiful upland wilderness, with fresh clear air, magnificent open skies and an absence of mosquitoes.

(Photo by permission of David Bailey)

Lincolnshire Lunch January 2009

2009-01-13T11:19:00.003Z

Open to All

Do not miss:

The FREE

Lincolnshire speciality bush lunch – but held indoors next to a roaring fire!

hot and delicious!

Saturday 24th January at 12 noon

Hilltop Farm
Welbourn
Lincs LN5 0QH

Drive direct or if you can get to Newark station we can arrange to get you here and back again.

RSVP 01400 273323 or by email.

Congratulations Tooni!

2008-11-21T10:07:00.003Z

CONGRATULATIONS TO TOONI!

I dont know whether you have been watching the BBC programme Oceans , which is showing on Wednesday evenings but it is worth seeing if you are interested in under water life and great photography.

Tooni Mahto, who features in this series, was a member of the 1999 September Biosearch Expedition team in the Juniper Forest area of Southern Nyika. She is seen here (from right) with Marianne Overton (Biosearch Expeditions), Mary Anne Bartlett (Wildlife artist) and David Bowden (Yachtmaster and Marine Biologist).

Toonis bubbly character was a strong support to our team and was clearly going to mark her out for a great career. We offer her our congratulations on landing a fascinating part in this series. She is not the first Biosearch expeditioner to go on to exciting new things after her Nyika expedition and we hope your experience will prove equally valuable.

I am off to London on Tuesday for the ‘In the footsteps of Laurens van der Post’ talk by Carl Bruessow. (www.biosearch.org.uk/noticeboard.htm). at the RGS

Hope you can get there but if not, come and do some real exploring with us in 2009. We are building our next team now.

Best wishes,

Peter Overton
Project Director
Biosearch Nyika

http://www.biosearch.org.uk/

Forthcoming lectures supported by Biosearch

2008-10-21T09:55:00.002+01:00

Here is one for your diary:

For those who would like to meet up and discuss our unique expeditions in the Nyika National Park and can make this evening venue on 25th November at 18.45 at the Royal Geographical Society, please get in touch Tel: 01400 273323.

Sir Laurens van der Post was our early patron prior to his death at the age of 90.

Here are the details:

The Nyika-Vwaza (UK) Trust Annual Lecture

This year's lecture is titled "Venture To The Interior" Revisited and will be given by Carl Bruessow, Executive Director of the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust and also a Founder Trustee and the Hon. Secretary of the Nyika-Vwaza Trust (Malawi). He will talk about the conservation challenge on Mount Mulanje and the Nyika Plateau 60 years after Laurens van der Post. There will be a cash bar both before and after the lecture.There will also be an exhibition and sale of paintings by Malawian artists, with proceeds from the sale of these, and other products, being invested in the conservation of the Nyika National Park and the Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve, both in northern Malawi.

Expedition Talk at University of Lincoln

2008-10-14T09:37:00.002+01:00

RESPONSIBLE, PURPOSEFUL AND A GREAT EXPERIENCE

JOIN OUR TEAM
LIVING AND WORKING IN THE AFRICAN BUSH TO ENHANCE YOUR CV.

UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN ARCHITECTURE BUILDING
LARGE LECTURE THEATRE AR0107

TUESDAY 28 OCTOBER 6.30 PM
FOR A TALK WITH SUPERB PHOTOS.

Biosearch Expeditions
http://www.biosearch.org.uk/

Supported by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife in Malawi

Gallery Photos

2008-10-11T13:13:00.003+01:00

Hello,

We have started to upload some choice photographs from our recent Biosearch Expedition to Nyika and Vwaza.

You can take a look on our website at www.biosearch.org.uk/gallery_2008/index.htm

The new gallery will be updated from time to time and we shall notify you of any website changes if you Contact Us and join our supporters group (no charge)

The 2009 summer expedition dates are equivalent and the costs the same as in 2008.

Thanks for your interest and I hope you will be able to join us for one of our free events, or the 2009 training weekend or the expedition itself. All are available separately to members on our mailing list, so please don't be afraid to come along - even if you cannot join us in the bush to provide the much needed assistance to the local scouts and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

Biosearch is investing in your and their future - a very worthwhile investment indeed.

RESPONSIBLE, PURPOSEFUL AND A GREAT EXPERIENCE

Best wishes,

C Peter OvertonProject DirectorBiosearch ExpeditionsWayfarer LodgeWelbournLincs LN5 0QH

Tel: 01400 273323http://www.biosearch.org.uk/

Expedition Team Photo and Barbecue Event

2008-09-24T07:42:00.002+01:00

On a rare magnificent late summer afternoon the sun shone down on our expedition photo show. A gathering, which included team members from 2008 and earlier years and other interested people, enjoyed seeing some of the recent photographs.

The venue was the gallery in the barn at Hilltop Farm. We were able to put together some of the best of the photographs from Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh, taken just a few weeks ago. Other material is currently being processed and will be posted on this website shortly.

The presentation was followed by a barbecue of Lincolnshire sausages in the warm sunshine, which continued until dark.

CDs of our current PowerPoint are available on request. Just fill in the Comments section on the Contact Us Page of this website.

2008-09-04T11:40:00.004+01:00

Explorer’s return

The 2008 Biosearch Expedition team have now returned from their month of exploration of the Nyika National Park and the remote northern marsh of Vwaza, in Malawi, Central Africa.

This is the latest in a series of responsible wildlife research expeditions, supported by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife in Malawi. Volunteers are sought for the next expeditions in July and December 2009.

“The team achieved a great deal for conservation of wildlife and had a lot of fun doing it. People of a wide spread of ages and from different backgrounds gelled well, living and working together in this area of wilderness in central Africa,” said Marianne Overton, who co-ordinates the science.

Caption: Some of the younger members of the Biosearch 2008 team, enjoying one of the impromptu evening concerts in the bush.

“We are currently sorting through hundreds of photos in preparation for our picture show on 20th September. It is a free event - but you will need to book your place in advance since we have limited space in the barn and we need to know numbers for catering.

Hilltop Farm, Welbourn, Lincs (12 miles east of Newark - map on request)
Saturday 20th September 2008 3.00 pm

The team is writing a book about their experiences and will be meeting to discuss that at 3 pm. Anyone arriving with a team member can enjoy the conservation area adjacent to the barn. At 4 pm. we shall hold the picture show and briefing about the expedition for the benefit of all. At 5 pm. we are cooking out and enjoying an informal gathering until dark.

If you need to camp overnight there is plenty of space for tents or camper vans. Contact us now for your free place.

2008-07-22T11:36:00.002+01:00

The 2008 Expedition team is assembling in Lilongwe this week and we shall be leaving for the Nyika National Park on Sunday. We expect to collect yet more excellent photographs of our long-running wildlife research expeditions in cooperation with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife of Malawi.
We hope you will try and join us on Saturday 20th September at 4 p.m. for our illustrated talk and barbecue. It's free but you do need to book; just e-mail for reserved place.

Why not put another date in your diary too.

An Evening at the RGS is scheduled for Tuesday 25 November 2008 when Carl Bruessow, Executive Director of the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust and Secretary/trustee of the Malawi Nyika-Vwaza Trust will give a Talk entitled

'Venture to the Interior' - Revisited. The Conservation Challenge on Mount Mulanje and Nyika Plateau 60 years after Laurens van der Post.

Further details will be posted in September.

The office will now be closed until 26th August.

300 people support Biosearch Expedition concert

2008-06-24T12:45:00.004+01:00

An astonishing 300 people filled Bottesford Church in Nottinghamshire for a summer evening concert on Saturday. Pippa Stubbs had organised a musical evening, with all the artists being her talented musical friends at Oakham school. She persuaded her parents and friends to invite everyone they knew and they brought their friends along too! The performances were of a superb standard and the crowd was delighted.

The result; Pippa has raised most of her funding requirement for the forthcoming Biosearch Expedition with a single event! A Hog roast and bar added to the evening and one of the other team members drove all the way from Bristol to be there!

Pippa will be the youngest of our 2008 team but she squeaks in with her 18th birthday arriving just before departure. Some of the other team members prefer not to mention their age but our expeditions attract great talent from all quarters, professional and amateur.

The 2009 Expeditions are already building up interest - why not join us?

Biosearch Expedition reunion and party

2008-06-17T12:02:00.002+01:00

On a fine June evening we had a good attendance at our FREE cook-out party in our sheltered woodland. We had a good mix of past team members from three years and others who are keen to join us in 2009. Several people put up their tent and stayed overnight. The menu was, of course, traditional vegetable stew and meat stew, ably prepared by our trained chef Ian Pilcher. Banana custard followed. Really just like our African expeditions, except for the fact that the long evening stretched out to sunset at around 9.30 instead of 6.00 pm in the Nyika. There was lots of wildlife to see, with a barn owl floating by mid evening and a noisy dawn chorus for those who had just about got to sleep around 3.30 a.m.

The good news is that if you missed this one you get another chance! Put September 20th in your diary. We shall be viewing some of the photographs from the forthcoming expedition in July and August and this will be followed by another cook out with the option to stay if you wish.

This is open to all on our mailing list so please join us if you can in September.

Woodland party on 14th June gets closer!

2008-05-23T09:41:00.002+01:00

At 5 p.m. on Saturday 14th June there will be woodland cook-out for past, present and prospective future members of Biosearch Expedition teams. In fact for anyone who just wants to come and have a lovely evening out. And to make it easier you can bring a tent (or camper van) and sleep over if your prefer!

Can you think of a better way to spend a long summer evening?

Just Contact Us at www.biosearch.org.uk/contact.htm

for your FREE invitation.

Come by car. Come by train to Newark. Come by bicycle. Walk. But whatever you do, don't miss this fun and FREE event.

Trained and ready to go!

2008-05-06T08:01:00.002+01:00

A Successful Training Weekend for our 2008 Expedition Team.

On a fine early May weekend our team got together to prepare for their Malawi expedition in July and August. If you would like a flavour of what all this is about why not come along to our next woodland event on 14th June. It is free and open to past present and future expeditioners. Full details on request. www.biosearch.org.uk/contact.htm

Meanwhile here are some hot photos from the past couple of days

Team games

Katie

Kaele determined to succeed!

Marianne in action

Michael crossed the pond in record time

Map reading prior to the hike

Team game - getting the team past an obstacle

Fast food from basic ingredients in camp

Navigation training

Katie lights her fire!

Bridget and Imran successfully lighting a fire

Martin and Sophie looking for tracks in woodland

Philippa, Imran and Gordon with Stock Dove

Ian and Philippa involved with ringing project

Bridget with tamed Great Tit

Bridget crossing the lake. Everyone succeeded but not everyone stayed dry!

Training Weekend Approaching

2008-04-10T11:19:00.002+01:00

Would you like to join us for our 48 hour training weekend on 3rd May?
It is over the Bank Holiday. You arrive at 1.00 p.m. on Saturday and leave at 1.00 p.m. on Monday. We can collect you from Newark station. It is not too late to join and it is not only informative but a great camping weekend in the countryside and a chance to meet experienced expeditioners.

Just go to the Training Weekend page and then go through to the Contact Us page. We will call you to confirm availability and give you full details.

Our next Nyika expedition departs on 27 July. We are looking to fill the last place. It could be you. Just contact us now.

Training Programme

2008-04-08T21:12:00.001+01:00

Bringing together a team of 26 people, all of which had different aspirations, and organising them for an expedition for a month is a considerable challenge. However, as with most things in life, the secret is in the preparation. It was not practical to assemble everyone in the UK in advance, since seven of the team members were Malawian. However, we had met three of the Malawian team before and the remainder, being National Parks staff, did not have the same sort of challenge as our UK team members, although learning our way of operating was challenge enough!

The UK team assembled for a training weekend in May. This was a useful opportunity for them to get to know each other better, although most had in fact met in early January at a party organised for this purpose. The weekend was very popular and worked successfully, introducing the team to some of the skills that they were to use in the bush. The training programme is made available to others who are interested, with a view to possibly joining a later team, or indeed have plans to travel in remote areas elsewhere in the world. It is therefore published below for the first time in our expedition report, since it is such an important part of the whole expedition and is in fact more or less compulsory for those who wish to join us.

We have run training along these lines for some time now and our feedback suggests that people thoroughly enjoy the experience. In 2007 we had the added advantage of climatic conditions to suit. The warm dry conditions that prevailed in April continued until the very hour when the team left camp - at which point the heavens started to open and the summer became a memorable one, for the long run of torrential downpours. Our camps attempt to mimic the real conditions of bush living but the climate, the season and the daylength are likely to remain, for the foreseeable future, outside our control!