Recipient of the BNA’s Richard Fitter Memorial Medal 2009 is Paul Ferris MBNA. The presentation was made by Professor David Bellamy, President of the Association. This award celebrates the experience of a proven field naturalist in identification and other field skills, as is appropriate with the presentation of a medal in the name of Richard Fitter. Paul Ferris exemplifies the value of the practical field naturalist working on his local patch, he is an active recorder of the natural history of the area where London meets Epping Forest. He is a long time member of the Wren Conservation and Wildlife Group, keenly involved in fieldwork and recording sightings. From 1980 to 1983 Paul wrote a series of papers on ‘The Flora of Southern Epping Forest’ from this survey work for the journal of the London Natural History Society, ‘The London Naturalist’, including in 1983 the flora of Gilbert’s Slade, and the area around Forest School. He later published in 1994 & 1997 ‘The Flora of the old Redbridge Sewage Works’ and ‘The Flora of the City of London Cemetery’ in the ‘Essex Naturalist’. Paul maintains the Wren Conservation Group website, keeping records available, but when the Wren Group for a period of time focussed their activities on Wanstead Park, Paul developed his Wanstead Wildlife.org.uk website, so that records would continue to be made for the overall Wanstead area.

The area of Epping Forest that is probably best recorded outside of High Beech, is the area around Forest School including Wanstead Park due to the recording activities of the Wren Conservation Group. We only have those records because someone worked at it, and wrote them up, and for a significant part of those records that person was Paul Ferris.

Recipient of the BNA’s Richard Fitter Memorial Award: 2008 Endymion Beer FZS MBOU MBNA In keeping with the recollection of RSR Fitter’s prodigious output of field guides, it is appropriate that the first recipient is not only someone who uses such sources in her 16 years of experience in leading wildlife walks in Devon & Exmoor, but also is someone who has written a number of local wildlife guidebooks. Endymion co-wrote these with her colleague Trevor Beer, and they include Birds of Devon, Wildflowers of the Devon Coast, The Devon Seashore, Wildflowers of the Devon Hedgerow, etc. Similarly her book A Celebration of the Fauna & Flora of the Bible is also a combined project. She wrote & illustrated A Pocketful of Birds. She collaborates with Trevor and the Western Morning News on the Wildlife Havens Projects. She manages 2 private nature reserves of 18 acres in north Devon. She is also the BNA’s Youth Officer.

The Inaugural Presentation of the BNA’s Richard Fitter Memorial Award: The first presentation of the British Naturalists’ Association’s Richard Fitter Memorial Medal was made by Richard’s son, Professor Alastair Fitter BA PhD FRS HonFBNA, Pro-Vice Chancellor of York University. Alastair talked of his father’s illustrious life and his enjoyment of natural history. Professor Fitter then put the medal over the head of Miss Endymion Beer FZS MBOU MBNA as the first recipient of the memorial medal.