Our September meeting is on Saturday 13th and this month, we welcome our own branch secretary, Carl Howard-Morton, who will be giving us the maiden voyage of a brand new talk: "Twice Across the Andes: Part 1 - Córdoba to Tilcara."
Those who have been following Carl's account in eNews will know that in November 2024, he joined a small team of seven cactus enthusiasts on a trip to Northwest Argentina and Chile.
In this first of a three-part series, we will start our journey in Córdoba before exploring the diverse landscapes of Northwest Argentina: from lush grasslands and ancient granite mountains of the Sierras Chicas; on through the tropical moist forests of the Southern Andean Yungas; into the magical Quebrada del Toro near the historic city of Salta; then reaching the end of the first leg of our journey in Tilcara, nestled in the breathtaking landscapes of the Andes. On the way, we will see dozens of Argentina's unique cacti and other flora, along with some fascinating cultural sights. (We may even get to see a sneak preview of what's coming up in part 2!)
Like many of us, Carl's fascination with succulent plants began when he purchased his first cactus from a market stall in Salford at 11 years of age. This small purchase ignited a lifelong passion that quickly outgrew his bedroom windowsill, expanding his collection into an 8 x 6 greenhouse in his parents' garden. Over the next five decades or so, things got a bit out of hand and today, his mixed collection of cacti and succulents is housed in a 17-foot greenhouse at his home in Oldham.
Carl has travelled to Mexico, Argentina, and Chile to study cacti in their natural habitats. He currently serves as the Seed Distributor and Web Shop Sales Manager for the BCSS and is a member of the Internet Committee. He is also the secretary of Manchester branch.
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Venue: St. Thomas More Church Parish Hall
Mainway
Alkrington
Middleton
Manchester
M24 1PP
Half a mile from J20 of the M60 ring road. What3Words: ///outer.hobby.flies
Please arrive from 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. Meetings are usually on the second Saturday of the month, but please check our events page first, just in case:
https://manchester.bcss.org.uk/syllabus/
Not a BCSS member? No problem! Visitors are always welcome at our meetings, so why not come along and see what we're all about? Admission is free.
We look forward to seeing you all!</photos:>
You may also like the following events from Manchester Branch of the British Cactus and Succulent Society:
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Meetups in Middleton,
Trips & Adventurous Activities in Middleton.
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