Welcome to Mistletoe Matters... ...the website for talks, walks and advice on all aspects of mistletoe:
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Mistletoe Matters has been set up by Jonathan Briggs, who has over 25 years experience of working with parasitic plants.Mistletoe is a particular interest, which he has developed considerably over the last 15 years, starting with the founding, co-ordination and data analysis of the Plantlife/BSBI National Mistletoe Survey in 1993-96. That survey aimed to establish whether British mistletoe was threatened by the continuing loss of traditional apple orchards - mistletoe's favourite habitat and host in the UK. Results were mixed - with mistletoe in reduced quantity, but apparently surviving, in former orchard areas. It is increasingly scarce outside the counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.
Since then Jonathan has been involved in numerous other mistletoe initiatives ranging from anthroposophic mistletoe conferences in Germany, through promotion of mistletoe growing by druids, to conservation of mistletoe in London Parks and promotion of the threatened mistletoe auctions in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire. His website, The Mistletoe Pages, has become extremely popular at Christmas! Current mistletoe initiatives include: Plus the online Mistletoe Diary, now in its sixth season. There is always considerable media interest in mistletoe - and Jonathan has extensive media experience through both mistletoe and other work. Media enquiries are always welcome. Jonathan's own publications on mistletoe include the Plantlife/BSBI Report Kissing Goodbye to Mistletoe? (1999), feature articles in British Wildlife (Dec 1995) and BBC Wildlife (Dec 1996), and a review paper in The Biologist (Dec 2003). Other papers and a mistletoe book are in preparation. Jonathan also runs the Canal Ecology consultancy... |
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About Mistletoe Matters... Talks | Walks | Advice | Media/Picture Library | Contact
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The Mistletoe Matters Consultancy provides information on all aspects of mistletoe in the UK, where the only native species is European Mistletoe Viscum album. We offer talks on all aspects of mistletoe, walks in mistletoe country, and advice on growing, controlling and conserving mistletoe. Mistletoe Matters has been set up by Jonathan Briggs, a national mistletoe expert. More information on Jonathan can be found here - and much much more information on mistletoe can be found on his main website The Mistletoe Pages. New guidance on mistletoe management (conserving it, growing it, managing it when there's too much etc) is being prepared (Summer 2009). Details will be announced here soon. For information on buying mistletoe in the UK, or on the Tenbury Wells Mistletoe Festival, click these links: |
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TalksJonathan Briggs is available for talks on everything to do with mistletoe.His 'Mistletoe Miscellany' digital slide presentation covers (almost) everything you need to know, including:
Other talks are also available, tailored to you or your group's particular interests. For more details and booking requests please contact us. |
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WalksWalks in 'Mistletoe Country' can be arranged, complete with demonstrations of how to harvest and of how to grow your own. |
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AdviceGeneral advice on mistletoe matters (growing, harvesting, controlling, collecting mistletoe art, traditions etc) is also available.Basic information is now available via the Mistletoe Pages FAQ page.For matters not covered there please contact us. |
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Media/Picture LibraryJonathan Briggs has extensive media experience, and is available to advise on or take part in media events, interviews etc.He also has an extensive mistletoe photo-library available for media use. A new version is currently (Spring 2009) being compiled.Charges apply to pictures (rates and terms) and to significant media advice. Contact details are below.Mistletoe coverage is a regular feature in the run-up to Christmas - but aspects such as how to grow it, and its use in medicine are covered throughout the year. Conservation was the main theme in the 1990s, with regular coverage on radio and TV news as well as in the press. There are usually 3 or 4 mistletoe features in the broadsheets each season. Providing new material is not often a problem - there's always something new happening with mistletoe! TV coverage has led to innumerable interviews for breakfast, lunch and evening TV news and magazine programmes in the UK and abroad. Radio coverage has been similar - all the major networks, several times, and countless local stations. Radio coverage has also included two half-hour programmes (BBC R4 and BBC Scotland). From 2004 media coverage concentrated on the apparent threat to the traditional Mistletoe Market at Tenbury Wells - and the consequent founding of the Tenbury Mistletoe Festival and National Mistletoe Day (more information on this from TEME and from the Festival). More recently (2008 onwards) there has been more interest in the ongoing threats to mistletoe -rich orchards though neglect, overgrowth of mistletoe etc. There will be more news on this in 2009. Have a look at this entry from the 2008 Mistletoe Blog for some background information. Plus, of course, lots of ongoing light-hearted coverage, such as the BBC2 TV Ready Steady Cook Mistletoe v. Christmas Tree special in December 2005. Jonathan's own articles on mistletoe range from popular accounts for BBC Wildlife through to formal papers. The survey results booklet Kissing Goodbye to Mistletoe? is now difficult to obtain but a new Mistletoe book is in prep. A fuller list of articles is given here. |
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ContactMistletoe Matters is based in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, UK.We can be contacted by email: jonathanbriggs@mistletoe.org.uk Or by phone: BUT... please have a look at the FAQs page before emailing or phoning - many answers are already available there! Back to top |
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