Dr. Barbara Jones, climber, BMC volunteer, ecologist and Snowdon Lily expert.

Outdoor Lives by Mike Raine

Barbara is an ecologist and climber who was, until a few years ago, the Upland Ecologist for Wales involved in researching and advising on the ecology, conservation and management of the Welsh uplands. Her main interest is in arctic-alpine vegetation and she is the expert on the Snowdon Lily. Cwm Idwal is a special place for arctic-alpines and it was Barbara who worked to conserve these plants and increase the size of their populations by removing most grazing from the Cwm. Hopefully, you have spotted the difference there in recent years! Barbara often pops up on TV as ‘the strange woman who hangs off ropes looking at plants in the mountains. She has a long association with the BMC where she acts as an adviser on the interaction between climbing and the natural world. She taught outdoor education for a number of years and being an active climber she works hard to help reduce conflict between recreation and conservation interests. In recent years this has included setting up the ‘Groups in Gorges’ initiative, the White Guide booklet, informing winter climbers how to reduce their impact on cliff vegetation and writing conservation notes for the Climbers Club guides in North Wales.