Czech Botanical Society

The Czech Botanical Society (Česká botanická společnost, ČBS) is a non-governmental, non-profit scientific society founded on 17 June 1912 in Prague, where it has been seated since its inception at Benátská 2. It brings together professional and amateur botanists and others interested in botany, and it supports science, education, public awareness, and the protection and restoration of nature. The Society operates as a scientific society within the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and continues the activities of the Czechoslovak Botanical Society. The Society's activities include lectures, conferences, excursions, floristic courses, and publishing. Its vision is that people admire the beauty of plants and understand their diversity, and that this knowledge leads to the preservation of diverse nature for future generations. Its mission is to develop knowledge of the plant world, pass professional knowledge to the public, and use it to protect the diversity of plants and their natural environment. The Society publishes three journals. Preslia, first published in 1914 and named in honour of the botanists Jan Svatopluk Presl and Karel Bořivoj Presl, is today a peer-reviewed scientific impact journal covering plant systematics, morphology, phytogeography, ecology, and vegetation, with a geographical focus on Central Europe. Zprávy České botanické společnosti (Reports of the Czech Botanical Society) was established in 1966 and is the only purely botanical periodical with nationwide scope publishing articles in Czech. Bryonora, established in 1988, is the journal of the bryological-lichenological section and publishes articles in Czech, Slovak, and English twice a year. The Society is divided into thematically focused sections (e.g., floristic, bryological-lichenological) and geographically defined branches (e.g., Moravian-Silesian, South Bohemian). These sections and branches carry out their own activities, such as excursions, lectures, and workshops. Annual conferences have been organized since 1973, and a floristic course takes place every summer. The Society cooperates closely with the Slovak Botanical Society, and many Slovak colleagues remain members. After the collapse of communism in 1989, fully democratic principles were adopted, including a new statute and democratic elections. The first chairman of the reformed Society was Dr. Josef Holub. After the separation of Slovakia from Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Society returned to its original name, Czech Botanical Society. The Society is active today, with its sections and branches continuing to organize events and publish literature.

The Czech Botanical Society was established on 17 June 1912 in the building where it still seats today, under the name Česká botanická společnost (Societas botanica čechica). Its first chairman was Prof. Josef Velenovský, followed by Prof. Karel Domin, both distinct Czech botanists of the first half of the twentieth century. The Society's seat has been at Benátská 2 in Prague since the beginning. From the outset it organized lectures and excursions throughout the country. In 1914, the first volume of the journal Preslia was published, shortly before the wartime interruption of the Society's activities. The activities of the Society, including the publishing of the journal, were disturbed by both world wars. The journal Preslia was restored in 1952 and has since that time been published quarterly. During the communist regime (1948–1989) its functioning was also partly disturbed, especially in the early 1950s and then after the Russian occupation in 1968, but the Society managed to avoid most oppression by concentrating strictly on professional activities. In 1966, a second journal, Reports of the Czech (Czechoslovak) Botanical Society (Zprávy České botanické společnosti), was established, and since 1973 annual conferences have been organized. A third journal, Bryonora, was established in 1988. The Bryological-Lichenological Section was founded on 29 February 1988, with its constituting meeting on 25 April 1988, and the first issue of the Bryonora newsletter appeared in December 1988. After the collapse of communism in 1989, fully democratic principles of the functioning of the Society were adopted, including a new statute and democratic elections of the representatives. The first chairman of the reformed Society was Dr. Josef Holub. After the separation of Slovakia from the former Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Society returned to its original name Czech Botanical Society, but many Slovak colleagues remained members of the Society (and vice versa). The Slovak and Czech Societies cooperate closely, organizing floristic courses and conferences. Today the Society continues as a scientific society within the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, divided into thematically focused sections (e.g., floristic, bryological-lichenological) and geographically defined branches (e.g., Moravian-Silesian, South Bohemian). It organizes lectures, conferences, excursions, floristic courses, and publishes literature. Its journals include Preslia, a peer-reviewed scientific impact journal; Zprávy ČBS, the only purely botanical periodical with nationwide scope publishing in Czech; and Bryonora, the journal of the bryological-lichenological section.

• 1993

  After the separation of Slovakia, the Society returns to its original name Czech Botanical Society.

• 1989

  After the collapse of communism, democratic principles adopted; Josef Holub becomes first chairman of the reformed Society.

• 1988

  Third journal, Bryonora, established; Bryological-Lichenological Section founded on 29 February.

• 1973

  Annual conferences begin to be organized.

• 1966

  Second journal, Zprávy České (Československé) botanické společnosti, established.

• 1952

  Preslia restored and published quarterly.

• 1914

  First volume of the journal Preslia published.

• 1912

  Czech Botanical Society established on 17 June in Prague; Josef Velenovský becomes first chairman.

Non-governmental, non-profit scientific society for botanists in the Czech Republic, affiliated with the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.

• Preslia

  Peer-reviewed scientific impact journal covering plant systematics, morphology, phytogeography, ecology and vegetation, with a focus on Central Europe. First published in 1914.

• Zprávy České botanické společnosti

  Journal established in 1966; the only purely botanical periodical with nationwide scope publishing articles in Czech.

• Bryonora

  Journal of the bryological-lichenological section, established in 1988; published twice a year in Czech, Slovak and English.

1. 1Czech Botanical Society | Czech Botanical Societybotanospol.cz
2. 2Brief history of the Society | Czech Botanical Societybotanospol.cz
3. 3Kontakty, výbor, historie | Czech Botanical Societybotanospol.cz
4. 4About the Society | Czech Botanical Societybotanospol.cz
5. 5Czech Botanical Societywikidata.org
6. 6Česká botanická společnostcs.wikipedia.org