Alexandra "Sandy" M. Coppins is a Scottish lichenologist. She was president of the

British Lichen Society The British Lichen Society (BLS) was founded in 1958 with the objective of promoting the study and conservation of lichen. Although the society was founded in London, UK, it is also of relevance to lichens worldwide. It has been a registered c ...

from 2002 to 2004. Coppins and her husband Brian Coppins have worked together for decades, making thousands of lichen surveys in Britain and running training courses about lichens. They have also promoted awareness of the importance of lichen communities and the appropriate management of their habitats especially woodlands and mountainous areas. She was involved with the British Lichen Society for many years including as Communication Secretary. Between 2004 and 2006 she was in charge of a project for

Scottish Natural Heritage NatureScot ( gd, NàdarAlba), which was formerly known as Scottish Natural Heritage, is an Scottish public bodies#Executive NDPBs, executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for the country's natural heritage, ...

and the British Lichen Society to build a date base of the locations of lichens in Scotland. She also started the Lichen Apprentice Scheme in Scotland of workshops and training projects to develop a cohort of lichen consultants.

Awards

Coppins was president the British Lichen Society from 2002 until 2004, the first woman in this role. She received the society's Ursula Duncan award in 2007. In 2009 she received, together with her husband, the

Plantlife Plantlife is the international conservation membership charity working to secure a world rich in wild plants and fungi. It is the only UK membership charity dedicated to conserving wild plants and fungi in their natural habitats and helping peo ...

Award for Contributions to the Conservation of Plant Diversity. In 2012 she was given an award for her ‘special contribution to the Species Action Framework’ from the Scottish Government. In 2016 she and Brian Coppins were jointly awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for Nature in Scotland by the

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889. It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment throu ...

Scotland and also the Bob Saville Award from the Wildlife Information Centre in

Bo'ness Borrowstounness (commonly known as Bo'ness ( )) is a town and former burgh and seaport on the south bank of the Firth of Forth in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Historically part of the county of West Lothian, it is a place within the Fal ...

Publications

Coppins is the co-author of the following books: * Alexandra M. Coppins and B. J. Coppins ''Atlantic hazel : Scotland's special woodlands'' Atlantic Hazel Action Group, 2012 * Alexandra M. Coppins and B. J. Coppins ''Indices of ecological continuity for woodland epiphytic lichen habitats in the British Isles'', British Lichen Society, 2002 She is also the co-author of several scientific publications including: * Yahr, R., Coppins, B.J., Coppins, A.M. (2013
Transient population dynamics in the conservation priority species
''Cladonia botrytes''. ''Lichenologist'', 45 265-276.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coppins, Sandy M. Date of birth missing (living people) Living people British lichenologists 20th-century British botanists 21st-century British botanists Women lichenologists British women botanists Year of birth missing (living people)