Monday 17 March (Indoor Meeting, 7.00 for 7.30 start): AGM followed by 'The Cascades Volcanoes of NW North America'. Speaker: Alan Clewlow (BCGS Treasurer and acting Meetings Secretary, leader of 'Volcanic Experiences' geological tours).

This talk will look at the plate tectonic situation in that region of the planet and how it has developed over time to create the currently active High Cascades range of Volcanoes, as well as earlier manifestations of volcanism. There will be an examination of the more recent geological history of the area, including the creation of the Columbia plateau basalts. The latter part of the talk will focus on the eruptive history of specific volcanoes in Washington and Oregon, including Mount St Helens, and the hazards they present.

Alan studied for a Geology degree at UCL between 1969 and 1972. After graduation he took up a post working as a gemmologist in the London Chamber of Commerce Gem Testing Laboratory, in Hatton Garden, at the time the only official centre for the identification of gemstones and minerals in the UK. While there, he also started lecturing in gemmology at the City of London Polytechnic, eventually leading to a career change into full-time teaching. Most of his career was spent as a lecturer in Geography and Geology in the West Midlands, which also included 13 years as an OU lecturer on Geology courses. For the past 27 years he has also been leading escorted geological tours for adults to volcanic areas of the world, covering locations as far away as Hawaii, Latin America and New Zealand, as well as classic sites in Europe such as Sicily, Santorini and Iceland.

Click here for a Google map of the location.