Course: Grassland Plant Identification (Dorset)

A 2-day course giving participants;

• the skills and confidence to identify the key grasses and flowers of several different grassland communities.
• learning the key features for UKHAB survey and BNG condition assessments.
• a chance to do sampling and share ideas with colleagues.

Grasslands support a wide range of different plant communities and at Kingcombe there are plenty of examples, from traditional meadows and acidic mires to rush-filled pastures and dry, calcareous grassland. All of these support a range of key plant species, many of which are at their peak in June. Kingcombe boasts an impressive list of species, making this nature reserve an excellent place to learn plants.

This course will teach easy ways to identify a combination of typical and common species in each of these habitats, including numerous grasses, sedges and rushes, as well as some of the more unusual plants. We will also look at different survey techniques, with a chance to carry these out with other attendees, both to consolidate knowledge of the species and teach recording methods.

Please be aware that there will be some short but steep inclines.

An evening meal served on site at Kingcombe at the end of Day 1 is included in the price of the ticket.

All proceeds from the course will go to supporting our endangered species conservation work.