Course: Habitat Awareness - Grasslands

This 1-day beginner course will introduce you to grasslands, one of the UK’s most diverse and ecologically valuable habitats.

This course will guide you through the different grassland types found across the UK and teach you how to distinguish them using characteristic species and environmental features. You’ll also explore practical management techniques that support healthy grassland ecosystems.

This course will cover:

• The key UK grassland habitat types and understand the key species that distinguish them.
• The importance of and benefits provided by grassland habitats.
• The main management techniques that can improve grassland biodiversity.

Grasslands vary widely depending on soil chemistry, moisture, management history and grazing pressure. By learning how to identify these habitats in the field such as calcareous, neutral, acid or wet grasslands, participants will gain confidence in interpreting landscapes and understanding what influences their ecological value. Accurate habitat recognition is essential for ecologists working with survey methodologies such as UKHab or NVC, and equally valuable for conservation volunteers and enthusiasts. The course also introduces the principles of grassland management, including grazing regimes, cutting, scrub control and monitoring approaches that promote long-term biodiversity.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Understand key grassland habitat types, such as – calcareous (alkaline), acid (acidic), or neutral (loamy/clay).
• Know what the key species are found in grassland habitats.
• Understand the importance of and benefits provided by grassland habitats.
• Understand the main management techniques that can improve grassland biodiversity.

This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use the discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off.

Please refer to the Field Studies Council website for further information and to book.