Limestone Flora
- Centre: Malham Tarn
- Tutor: Ian Powell
- Date s : Friday 22 June to Monday 25 June
- Level: Intermediate
- This course is part of our Professional Development programme.
- This course is accredited by
- Non-Resident: £229
- Shared Room: £305
- Sole Occupancy: £335
The limestone habitats of the Yorkshire Dales National Park harbour many species characteristic of base-rich conditions. Such calcicole species as blue moor grass (Sesleria caerulea), birds-eye primrose (Primula farinosa) and limestone fern (Gymnocarpium robertianum) are typical of many sites around Malham. This course aims to explore this specialist flora amid the magnificent Craven scenery. We will visit a variety of local habitats to gain experience of using keys and identifying a wide range of species in the field. We will concentrate on several important plant families including ferns, grasses and sedges.
The emphasis during the day will be on identification in the field and a proposed programme for this includes:
Friday: Walk up to Highfolds (behind Centre) after supper for limestone pavement and views.
Saturday: Grassington for limestone woodland and grasslands.
Sunday: Limestone pavements around Ingleborough NNR.
Monday: Base-rich mires and fens at Malham.
Evenings will mainly be spent in the classroom to practise using keys, use microscopes to help confirm the identification of a few more difficult species, and understand why limestone supports such a specialist flora.
Ian Powell is a former ecology tutor with the FSC at Slapton Ley and on overseas courses to South America. He is now a senior lecturer in conservation biology at Edge Hill University and has been involved in botanical and butterfly surveys in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Further Information
| Full Course Details |
Select the booking option and quantity from the list below and add them to your basket.
Since the course starts within sixty days, we would ask you to pay the full amount.
