Fern Identification

This course is fully booked on this date but you can join the waiting list (by scrollling to the bottom of the page) in case space becomes available or it is run on another date.

Three full days will be spent in the field looking at ferns and their allies in their natural habitats. Sites will include upland and lowland, acidic and alkaline habitats, ensuring a that variety of species from a number of families will be observed. Study will primarily involve identification of species, but attention will also be given to basic fern ecology and factors that affect their survival.

Daytime walks will be up to four miles long through stunning rural scenery in and around Snowdonia with fine views on good days. The terrain will be diverse, including some rocky, steep sections, but will be taken at botanical pace. Rain will not stop play, but field days may be curtailed if prevailing weather conditions are unpleasant. Evening identification sessions in the lab with fern field guides, specimens and hand lenses will help to consolidate learning.

The course complements Chris’ Monday to Friday course ‘Summer Flora of North Wales’, which follows this, and participants may choose to link the two courses together.

Chris Metherell is the BSBI (Botanical Society of the British Isles) County Recorder for Northumberland and an experienced botanist. He regularly leads field trips for the Wild Flower Society and other interested groups.

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