Woodlands: Condition Assessments in Summer

By the end of the course, participants will: 

• Be confident in their assessment of broad woodland condition indicators relevant to the season including:  age distribution of trees, browsing damage, tree health, canopy cover, vertical structure, deadwood and woodland disturbance.
• Be confident in identification of indicative woodland flora, native trees and invasive species in leaf/flower.
• Know how to complete an accurate woodland condition assessment using the Forestry Commission Woodland Condition Assessment app.

Who Should Attend?– This course is for adults 18+ (see FAQs). Nature enthusiasts, students, rangers, early career consultants, ecologists. It will be particularly useful for those who own or look after woodlands and want to brush up their skills to help them complete the Forestry Commission’s Woodland Condition Assessment.

Prior Knowledge- No existing knowledge or experience of the Woodland Condition Assessment is needed for this course. Some existing experience of plant identification and woodland habitats is essential.

Knowledge Level– Beginner to Intermediate. Level descriptors can be found on the following web-page: Framework and Course Level Descriptors.

PLEASE NOTE:  There is no accommodation or meal facilities provided with this course. Refreshments (tea and coffee) will be available. If we are unable to reach viable numbers for this course, we will inform you of the course cancellation 4-5 weeks prior to the course run. We would recommend when purchasing accommodation and/or travel you should take out your own insurance.

Bookings will close if course capacity is reached. 

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.

This course is delivered by more than one expert tutor. Your tutor will depend on the location of the course you book.

Laurie Wildwood

Laurie Wildwood BSc (Hons) MSc MCIEEM is a professional ecological consultant and botany tutor who, with his refreshing approach, aims to inspire adults and children to explore and appreciate the natural world. His professional background is in ecology, conservation and habitat management.

John Handley

John is the Director of CH Ecology, an independent ecologist and consultant, providing surveys and training on behalf of conservation agencies and Local Authorities. John has a background within amenity horticulture as a Technical Manager, providing advice and training to Local Authorities, prominent sports facilities and private land owners. John is an enthusiastic communicator and botanist.

Timings for this course may vary, so please check the start and end times of the different course runs at the bottom of the page. Please arrive in time for the course to start promptly.

This course will involve both classroom learning and field excursions to cover all of the learning objectives.

Lunch is not included so please bring your own food unless you have booked an accommodation option. Refreshments (tea and coffee) will be provided.

Example Timetable

This timetable may be subject to change depending on the location, tutor, weather, and needs of the group, but should give you an idea of what to expect.

Day 1 

• 10am-12:30pm - Learners will build awareness of the importance of woodland condition assessment and its wider applications. They will be shown how to identify woodland flora in flower, how to identify trees in leaf and be introduced to the range of appropriate woodland condition indicators for summer (classroom).
• Lunch - 1 hour
• 13:30pm-17:00pm Learners will be taken on a field visit to one or more examples of woodland to put into practice knowledge and skills built during the morning session and use supporting FSC guides to identify the range of woodland features.

Day 2 

• 10am-12:30pm Learners will recap knowledge acquired and be introduced in detail to the methodology of a woodland condition assessment (classroom).
• Lunch- 1 hour
• 13:30pm-17:00pm- Groups will go to a woodland site and work through the woodland condition assessment using the Forestry Commission app.
  Learners will return to the classroom to review condition assessment results and discuss any uncertainties or differences of opinion.

• 
  Expert Tuition

The course has been carefully created by expert tutors and educators to help you build your knowledge and apply it within the field surrounded by like-minded individuals.

The course includes:

• • Classroom learning covering the theory of the topic
  • Field excursions to apply new knowledge
  • Expert tuition for which the Field Studies Council is renowned
  • Clear objectives and progression
  • Refreshments (tea/coffee)

You can rest assured that the absolute best content from an expert in environmental education will be provided. In choosing a Field Studies Council course, you will be joining thousands of people who learn with us each year.

Student Discount

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

Natural History Bursaries

There are a number of natural history bursaries available to help with the cost of your course. To find out if you and your chosen course are eligible, read more here.

What to Bring

• Notebook and pencil
• Lunch and refreshments
• Sensible footwear and clothing for being outdoors
• Small bag to carry personal items
• A mobile phone so you can download and use the Woodland Condition App. Please register and download the Woodland Condition app before the course.
• Your preferred tree and wildflower guides (e.g. Rose or Streeter)
• A x10 hand lens

Recommended Literature

• Woodland Condition Survey pack  This survey pack includes a set of guides specifically designed to help you complete a Woodland Condition Assessment.

There will be a member of staff with first aid training and access to a first aid kit on site. If you have special medical or access requirements, please let us know as soon as possible so we can plan the course.