Botanical Folklore

Encouraging you to take a moment to mindfully appreciate this diverse subject; be inspired and engaged by our wonderful expert tutor. This course allows you to surround yourself with like-minded individuals who share your interest whilst spending time exploring different species and aspects of this expressive subject. This is the perfect starter course for those dipping their toes into the colourful world of British botanical folklore.

This course is a combination of two online courses from 2021, Folklore of Trees and Discovering Wildflowers and Their Folklore

Please note: there is no accommodation provided with this course.

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

• Identify some of the traditional and current uses for a range of common British tree species.
• Understand the folklore of five common British tree species.
• Identify the historical and cultural uses of British flowering plants.
• Share this knowledge with friends, family and fellow volunteers

Who Should Attend? – Nature enthusiasts, students, rangers, keen folklorists.

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

Prior Knowledge – No existing knowledge, or experience is needed for this course, just a willingness to explore and learn.

PLEASE NOTE: There is no accommodation, refreshments, or meal facilities provided with this course. 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.

Woody River

Woody River is the Director of Secret Landscapes, which offers guided walks on the themes of botany, foraging and literary heritage. With a BA (Hons) and MA in Literature and Creative Writing, Woody is also a qualified teacher who designs and teaches literature and botany courses for adults, as well as providing private tuition for international secondary school students. She has a particular interest in wildflowers and ferns, and loves observing different species of primate in their natural habitats.

Example Timetable

This timetable is subject to change but should give a clear outline of what to expect

• Please arrive in time for the course to start promptly at 10:00 am
• The course will end at 5:00 pm

10:00am Introductions and classroom session covering:

• Historical and cultural uses of trees

11:00am Break and prepare for field session – refreshments not provided
11:15am Guided walk around Grow Wilder
12:30pm Lunch – not provided
1:30pm Classroom session covering:

• Historical and cultural uses of wildflowers

2:15pm Break and prepare for field session – refreshments not provided
2:30pm Guided walk around Grow Wilder
4:15pm Classroom plenary – summary and final questions
5:00pm End of course

Please note - accommodation, refreshments and an evening meal are not included.

• 
  Expert Tuition

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

The course includes:

• Classroom learning covering the theory of the species
• Field excursions to apply new knowledge
• Expert tuition for which the Field Studies Council is renowned
• Clear objectives and progression

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.

• ★★★☆☆

  I loved the discussion-based aspects to the live parts of the course, as opposed to rehashing what we had already covered in our pre-learning each week. It was great to have a few more facts and tidbits sprinkled in also.I found the course material interesting and easy to follow. I am an illustrator, hoping to work further within the field of natural history illustration. The course provided a good basis of knowledge and inspired me to keep studying. It provided lots of potential areas of interest for my personal illustration projects.

• ★★★★☆

  The Wildflower section - very clearly laid out; the balance of information was relevant to the course title and upheld my expectation.

• ★★★★★

  Learning about the medicinal plants and the uses of trees from historic uses to present day and encouragement to go foraging for yourself. The tutor obviously knew what he was talking about and was very warm.

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

If you have them:

• Your own reference book(s)

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.