Biodiversity Shorts – Live Webinars

Date and time: Wednesday 10th June 2026, 1pm – 2pm

Discover how wildlife sound recording has evolved into one of the most exciting and accessible ways to survey and identify animals. This talk explores the journey from the early days of recording, when pioneers faced significant technical challenges, to the sophisticated tools and methods available today.

What you’ll learn

By looking at the equipment which is currently available we will cover methods of recording and data analysis, through listening and looking at sounds, hopefully removing some of the hurdles which might make this technique appear daunting.

Finally, you’ll learn how to get started in wildlife sound recording yourself and how this powerful technique can support conservation efforts at both local and global scales. Whether you’re a beginner or already curious about bioacoustics, this session will show you how to become part of a growing movement helping to reveal the hidden sounds of the natural world.

This webinar will cover:

• The evolution of wildlife sound recording
• Current recording methods and equipment
• How to get started with wildlife sound recording for conservation

The tutor

Paul Howden-Leach is a field ecologist with over 25 years’ experience, specialising in bat and bird bioacoustics. He runs Skyline Ecology, an ecological consultancy based in the Peak District, focusing on protected species and sound analysis. Paul also works with Wildlife Acoustics in the USA and regularly speaks at conferences on the value of bioacoustics. He delivers global training for researchers, citizen scientists, and school groups, and advises academic institutions, businesses, and media organisations including the BBC Natural History Unit. His interests span acoustic, ultrasonic, and infrasonic recording, and he has created soundscapes for community and international projects.

Date and time: Monday 7th September 2026, 7pm – 8pm

For thousands of years, people have looked to the natural world for signs of what the future might hold. In ancient Rome, this practice became a sophisticated art known as augury: the interpretation of omens from the behaviour of birds and other natural signs. The Romans believed that the gods communicated through nature, and augurs played a vital role in politics, religion, and daily life, advising on everything from war and governance to personal fortune. Alongside augury, other forms of divination, such as haruspicy, the study of animal entrails, were also used to reveal the will of the gods.

What you’ll learn

This webinar explores the fascinating world of Roman divination, showing how augurs read the skies, interpreted signs, and applied their knowledge in society. You’ll learn about the methods and rituals used, the symbolism of different birds and animals, and the cultural importance of augury in shaping Roman life.

This webinar will cover: 

• How augurs interpreted the flight, calls, and behaviour of birds.
• The symbolic meanings of key animals and omens.
• How augury and haruspicy influenced decision-making in politics and daily life.
• Connections between Roman divination and wider traditions of reading nature for guidance.

The tutor

Graham has enjoyed a long and diverse career in nature conservation, working as a reserve warden, campaigner, ecologist, field teacher, and lecturer. He is also a storyteller who visits schools in character to teach about ecology, geology, and paleontology in engaging and memorable ways.

Graham’s main interests include mammals, birds, and folklore. Although he holds a degree in Ecology and Conservation, he is a strong advocate of Citizen Science and believes that everyone, not just professionals and specialists, can contribute to our understanding of the natural world.

Date and time: Thursday 24th September 2026, 7pm – 8pm

Learn how to recognise some of the UK’s most colourful and distinctive fungi in this beginner-friendly introduction to waxcap identification. Waxcaps are a fascinating group of grassland fungi, often found in species-rich habitats. They can be excellent indicators of high-quality, unimproved grassland.

This webinar will guide you through the key features used to identify common waxcap species, helping you build confidence in spotting and distinguishing them in the field. From their vibrant colours to their unique textures and shapes, you’ll learn what makes waxcaps so special and how to begin identifying them yourself.

What you’ll learn

By exploring a selection of characteristic UK waxcap species, we will cover the essential identification features, including cap shape, colour variation, gill structure, and habitat clues. We’ll also introduce simple approaches to recording your findings and avoiding common beginner pitfalls.

This webinar will cover: 

• A brief introduction to waxcaps and their ecological importance
• High value species: i.e when is a field of waxcaps ecologically significant
• Key identification features of common UK waxcap species

About the tutor

Richard Thompson has worked as an ecologist and wildlife guide across the Northern UK for the past 8 years. He is currently part of the team at the Hepple Wilds rewilding project in Northumberland and one of his real passions is mycology (the study of fungi). Since 2019 he has been hugely engrossed in the world of mushrooms and more recently has been focusing in on grassland species, such as waxcaps.

Date and time: Monday 5th October 2026, 7pm – 8pm

During the late medieval period, especially in the reign of Elizabeth I, the age of exploration brought back more than maps and spices, it brought tales of wondrous and terrifying creatures from distant lands. Sailors, eager to captivate audiences and earn a profit, embellished their stories, while writers eagerly transformed these accounts into popular bestiaries: books that blended natural history, myth, and moral teaching.

From the fearsome griffin to the gentle unicorn, these richly illustrated manuscripts reveal how medieval people interpreted the world around them, weaving together observation, imagination, and belief.

What you’ll learn

This webinar will provide an overview of the history of bestiaries, the creatures that originate in these texts and how bestiaries have been used and interpretated.

This webinar will cover: 

• The history and purpose of medieval bestiaries.
• Examples of creatures likely based on real animals and how misunderstandings shaped their stories.

The tutor

Graham has enjoyed a long and diverse career in nature conservation, working as a reserve warden, campaigner, ecologist, field teacher, and lecturer. He is also a storyteller who visits schools in character to teach about ecology, geology, and paleontology in engaging and memorable ways.

Graham’s main interests include mammals, birds, and folklore. Although he holds a degree in Ecology and Conservation, he is a strong advocate of Citizen Science and believes that everyone, not just professionals and specialists, can contribute to our understanding of the natural world.

Date and time: Thursday 29th October 2026, 1-2pm

Ponds are among the UK’s most important wildlife habitats, yet creating one that truly supports biodiversity takes more than digging a hole and adding water. This webinar introduces the key principles of successful pond creation in UK landscapes, covering design considerations and essential elements for wildlife – to the need for pond liners and avoiding common mistakes.

What you’ll learn

This session will provide clear and practical guidance to help you build a thriving freshwater habitat. It can help you increase biodiversity in areas like nature reserves, country parks, gardens and allotments.

This webinar will cover: 

• Pond design and considerations
• Pond creation methods and guidance
• Limitations in pond design and common problems

The tutor

James is an environmental conservationist with 17 years of experience in the nature and climate sector. He has led and delivered a wide range of projects across Scotland, focusing on pond creation, restoration and habitat management. His work spans large‑scale freshwater habitat networks as well as community‑level engagement, where he teaches local groups how to build and maintain ponds in gardens and allotments.

Date and time: Monday 2nd November 2026, 7pm – 8pm

In the Middle Ages, falling ill could lead you into a world of curious cures and unexpected healers. You might visit a university-trained doctor, a wise woman or apothecary with her store of herbal remedies, or a barber surgeon armed with sharp blades and a steady hand.

Doctors often looked down on apothecaries, dismissing their cures as little better than witchcraft, and they never performed surgery themselves, leaving that to barbers or butchers. Medieval medicine could be as gruesome as it was inventive: from doctors’ bizarre animal-based treatments, inherited from ancient Greek and Roman traditions, to the gentler plant-based cures of herbalists and wise women.

What you’ll learn

This webinar explores the strange, shocking, and sometimes surprisingly effective remedies of the Middle Ages, revealing what they tell us about how people once tried to heal the body and mind.

This webinar will include: 

• Examples of common treatments, from the grisly to the garden-fresh.
• The cultural and historical context behind these remedies.
• Insights into which medieval cures were genuinely effective, and which were more symbolic.

The tutor

Graham has enjoyed a long and diverse career in nature conservation, working as a reserve warden, campaigner, ecologist, field teacher, and lecturer. He is also a storyteller who visits schools in character to teach about ecology, geology, and paleontology in engaging and memorable ways.

Graham’s main interests include mammals, birds, and folklore. Although he holds a degree in Ecology and Conservation, he is a strong advocate of Citizen Science and believes that everyone, not just professionals and specialists, can contribute to our understanding of the natural world.

Date and time: Monday 7th December 2026, 7pm – 8pm

Across cultures and continents, animals have always played central roles in the stories humans tell about the origins of the world. From ravens and spiders to dragons and other fantastical creatures, these beings appear again and again in creation myths, shaping how people understand nature, society, and the cosmos.

What you’ll learn

This webinar explores the roles of animals in world mythology, with a special focus on the creatures of European and British traditions. You’ll hear the stories behind these symbolic animals and see how their myths continue to echo through our culture today.

This webinar will include:

• Stories of well-known and lesser-known mythological animals.
• Insights into cross-cultural similarities and differences in creation myths.
• Exploration of the moral, spiritual, and ecological lessons embedded in these tales.

The tutor

Graham has enjoyed a long and diverse career in nature conservation, working as a reserve warden, campaigner, ecologist, field teacher, and lecturer. He is also a storyteller who visits schools in character to teach about ecology, geology, and paleontology in engaging and memorable ways.

Graham’s main interests include mammals, birds, and folklore. Although he holds a degree in Ecology and Conservation, he is a strong advocate of Citizen Science and believes that everyone, not just professionals and specialists, can contribute to our understanding of the natural world.

Date and time: Thursday 21st January 2027, 1-2pm

Effective pond management is essential for maintaining healthy, wildlife‑rich freshwater habitats across the UK. This webinar covers a wide range of practical approaches to managing ponds of all sizes, from garden features to larger conservation sites.

We’ll explore how to assess pond condition, tackle common issues such as siltation and vegetation management and plan seasonal management that supports biodiversity rather than disrupting it.

What you’ll learn

Whether your background lies in managing habitat sites or maintaining ponds in a community setting – this session will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to care for ponds in a way that benefits both people and nature.

This webinar will include:

• The workings of a healthy pond
• Practical pond management techniques
• Case studies of ponds in urban and rural settings

The tutor

James is an environmental conservationist with 17 years of experience in the nature and climate sector. He has led and delivered a wide range of projects across Scotland, focusing on pond creation, restoration and habitat management. His work spans large‑scale freshwater habitat networks as well as community‑level engagement, where he teaches local groups how to build and maintain ponds in gardens and allotments.