We can offer superb rocky shores of a range of exposures, as well soft shores, and estuarine habitats. Other habitats available include salt marshes, sand dunes, coastal grasslands, shingle ridges and coastal lagoons, as well examples of marine conservation management and conflicts. Some universities have run more specialist marine courses such as fish parasitology and marine microbiology.
Field study environments (within 1 hour of centres):
Blencathra, Cumbria
Marine Biology
- Some great coastal locations including spits, sand dunes, rocky shore and managed coastlines.
Castle Head, Cumbria
Biology
- Woodland
- Sand dune
- Saltmarsh
- Fresh/brackish water
- Grassland
Dale Fort, Pembrokeshire
Marine Biology
- 8.0m tidal range
- Multiple varied rocky shore habitats and salt marsh
- Uniquely situated at the Northern Limit of some species and Southern Limit of other
- Ballantine’s Exposure scale research is carried out here
- Centre RIB available for collecting plankton and other near shore samples
Epping Forest, Essex (Day Centre)
Biology
- Ancient semi-natural woodland
- Wood-pasture
- Old grassland plains
- Heathlands
- Wetlands
- 55,000 veteran trees, 85% of the UK’s beech pollards
- Protected heathland habitat
- Over 1,500 fungi species
Flatford Mill, Suffolk
Marine Biology
- Salt marsh environment with a muddy/sandy sub shore below the salt marsh
- We also have a small (and relatively flat so not great for zonation) rocky shore at Harwich for marine biodiversity and invasive species and a shingle ridge succession in a conservation zone.
Juniper Hall, Surrey
Biology
- Freshwater stream
- Chalk grassland
- Heathland
- Ancient woodland.
London: Beckenham Place Park (Day centre)
Biology
- Meadow
- Ancient woodland
- River
- Ponds.
FSC London: Bushby Park (Day centre)
Biology
- Ponds
- Acid grassland
- Deer park
- Woodland.
Margam Discovery Centre, Port Talbot
Biology
- Rocky shore
- Sand dune
- Woodland
- Grassland
- Freshwater
- Salt marsh
Marine Biology
- Rocky shore
- Sand dunes
- Salt marsh
Millport, Isle of Cumbrae
Biology
- Rocky (sheltered and exposed) and sandy shores
- Two SSSI’s and dunes
- River
- Grassland
- Woodland
- Scrubland
- Pond and small loch sites all within walking distance or 10-minute drive of the centre.
Marine Biology
- Rocky shores (sheltered and exposed)
- Sandy shores.
- There is a small onasite, seawater aquarium (public have access to this facility during peak season) with tanks supplied with unfiltered seawater. In addition, there are four labs, one classroom and two large and five medium sized holding tanks with running seawater on site.
- Research vessel, R.V. Actinia, a twin hull, twin engine is available to hire with full vessel capabilities. It carries up to 12 passengers in addition to crew and with deep gunwales augmented by aluminium rails, provides a very safe working platform. Boarding is usually from our onsite pier and within a half hour sailing time offers access to sandy, gravel and muddy bottom sampling sites within and within an hour of sailing deeper waters (100 meters).
Nettlecombe Court, Somerset
Biology
- Grassland Studies
- ENP sites for moorland streams and their fauna, e.g., ENP River Fly survey.
Preston Montford, Shropshire
Biology
- Onsite: Meadow, woodland, freshwater ponds.
- Off-site: River (Carding Mill Valley), Hydroseral succession (Crosemere Lake), Heathland (Stiperstones).
Rhyd-y-creuau, Snowdonia
Marine Biology
- Penmon Point is a spectacular rocky promontory that offers high biodiversity and a great space to study zonation of species between the upper, middle and lower shore. The 180-degree view allows you to see up the east coast of Anglesey, over to Puffin Island and the Orme and down the Menai Straits towards Beaumaris.
- Puffin Island lies to the northeast approximately half a mile offshore and has been designated SSSI and SPA. Seals and porpoise are commonly seen from the shore on still days.
Slapton Ley, Devon
Biology
- Freshwater
- Reedbed
- Carr
- Woodland
- Coppiced woodland
- Grassland
- Wet meadow
- Vegetated shingle
- Rocky shore
- Marine
- Farmland
- Estuarine mud
Marine Biology
- Rocky shore
- Marine
- Estuarine mud at Aveton Gifford and South Efford Marsh.