About the Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC)
The Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC) is a test used to assess a candidate’s botanical proficiency, on a scale from 1 (beginner) to 5 (professional), with a level 6 awarded in exceptional cases.
FISCs allow an assessment of a botanist/ecologist’s real-world botanical skills, ranging from accuracy in the identification of plant material using keys and other resources, to a field survey.
Conducted over a day, it consists of two lab sessions where candidates identify 30 fresh specimens from across Britain and Ireland. Following this is a field survey where you spend around two hours building a species list on an interesting local site. Your identifications are then compared to a list generated by the Gold Standard Surveyor to determine your skill level.
Many ecological consultancies and statutory agencies such as Natural England recognise FISCs as an empirical assessment of a botanist’s skill.
This webinar serves as an introduction to FISCs for potential FISC candidates and those who have previously taken a FISC and wish to progress.
This webinar will cover:
The reasons behind the creation of FISCs, who is involved in running FISCs and where they are taken
What is involved in taking a FISC.
How to make the most of your FISC experience and ways to work towards improving your FISC levels in the future.