Identifying and Recording Land Snails - Fully Booked

Please note: This course is now fully booked.

Based in the classic snail country of the North Downs the weekend includes searching for land snails in their appropriate habitats with follow-up identification at the Centre. There is an excellent key to snails produced by FSC. Unlike some invertebrate groups there is a limited number of species making it an accessible group to learn but, at the same time, the species are sensitive to conditions of habitat so are useful environmental indicators, both for conservation and archaeology. Come and enjoy a weekend looking at snails.

Tutor: June Chatfield

Dr June Chatfield has had a lifelong interest in snails and is a Vice President of the Conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland with a career as a college lecturer, museum curator, author and consultant. She has led snail courses at Juniper Hall since 1967. Dr June Chatfield has been made an OBE for services to conservation and natural history education.

Course objectives

By the end of the course participants will be able to:

Have an appreciation of the habitats in which snails are found
Have a grounding in the features that are used to identify them from shells
Be able to distinguish an adult from a juvenile shell
Interpret the ecological meaning of a list of snails from fieldwork
Have leads for taking the interest further

Example Timetable

Start and finish times

Residential guests are welcome to arrive, register and settle into rooms any time between 15.30 and 17.30 on Friday. Non-residents should aim to be here by 17.30. Afternoon tea will be served at 16.00. A short welcome talk will take place at 18.30. You will then be shown into dinner at 18.45. The course will begin with a classroom session after dinner and finish with afternoon tea at approximately 16.00 on Sunday.