Sulehay Nature Reserve

Events

• Basic Ecology Skills

Subject	Date	Trainer	Description
BES 4: Habitat management	17 Mar 2007	Brian Eversham	Few habitats on nature reserves are self-sustaining. The Trust puts much time and effort of staff & volunteers into coppicing woodland, mowing or grazing grassland, and a range of other operations. Are these necessary? How do we decide which to use where? What are the underlying principles and which species will benefit or suffer from each management technique?
Building Field Skills: short-cuts to species identification	17 Nov 2007	Brian Eversham	Conservationists, ecologists and naturalists all need to name species; and being able to do so adds hugely to the fun of a walk in the countryside. But at first, it may seem a daunting task. This workshop offers ‘short-cuts’ to identification of plants and animals: which groups to look for in which habitat; what books to use; why knowing 10% of the species can be a breakthrough – if it’s the right 10%; recognition versus identification; translating keys into plain English; knowing which species to expect; making the most of a collection. Examples will be taken from a wide range of plants and animals, and the skills should be applicable to almost any group of organisms.

• Practical Skills

Subject	Date	Trainer	Description
Drystone walling	10 Mar 2007	Nick Owens	A chance to learn the ancient skill of drystone walling using limestone. These walls form an excellent habitat for a variety of plants, lichens, invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles.

• Habitats and Habitat Management

Subject	Date	Trainer	Description
Ride & woodland edge management theory	30 Jun 2007	John Hopkins & Brian Eversham	In many woods most of the rare and interesting species, whether they are lichens or birds, are found not in the dark interior but rather along the wood edges, rides and clearings. The course will introduce the range of notable plant and animal species found, the way in which thinking about these habitats is changing and the management requirements of their wildlife. In particular, course participants will become aware of new ideas developed in Europe about the way in which wild and domesticated animals influence the landscape mosaic of open habitats, scrub, woodland and what this means in the fragmented present day countryside.

• Botany

Subject	Date	Trainer	Description
Identifying winter trees and shrubs	17 Feb 2007	Matt Jackson	One of the best times to carry out tree/woodland survey or monitoring is during the winter. This workshop is an introduction to the skills and terms required for winter identification, using such features as bark, buds, plant habit and so forth. These skills are also invaluable for those carrying out practical woodland work in winter.
How to identify flowering plants	19 May, 9 Jun, 7 Jul, & 4 Aug 2007	Neil Crossman	£60 for the whole series / £300 for professionals. A series of four linked introductory workshops on 19th May, 9th June, 7th July and 4th August. The aim of this series is to increase participants’ skills in identifying wild flowers, by seeing and understanding the varied features described in books on plant identification.
Beginners' guide to the identification of grasses	28 Jul 2007	Karen Buckley	A simple introduction to common grasses. This workshop will explore the floral and vegetative structures of these distinctive plants and show how these may be used to identify them. A single day should be sufficient to become familiar with a good range of the more widespread species in our area.

• Invertebrates

Subject	Date	Trainer	Description
Indoor invertebrate techniques	3 Mar 2007	Richard Chadd & Brian Eversham	So, you've caught your invertebrate specimens, now what do you do with them? This workshop will cover such subjects as naming the parts of invertebrates, using keys, how to make and keep a collection, getting the best out of your microscope and ancillary equipment, how to dissect specimens, what equipment to buy and how to use it, and an overview of available literature. Both terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates will be covered.
Ants – identification and ecology	22 Jul 2007	Brian Eversham	A small but ecologically vital group of distinctive insects. Only about 20 species have been recorded in our area and it should be possible to learn to identify all these on the course. Ants are fascinating in their own right and are also useful in habitat monitoring: they are most sensitive to microclimates and illustrate the success of grassland and heathland management.