Description
Perfect for beginners, join James Common for a new six-month course exploring the rich & beautiful flora of Northumberland
Course tutor: James Common
Course length: Six months. Please check the program below.
Course structure: Eight field sessions at different locations across the North East
Course cost: £120 NHSN Members / £150 Non-Members
A brand new course introducing the rich, beautiful, and varied flora of North East England. Suitable for complete beginners, this six-month course will introduce attendees to a variety of habitats and the plant species frequently found within them. Together, we’ll explore tips and tricks for identifying a host of species in the field with the aim of confidently identifying around 200 North East plants upon completion of the course.
Taking in a range of habitats from the every day to the iconic, as a group, we’ll also dabble in some of our region’s more challenging groups including orchids and ferns, and, in several full-day trips, aim to catch up with some of the North East’s most sought-after wildflowers.
Throughout the course, attendees will be asked to keep running logs of the species they encounter and feel confident identifying – aiming of course for the magic 200
A full course programme, including meeting points for specific trips, will be provided ahead of the first session.
In the event of poor weather, every effort will be taken to reschedule missed sessions.
Trip Programme:
- Urban Wildflowers - Friday 22 March, 10.00 am-12.30 pm, Heaton
- Parks and Woodland - Friday 26 April, 10.00 am-1.00 pm, Jesmond
- Scarcer Woodland Plants - Friday 3 May, 11.00 am-2.00 pm, Morpeth
- Common Trees and Shrubs - Friday 31 May, 10.00 am-12.30 pm, Heaton
- Coastal Wildflowers & Orchids - Friday 21 June, 11.00 am-3.00 pm, Druridge Bay
- Brilliant Brownfield - Friday 5 July, 10.00 am-1.00 pm, Silverlink
- The Plants of Holy Island - Friday 12 July, 11.00 am-4.00 pm, Holy Island
- Urban Plants Continued - Friday 2 August, 10.00 am-1.30 pm, Walker
Questions (and identification queries) are welcome at any time by emailing james.common@newcastle.ac.uk.
Please read the terms and conditions for NHSN education courses before booking.
Recommended Equipment:
A good field guide such as the Collin's Guide to Wildflowers or Rose's Wildflower Key. A hand lens, if you have one, stout walking boots, and for most trips, a packed lunch.
About the tutor:
James works as Senior Naturalist at NHSN. Outside of work, he is a passionate wildlife recorder with a focus on botany and invertebrates. As a botanist, he is a joint BSBI Vice-County Recorder for North Northumberland and an iRecord verifier for South Northumberland.