Level. 3rd - 10 th July. Date

Transcription

1 Level Days Shared occupancy cost KD I 3rd - 10 th July Fri Fri Grass Identification Centre Date Sole occupancy cost Non-Residential cost Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, Kindrogan is within close reach of some of the most secluded parts of the UK, allowing for inspiring landscapes and rich wildlife to feature in their courses. Course Overview Kindrogan is situated near Pitlochry and offers beautiful habitats to search for grasses including: heather moorland, basic flushes, acid and basic woodland and grassland, riverside and mountain. Laboratory work on the structure and names of grass parts, plus practise in using both vegetative and flowering part keys, will improve identification skills of both beginners and more experienced participants. Examining a ligule of Heath Grass Tel: enquiries.kd@field-studies-council.org Fax:

2 Course Description July is an excellent time to see grasses in flower. Over the week we shall : a) Learn about the vegetative and flowing structure of grasses, and the names of the flower parts. b) Practice using keys to improve our identification skills. c) Visit a variety of delightful habitats around Kindrogan including woodland, riverside, acid and basic grassland and moorland (weather and fitness permitting there will be a mountain day. d) Learn some of the grasses which act as indicator species for certain habitats; e) find most of the common UK grasses, plus some mountain and woodland specialities during the course. This course should be of value to those engaged in botanical survey work, to amateur botanists and to those interested in learning how to recognise some members of this important group of plants. About the Tutor Judith Allinson has run Grasses courses at Kindrogan over several years. She is a former member of FSC staff and co-author of the AIDGAP Key to Grasses in the Vegetative State. She worked for several years carrying out botanical survey work for English Nature and currently teaches in schools and carries out some freelance survey work. Recommended Reading Grasses CE Hubbard, (Strongly recommended reading) Other useful books if you already have the above:- New Flora of the British Isles CA Stace, Cambridge University Press Excursion Flora of the British Isles AR Clapham, TG Tutin, & Warburg, Cambridge University Press Collins pocket guide to Grasses, Sedges, Rushes and Ferns by Fitter, Fitter and Farrer Colour Identification Guide to Grasses Sedges Rushes and Ferns by Francis Rose Grasses of the British Isles (BSBI) Cope T & Gray A, 2009 The Vegetative Key to the British Flora (BSBI) John Poland J & Clement E Collins Flower Guide. D Streeter et al. (2009). Plus any other grass books you may have.

3 Provisional Programme Morning Afternoon Evening Examples of grasses we ll see Fri Introduction + walk outside to collect 5 introductory plants Meadow Foxtail Red Fescue Cocksfoot Alopecurus pratensis Festuca rubra Dactylis glomerata Sat Intro to flowering parts and to vegetative parts of a grass. Visit to Straloch Moraine (1mile away) good views and a wide variety of grasses and flowers in this SSSI pasture with basic grassland and heath. Press and sort specimens False Oat-grass Heath Grass Wavy Hair-grass Quaking grass Arrhenatherum elatius Danthonia decumbens Deschampsia flexuosa Briza media Sun Walk to Glas Maol to look for grasses of acid grassland and mountain species. This is the only hard walking day 6 miles, but uphill. Lab work and discussion Viviparous Fescue Alpine Cat s-tail Festuca vivipara Phleum alpinum Alpine Foxtail Alopecurus ovatus Mon Use of Keys in lab; What makes a Poa a Poa, an Agrostis an Agrostis etc for 8 genera. Visit to local farm Dirnanean, and to nearby SWT Meadow Computer key; Lab work; 3 Sweet-grasses Meadow Fescue Marsh Foxtail Glyceria spp Schedonorus (Festuca) pratensis Alopecurus geniculatus Tue Coastal Day; Visit to Loch of Kinnordy en route to see Poa palustris; then sand dunes and dune slacks at St Cyrus Revision. (N.B. we are likely to return late after the coastal day) Marram grass Lyme grass Crested Hair-grass Ammophila arenaria Leymus arenarius Koeleria macrantha Wed Use of keys / Consolidation / Indicator species / Projects in the Centre grounds. Report on the projects/ more work with keys. Bearded Couch Reed Canary-grass Broad-leaved Meadow-grass Elymus caninus Phalaris arundinacea Poa chaixii Thur The Birks of Aberfeldy superb woodland species beside this woodland ravine easy footpath Get our notebooks up to date. Lab work. Discussion. Wood Millet Wood Fescue Lesser Hairybrome Milium effusum Festuca altissima Bromopsis benekenii Fri Departure after breakfast.

4 What to Bring Lunch Box, vacuum flask Waterproof walking boots ** Waterproof clothing ** Plenty of spare warm clothing Binoculars, if you have them Hand Lens (x10 magnification) Small notebook and pencil For your own and group safety, Centre staff reserve the right to refuse to take people out on excursions if they are not properly equipped. If you are unsure of the standard of equipment required, please contact us for advice. Please see above information for details of any other equipment required as suggested by your Course Tutor. Also...in addition to normal clothing for a stay away from home, visitors should bring: Rucksack to carry spare clothing and lunch if your course incurs field trips away from the centre. Towels will be provided but do bring toothpaste, soap, shower gel, hairdryer and own toiletries If you bring any electrical appliance to the Centre it may have to be checked before use. ** We have wellingtons (but not Waders ) and waterproofs available for hire at the centre. How to Book To book a place on this course you can either : a) Complete a booking form from the brochure and send it together with a non refundable deposit of (cheque payable to Field Studies Council Limited ) or advise debit/credit card number. b) Book online at c) Telephone to book directly with FSC Scotland (card payments made over the phone) Course Fees & What s Included : Resident 560 Sole Occupancy or 490 Shared Accommodation. Non Resident 367 (everything except bed and breakfast) Full professional tuition, full board accommodation including cooked breakfast, packed lunch, Tea/Coffee, homemade cakes and an evening meal. Vegetarian and other dietary options are catered for. (please let us know of any special requirements 3 weeks prior to the course so that we can meet your particular requirements) Continued...

5 Arrival and Departure Times Resident and Non-resident visitors are requested to arrive at the centre before 5pm on the 3 rd July and report to reception. Evening meal will be served between 5:45 and 6:30pm and the course will commence after a brief welcome to Kindrogan. Tuition will end on the evening of the 9 th with departure after breakfast on the 10 th. Extra nights If you are interested in staying at the Centre for additional nights, before or after the course, please contact the Centre for availability and costs which start from 25 for B&B, or 40 full board (we can confirm B&B availability 4 weeks prior to the course). Sunday rate 35. Partner Rate For those paying the sole occupancy price, we are offering our guests a special rate for those who would like a twin room for them and their partner not enrolled on an FSC course, at 35 per night for dinner, bed and breakfast. Hungarian Brome Local Meadow