This is a week-long field-based course (8th – 12th June, 10am-5pm) on botanical identification and recording run by Alex Lockton. It is aimed at beginners and those with some plant identification knowledge who want to know more about classifying plants into families, identifying plants using keys, and recording species in the field. It will provide a sound basis on which to develop the skills needed by ecologists, conservationists and academic researchers.
We will visit sites to explore various habitats and vegetation communities in Kent, recording plants and using keys, photographs and voucher specimens to confirm our findings. Data will be collated in the lab to demonstrate the standard techniques for collecting and analysing ecological information.
By the end of the course, participants will know the principles of identifying and collecting plants, submitting records, and finding out what has previously been recorded. They will also know how to develop their skills further, and what is required for working in relevant disciplines.
Alex Lockton is a nationally respected botanist who was worked for over 20 years in universities, consultancies and for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. He is an author of The Flora and Vegetation of Shropshire and is a popular tutor at the Field Studies Council. Each year he runs Field Identification Skills Certificate tests for botanists and ecologists at the Kent Wildlife Trust.