Midsummer grass and sedge identification - Old Sarum, Salisbury

Please note in 2027 SRT are running Grass Identification courses on 28th April, 29th April, 28th June, 3rd September and 4th November.

A one-day course giving participants

confidence in identifying key grasses of neutral and unimproved calcareous grassland using both vegetative and flowering features

an overview of using grass indicator species for habitat assessment

a chance to learn memorable features allowing easy grass identification

Nearly every species of grass, rush and sedge has at least one key feature which can be used to pinpoint them to genus and species level. This course aims to teach people to spot and memorise these characters for the majority of common species and some of the more specialised species found on unimproved grasslands.

This course will focus on how to identify grasses in midsummer, when most are in flower; but the ID skills taught will still focus on vegatative characteristics that can be used throughout the year.

The course will cover roughly 25 species of grass, including most of the commonly encountered species, as well as those associated with species-rich grassland.

Lifts available from Salisbury station on request - see Directions section below.

All proceeds from the course will go to supporting our endangered species conservation work.

About the tutor

Dominic Price is a highly regarded botanical tutor and has been running courses for all levels of ecologists since 2007. He is director of The Species Recovery Trust and specialises in the conservation of endangered species. He is the author of A Field Guide to Grasses, Sedges and Rushes, and co-author of A Field Guide to Bryophytes and The Photographic Guide to Winter Trees and Shrubs.

What to bring

Notebook/clipboard

Water, lunch and snacks, firm boots (steep banks for some of the day) and outdoor clothing (see below)

Hand lens (there will be some to purchase on the day)

£4 for parking at Old Sarum - contactless payment usually available or £4.20 via the Ringo app (download in advance). Parking is free for English Heritage members displaying a valid car sticker.

The recommended text for the course is 'A Field Guide to Grasses, Sedges and Rushes' by Dominic Price, available to purchase on the day, through the 'Add-on' ticket options on Eventbrite, or in advance here (https://www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk/shop).

Directions

Old Sarum is signed off the A345, 2 miles north of Salisbury. Meet in the main car park (where there are loos). Address: Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire - SP1 3SD. There is a £3 charge for parking (contactless payment available).Google maps - click here (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Old+Sarum/@51.0932288,-1.8070669,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x4873e944df23e597:0xd7d3f3123d47485c!8m2!3d51.0932288!4d-1.8048782?hl=en)

what3words: harsh.parading.flattered

To reduce our carbon footprint and reduce the car park spaces we use at training sites, if you can travel by train to Salisbury Train Station, or if you are staying in central Salisbury overnight, we are happy to provide you with a lift to and from the training site. Please message us before you buy your ticket/accommodation to arrange.

Timings

We apologise that the site does not open until 10am, so please do not attempt to enter the site before 10:05am as it very quickly blocks the access track if there is a delay in site opening. If you are coming from far we appreciate it is hard to time this, but there is a pull-in just to the south of the site (opposite the Harvester) where you can wait, or a small Co-op or large Waitrose further south on the edge of town.

10:05am arrive on site

10:15am Course starts

3:45pm Course ends

These courses do often end earlier but please be prepared that it may go on until this time

Extra Info

Old Sarum can be extremely exposed to the weather and there are no indoor facilities beyond the loos.

Any problems on the day please call Dominic Price on 07968 786390.

Please inform us of any relevant medical requirements/conditions we should be aware of prior to the course.

Adverse weather

This is an outdoor run course on an exposed site, and as such we request that participants bring suitable clothing including sunhats, sunblock, and full waterproofs & fleeces. As the climate breaks down, we do occasionally have severe weather where either it is very difficult to take notes due to prolonged heavy rain, or temperatures have reached a point where long exposure can be detrimental to health.

In these instances, we will run a condensed version of the course, where we aim to see all the species before lunch but have less time to take notes on them. We will then give attendees free access to the corresponding online course for 24 hours, which means you can take notes and look at the species in more detail in the comfort of your home. We have built a corresponding online catalogue of courses for this purpose, and we therefore feel we can offer the same training

Description supplied by the event organiser.