Learn more about fungi and how to identify these fascinating organisms.

On this course you will learn how to identify some of the larger fungi using their physical characteristics. There will also be a discussion on the habitats, ecology and life cycle of fungi.

The morning session will be spent in the cottage at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve* with a tutorial covering the physical characteristics, habitats and other identification features of the larger fungi. Advice will be given on useful books, field guides, websites and equipment.

In the afternoon we will travel to nearby Oldbury Hill to look for fungi and to review our identification of fungi in the field (subject to the conditions of the year and the abundance of the fungi). While discussions on edibility may arise, this study day is for those wishing to understand and identify fungi in general – not for the kitchen!

By the end of the session participants should:

be able to identify some of the larger fungi using physical characteristics

have some understanding of the habitats, ecology and life cycle of fungi

This course is suitable for improvers. It is for those with a basic knowledge of fungi who wish to learn more about fungi classification and about physical characteristics which will assist in identification. A mixture of common and scientific names will be used.

Led by Phil Ambler, fungi enthusiast. Phil has been fascinated by fungi for well over a decade and is regularly out in local woodland recording species having built up many hours in the field. He is a member of the British Mycological Society, a regular on fungi field trips as part of the Kent Field Club including as a leader this year and is one of the admins on the Kent Fungi Facebook Group. Phil has provided a fungi survey for the National Trust (Knole Park) in previous years and is part of a local recording group entering records into the FRDBI (Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland).

*The cottage (Oak Lodge) where this course starts is close to the visitor centre at Sevenoaks Wildife Reserve. If you look directly at the visitor centre and then go right, you will see a large circular sign on the front of Oak Lodge itself. See also google maps (https://goo.gl/maps/HtAVZmcNE3XAWq816)for the location of Oak Lodge.

Parking charges apply at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve car park but this is included with your ticket if you book at least 72 hours in advance. To receive free parking you must email the correct number plate of the car you will be using to parkingcharges@kentwildlife.org.uk (mailto:parkingcharges@kentwildlife.org.uk) at least 72 hours before the event start time. Please include the date of the event you have booked and the name the booking was made in as part of your email. If you are booking within 72 hours of the event, or do not confirm your number plate by this time, you will need to pay for parking on the day.

Please note that there are no toilet facilities at Oldbury Hill

Photo: Fungi (Greg Hitchcock)

For further information, please visit the Study Days page of the Kent Wildlife Trust website. (https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/explore/education/wildlife-study-days)

Description supplied by the event organiser.