Woodland Ecology Weekender

Come journey into the woods with us, on this Woodland Ecology weekend course. This course will combine field trips and classroom study using floras and keys to help you identify plants and fungi found in UK native woodlands. We will be looking at a range of species groups such as trees, shrubs, ferns, bryophytes, and fungi. We will also be looking at what stories these plants and fungi tell about their environment; are they indicators of ancient woodlands, what can they tell us about the soil and about how people and animals use the space? 

Who should attend

This course is beginners who are interested in learning more about identifying woodland plants and fungi. We will be using floras and keys but no experience of using these tools are necessary. 

Before you attend

This weekend course will take place 11th - 12th May, running from 10am-5pm on Saturday and 10am-4pm on Sunday. The course takes place in person at the Myco Farm based at Platt Fields Market Garden in Manchester. Platt Fields Market Garden is a working garden, which also hosts other events on the site. There are gender neutral toilets on site, including wheelchair accessible toilets.

Food and accommodation are not provided as part of this course, so please make your own accommodation arrangements if necessary. MUD, who run the Market Garden, have a cafe on site which sells food, hot drinks, and cakes. We will also have a tea, coffee, and biscuits at the farm.

We will travelling to some woods around Manchester in our field trips. Depending on funds we may book a minibus for this event. However, if you are travelling by car and are willing to give other participants a lift to the field sites, then please let us know when you book. 

Please bring weather appropriate clothing and shoes that you don’t mind getting muddy, as we will be spending some time outdoors. 

You will also need paper and pencils to take notes.

If you have a hand lens or microscope, bringing it might be useful, but it is not necessary.

This event is subject to our refund policy.