Organizations offering training in conservation and natural history
Identification training
Identiplant, the online plant ID course run by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, comes well recommended. It's on line but has a significant practical component - each week you need to go out in the field and find examples of a particular plant group.
The Field Studies Council runs a wide variety of residential courses, usually three to five days long, concentrating on particular plant and animal groups
The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management runs a wide variety of courses on identification, QGIS and surveying from one to two or three days long.
The Species Recovery Trust runs a wide variety of both in person and on line courses on various aspects of plant identification and habitat assessment
The British Entomological and Natural History Society runs workshops on specific insect groups at the Natural History Museum in London and at their centre at Dinton Pastures, Reading
Site management ‐ theory and practice
It is difficult to find training in how to manage sites to optimize biodiversity. Here's what we've found:
Ecology Training UK offers both on line and face to face training in surveying and site management. In particular they are offering an on line course in Woodland Management for Biodiversity.
The Field Studies Council does run relevant residential courses. As of January 2025 they are advertising courses on habitat survys, biological recording and QGIS mapping software but they have in the past run a course on management of ancient woodlands so they may well run management courses in the future.
The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management does advertise a few courses on management but very specific - as of January 2025 they were "Beaver Survey Methods and Management" and "An Introduction to Practical Rewilding".
The SmallWoods charity does courses on woodland management including coppicing at their centre in Coalbrookdale near Telford though the emphasis may be more on resource utilization than biodiversity enhancement
The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire runs a wide range of courses including some online courses. Most teach identification skills but as of January 2025 they also have advertised one day courses on Meadow Ecology and Conservation and Habitat Management and Monitoring.
The Wildwood Trust runs courses on the ecology of various groups, including how to survey for them.
We were told that the People's Trust for Endangered Species runs training courses although when we looked in January 2025 their calendar was empty - perhaps worth checking later in the year..
The Kent Wildlife Trust does not do any training but they do provide a whole series of highly relevant downloadable information leaflets including Management of Small Pastures, Management of Neutral Grassland, Management of Acid Grassland, Choosing Livestock for Conservation Grazing, Control of Ragwort & Other Problem Plants, Scrub and its Value for Wildlife, Woodland Rhododendron Control and Woodland Management - Rides, Glades and Coppice.
The Orchard Project runs courses on managing orchards and on forest gardening.
Training in techniques is easier to find:
Voluntary Action Harrow regularly offers First Aid at Work training
Capel Manor in Enfield is our standard trainer for use of chainsaws and pesticides
The Dorset Wildlife Trust runs some one day courses at their Dorchester centre. Most are aimed at appreciating nature rather than techniques but as of January 2025 they are advertising a practical course on scything meadows.
Russell Miller runs Coppicing workshops where you go out and do the work but learn at the same time.
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