Nature Conservation - Healthy Hedges, Survey Training - Rufford County Park - Community Learning

Rufford Abbey Country Park, Newark

Date	24 May 2022
Time	9am - 4pm
Venue	Rufford Abbey Country Park, Newark View venue details View on Google Maps
For ages	19+
Group size	5 - 6
Cost	Free

About this course

The aim of the course is to provide learners with the skills and expertise to enable them to carry out the ‘health check’ survey of a hedgerow and associated hedgerow trees.

The data collected through the survey will help inform and support the future management of hedgerows and hedgerow trees in Sherwood.

An interest in the countryside / natural environment would be helpful and give the course more relevance. However, there are no specific skills / knowledge required as these will be taught as part of the training course.

Classroom Session – a.m.

• Overview of the Miner to Major scheme

• Introduction to the Trees and Hedges project and the survey

• A brief history of hedgerows with special reference to Sherwood

• Benefits of hedges – for wildlife and people

• Why we need to manage hedgerows and management options

• How to undertake the hedgerow survey, recording data and downloading the results

• Health and safety for surveyors including risk assessments

Outdoor Session – p.m.

• Tree and hedge species identification

• Practical hedge survey exercise and data recording

• Question and answer session

• Next steps – undertaking a ‘real’ survey. Linking surveyors with land managers.

• Information about ongoing support.

Learners will need to wear suitable outdoor clothing (warm / wet weather clothing) and footwear for walking in the countryside.

The following would be useful but not essential:

• A camera or mobile phone for taking digital images

• A rucksack for carrying survey forms, measuring tape, ID guides etc

• A tree identification book if they have one they wish to use (we will provide additional tree ID guides for each participant)

We will provide learners with the basic resources i.e. ID guides, survey forms, map extracts, measuring stick etc to enable them to undertake a survey.

The classroom based element is in the community room, above the gift shop in Rufford Country Park's Courtyard.

Please note, Rufford operates a pay and display car park.

Booking your place and fee information

To secure your place on the course BOTH the following must be done:

Complete the EVENTBRITE BOOKING.
Complete our INSPIRE ONLINE ENROLMENT FORM for each person attending the course.

You should be redirected to the Inspire Online Enrolment Form after completing the Eventbrite booking. If you are not redirected, please use the link supplied in the Eventbrite booking confirmation email.

To book and enrol on one of our courses, you must have been living in England and have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years.

Some exceptions may apply if you are living in England with evidence of the right to remain and are from an EEU/EEAU country (completion of a questionnaire will be required).

As we no longer receive funding for our ESFA-funded courses for learners living in the devolved areas listed below, full cost fees would apply to these courses if you live in these areas: