Full range of dates to be published in September 2022
This project is based at the Knepp Estate in the Low Weald of Sussex, which is Britain’s premier and most famous rewilding site. The 3500 acre estate is being returned to a pre-human habitat by almost abandoning human intervention in the management of the landscape and allowing fields to revert to natural vegetation. Fallow and red deer, wild horses, long-horn cattle to mimic the effects of the extinct auroch and pig to mimic wild boar control the vegetation on this unique estate to produce a patchwork of different habitats. Beavers are being introduced to help restore the wet grassland and wetland habitats.
This approach was started in 2002 and has turned out to be visionary with many other farmers now looking to similarly restore areas of the country using this approach. The effect on wildlife has been breathtaking including massive increases in floristic diversity, insect abundance, many more butterflies including special species such as Purple Emperor, growth in the abundance of threatened bird species such as nightingales, and turtle doves and 13 of the 17 bat species returning to the land.
This course is aimed at those participating positioning themselves to be able to benefit from the anticipated explosive growth in career opportunities in wildlife management and climate change careers in the UK (see Opportunities in the UK jobs market for ecology and climate change careers)
The aim of this 2 week course is to give the participants experience in field survey techniques that are likely to be encountered if undertaking a field ecology or climate change career. In the first week the practicals are aimed at training participants in how to quantify a range of different taxa and then how to analyse and prepare field ecology reports. In the second week the practicals are more applied and are aimed at acquiring skills needed for different career opportunities in the wildlife conservation or climate change fields. involve completing pollinator surveys and how to identify bee and hoverfly species, how to map areas using UKHab and quantify the biodiversity score of an area using the DEFRA biodiversity metric, how to quantify carbon storage in a range of habitats and how the voluntary carbon market works.
In addition, the course includes evening presentation from professional ecologists or climate change specialists in how they developed their careers.
Climate
The British summertime is somewhat hard to predict, usually average daytime temperatures from June to August are between 18°C and 21°. Rainfall can be variable on site from very dry weeks to wetter weeks. It is important to check up to date weather forecasts before departure.
Fitness Level Required
Medium – there can be long walks and terrain varies depending on research location with some being flat and others more challenging.
Creature Comforts
Facilities in the camp site are basic (sleeping in tents), with a mixture of compost and temporary toilets. There are some limited opportunities to buy snacks. Phone signal can be good in certain areas of the site.
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