Kent Wildlife Trust Study Days FAQs

1. What is a Wildlife Study Day?

Wildlife Study Days are designed to help the people learn more about the wildlife and geology of the country. Beginners are more than welcome as are those with some experience, who will be able to improve their knowledge and identification techniques.

2. What is the structure of a Study Day?

Study days generally start around 10am with a morning break for 15-20 mins. The mornings are generally classroom based. Lunch time varies between 12.00-13.30, depending on the content of the day. In the afternoon, depending on the nature of the study day, there will be either a field trip to a near-by nature reserve (where the course leader helps ID the specific species) or a hands-on learning experience led by the instructor. This structure is only given as an example and will vary depending on the content of the study day, the tutor and their individual plans.

3. How long is the Study Day on an average day?

On an average, a study day is around 6-7 hours including breaks.

4. What is unique about these Study Days?

Each study day is tailored to the content with the mixture of both classroom based learning and with practical hands-on experience, where the participants are taken to reserves to put into practice that which they have learned in the morning. We have found that the study days provide the opportunity for some of the most engaging and interesting discussions among participants from various backgrounds who share their own knowledge and experiences on the various topics.

5. What topics do the Study Days cover?

Kent Wildlife Trust Study Days cover a wide range of topics, including the following: Mosses, Ferns, Broad-leaves, Responsible Bee keeping, Solitary Bee, Introduction to Orchids, Wild flowers, Clovers and Vetches, Dandelions, Daisies & Thistles, Solitary wasp, Docks and Goosefoot, Bumble Bee, Butterflies of Kent, Camera Trapping, Fossils, An Introduction to Geological Time, Fungii, Beaver Ecology and Field Signs, Birds of Prey of the North Kent Marshes, Amphibian Ecology and Survey Techniques, Learning Bird Sounds, Discovering British Birds.

All these wildlife study days are planned out according to the season, so keep track of our website for all the upcoming study days.

6. Where can I find the tickets for Study Days?

Tickets for Study Days can be purchased online by following the link below:

https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/explore/education/wildlife-study-days

7. What is the price for a Study Day?

Standard fee: £35 per person per day.

Concessionary fee: Kent Wildlife Trust volunteers, senior citizens, unemployed and students £5 off.

8. What is the cancellation policy of the study day?

Our cancellation policy states that you need to give 10 working days’ notice for a transfer or refund.  This is so that we can find someone to take your places and so cover the course cost, particularly the cost of the expert leaders we buy in. 

In the event of cancellation due to weather conditions, or if the tutor is unwell, participants are given an option of either to get the refund or book them on an alternative day.

9. Are these courses suitable for beginners and what is the minimum and maximum age group of the study day?

Most of our study days are suitable for beginners and we welcome a range of ages. The study days however are not suitable for children under that age of 16. If you are looking for something for younger children, we recommend getting in touch with our education department on education@kentwildlife.org.uk.

10. Do you provide any refreshments during the study day?

We do not provide refreshments but we have access to water so that you can fill up your bottle. You can bring with you hot/cold drinks, snacks and we recommend a packed lunch.

11. Do we receive any materials from the study day?

Depending on the nature of the study day, our course leaders provide either the printed version of handouts or soft copy of the content.

12. Is there anywhere nearby to purchase a lunch or snack?

At our Sevenoaks site, there is a visitor centre with a cage (see here for opening days/times). There are also shops within a short drive. Our Maidstone site does not currently have a visitor centre or café, but is within a short drive of Maidstone town centre with many places to purchase food.

13. When travelling to different sites during the study day, is it possible to carpool?

Yes, wherever possible, we suggest to share rides if possible, as this is more sustainable economically and environmentally.

14. What do our participants say?

We’re proud of the reviews and feedback we receive. Take a look for yourself:
 

• Excellent talk, superb field trip led by Richard who, obviously, is very knowledgeable and made it fun. Definitely go again - Spring & Late Summer.
• Amy Fitzmaurice was a great leader and was very engaging, which an abundance of knowledge and a friendly attitude. Great day!
• A thoroughly enjoyable course. Phil was enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable which made for a very informative day. Just need to get back out to put it into practice!