Learn more about the sedges and rushes - plant species which are found in many of our wilder, unimproved habitats but are often unfairly dismissed or overlooked.
This course will start in the classroom at Tyland Barn getting to grips with the basic features of sedges and rushes. Simplified keys will be used for identification purposes and the emphasis will be on those species which are common in Kent.
Following the classroom studies, participants will explore the lovely range of habitats, particularly the heaths and bogs, at Hothfield and/or (depending on time) the wet grassland and dykes at Holborough.
By the end of the session participants will be able to:
- Identify the basic structure of sedges and rushes, especially the flowers and fruits
- Understand how sedges and rushes can be distinguished from each other and from grasses
- Understand how other genera in the sedge family differ from the so called “true” sedges
- Identify the differences between the two genera of rushes – Juncus and Luzula
- Interpret the key characteristics which help us distinguish the different species
Led by Ros Bennett, Botanist and Ecologist
Suitable for beginners and improvers who don't have a working knowledge of sedges and rushes.
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Cafe/refreshments
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Disabled parking
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Toilets
MORE INFORMATION
Sites visted: There is ample parking at Tyland Barn
We shall travel to one or both the additional sites by car (sharing transport where possible).
The car park at Hothfield is 3 miles north east of Ashford just off the A20 in Cades Road - postcode: TN26 1HD, map ref: TQ 972 458
For Holborough we will park in Church Fields, Snodland (this is about 250 yards north of Snodland railway station, on the east side of the A228 and east of the railway line) - postcode ME6 5FB, map Ref: TQ 706 621
There are toilets at Tyland Barn but not at either of the field sites
What to bring:
- A notebook and pencil.
- A hand lens magnification x10 (available on loan or for purchase on the course at c. £9.00).
- Suitable outdoor clothing (especially wellies).
- Picnic lunch and drinks.
- A field guide such as “Grasses, Sedges, Rushes and Ferns of Britain and Northern Europe” by Francis Rose would be useful though we shall be using simplified keys to the common species.
Participants must be prepared to walk around 1 .5 miles over rough and wet terrain but at a gentle pace. Regrettably there is no wheelchair access available to either reserve. Whether or not the weather has been wet, the ground will be wet underfoot and there will be places where we shall be wading through and standing in shallow standing water.