Puzzling Plants: An Introduction to Common Grasses

Course tutor: James Common

Course length: 4x trips, June 2024. Please check the program below.

Course structure: Four field sessions at different locations

Course cost: £30 NHSN Members / £40 Non-Members

Grasses can be a daunting bunch, with a great many species out there to be discovered across the North East. Despite this, there are perhaps two dozen species that you're likely to encounter on your typical walks in nature.

In this new field course, we'll set out to explore a wide variety of lowland grasses encountered in four abundant habitats - urban spaces, industrial land, neutral grassland and farmland. Together, we'll learn to identify these abundant species using simplified guides and without puzzling terms used elsewhere, all while exploring how grasses can help define different habitat types.

All in all, attendees can expect to encounter around 20 of our commonest grasses alongside 5-10 more unusual species.

A full course programme, including meeting points for specific trips, will be provided ahead of the first session.

In the event of poor weather, every effort will be taken to reschedule missed sessions.

• Urban Grasses - Thursday 5 June, 10.00 am-12.30 pm, Heaton

Meeting point: Outside the Canny Goat cafe, Heaton, NZ 2758 6591, metro.thinks.comb

Here we should encounter c10 of the commonest grasses about, including Meadow Foxtail, Rough Meadow-grass, Timothy and False Oat-grass, and may even spot some more unusul species associated with our urban spaces.

• Industrial Grasses - Thursday 12 June, 10.00 am-12.30 pm, Walker

Meeting point: Pottery Bank carpark, Walker, NZ 28856295, began.noses.remain

With soils rich in calcareous materials, our industrial plots can hold a range of grasses almost entirely absent from other habitats. In this session, we'll set out in search of species such as Squirreltail Fescue, Quaking-grass and may even encounter Compressed Meadow-grass.

• Grasses in Meadows & Pools - Thursday 19 June, 11.00 am-1.00 pm, Brunswick

Meeting point: Big Waters Country Park carpark, NZ 22977323, northward.valid.decimals

In this session, we'll explore grasses associated with more natural grasslands, aiming to observe Yellow oat-grass, Marsh Foxtail, and Smooth Meadow-grass; while also paying attention to wetland margins where several abundant grasses also occur.

• Grasses in the Margins - Thursday 26 June, 11.00 am-1.00 pm, Dudley

Meeting point: Green Lane, Dudley, NZ 25467367, unwanted.flows.soap

In our final session, we'll explore grasses associated with farmland and arable margins. While limited in number, this group includes some rare species such as Rye-brome and Great Brome, as well as those such as Black-grass which thrive where humans have altered the land.

Questions (and identification queries) are welcome at any time by emailing [email protected].

Please read the terms and conditions for NHSN education courses before booking.

Recommended Equipment:

A hand lens, if you have one and stout walking boots.

About the tutor:

James works as Senior Naturalist at NHSN. Outside of work, he is a passionate wildlife recorder with a focus on botany and invertebrates. As a botanist, he is a joint BSBI Vice-County Recorder for North Northumberland and an iRecord verifier for South Northumberland.

Host or Publisher NHSN Education Courses