Soil Health Training at Bartonsham Meadows

Come and learn how to monitor soil health as part of the Restoring Bartonsham Meadows for Wildlife and People project.

Though underground and out of sight, soil is one of our most import natural resources. This is a fantastic opportunity to get hands-on experience and discover how to read the key indicators of its condition.

This practical session, run by Herefordshire Meadows, will help us build the skills and knowledge needed to monitor the condition of the soil at Bartonsham Meadows together, using the Soilmentor framework of tests. Of course if you want to use these skills elsewhere in the County please also come along. The more the merrier!

What You will Learn

Participants will learn how to carry out a range of soil monitoring tests, including:

• VESS (Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure)

• Earthworm counts

• Rhizosheath observation

• Slake tests

After meeting at the Scout Hut, we will spend approximately an hour out on the meadow, so please dress appropriately for the weather. As well as the soil monitoring we'll also search for some wildflower seedlings and learn how to identify them.

We'll then retreat back to the Scout Hut to complete the slake test and discuss recording methods. There will also be the chance to use a trinocular microscope, which will allow us to delve into the fascinating world of microbiology by projecting it in all its beauty on a big screen.

Following this training session, we will then develop a plan for long term soil monitoring at Bartonsham and it is hoped that those who attend this session will be willing to help with this. This will involve sampling the same field/compartment every 6 months (approx 2 hours per sample).

Please bring:

• A notebook

• A phone (for photos and What3Words location)

• A small, lidded tub (e.g. margarine, yoghurt, or hummus pot) for collecting soil for the slake test

We hope to see you there and work together to care for this precious resource!

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Host or Publisher Herefordshire Wildlife Trust