Free training events for NPMS volunteers

Nick Law leading a habitat ID session in 2016
at Calke Abbey, a National Trust site.
Image: H. New

Have you registered yet for the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS)? 

If you haven't, you're not only missing out on the chance to make a contribution to an important national project to record and monitor our wildflowers - you're also missing out on some brilliant free training opportunities!

As soon as you've registered, even if you haven't yet been allocated a square or started recording, you are eligible to attend any of the amazing free training events listed below, led by expert botanist Nick Law. 

As well as the six indoor identification workshops, he will also be running an outdoor training day. 

Nick Law's Rush ID workshop held in 2016
at Lockington Hall, Derbyshire

Nick told me "This habitats training day is different from the indoor sessions in its content (it will be all about how to identify the different kind of habitats you have to find before you start looking for the plants likely to grow there) and the fact that it is outside, on the lovely National Trust Longshaw Estate".

If you have already registered for the NPMS and you'd like to book for any of these free training sessions, please email support@npms.org.uk

If you haven't yet registered, please head over to this page, register and then once your registration has been accepted you can book for any of the NPMS training sessions. 

Outdoor training day:

NPMS Habitat Identification – Longshaw, Derbyshire. Thursday 22nd June.

Indoor identification workshops:

Sedges – Harlow, Essex. Monday 12th June.

Grasses – Lockington, Derby. Saturday 24th June.

Ferns – Harlow, Essex. Friday 14th July.

Rushes – Harlow, Essex. Wednesday 19th July.

Apiaceae (Carrot family) – Lockington, Derby. Wednesday 26th July.

Asteraceae (Daisy family) – Lockington, Derby. Saturday 5th August.

To find out more about NPMS, head over to the NPMS website and take a look at the latest newsletter which features an article by BSBI Head of Science Dr Kevin Walker who helped devise the scheme.