Environmental Workshops
The Mountain Environment
This workshop is aimed at developing your understanding of the natural world. We take at look at the mountain environment from its geological history to its vegetation and human influences upon the landscape. We will identify general characteristics of rock types, habitats and take a closer look at the wildlife which inhabit this environment. A series of engaging activities are used to help promote our understanding and these will offer ideas for you to use with your own clients. A notebook, pencil and camera would be useful to bring along.
Alpine Flowers of Snowdonia
This course will help you to recognise and identify mountain and alpine flowers. Snowdonia is home to specialised plants more at home in the European Alps and Arctic environments. We will look at the adaptations and ecology of these plants and develop your skills and confidence in identifying plants in the field. Bring along a notebook, pencil and camera to help you remember the plants you discover once you’ve returned home.
Glaciation in Snowdonia
This workshop is an introduction to regional glaciation of North Wales. North Wales is a post-glacial environment with spectacular glacial features. We will identify and explain the formation of these features both large and small scale including features of erosion, transportation and deposition. The itinerary on the day will depend upon weather conditions and may include a lowland glacial environment. A notebook, pencil and camera would be useful to bring along.
Swiss Alpine Flowers
This one-day course will give you confidence to identify alpine flowers. It aims to demystify the jargon behind flower identification books and make them more accessible. The field site has been selected due to the wonderful limestone floral diversity. It is an easily accessible site with good altitudinal and habitat diversity. The course will also look at the broader environment to develop your understanding of alpine geology, tectonic activity and land use. If you are a trekking guide then it’s also designed to; 1- help you become a more informed leader, 2- to prepare you for an IML assessment & 3- provide continued professional development CPD points for BAIML members.
Mountain Flowers of the Lake District
This course will help you to recognise and identify flowers of mountain & moorland but also we hope to see some rarer arctic-alpine flowers too. The Lake District is an important plant area where specialised plants, more at home in the European Alps and Arctic tundra still exist. We will look at the ecology of the mountain environment and the major influences affecting vegetation such as geology, agriculture and water. The workshop will also help develop your skills and confidence in identifying plants in the field. We will be visiting botanically rich and diverse sites where exceptionally rare plant communities, of high conservation value, live. It is therefore imperative that we respect and value the nature of these very sensitive sites.
Upland Birds
It’s a special treat to have Sophie-lee Williams join us for this workshop. Sophie-lee works as an ornithologist in Wales and is project manager for Eagles Reintroduction Wales. We will walk around the varied mountain and moorland habitats of this Welsh upland environment. We’ll follow woodland edge, plantation, wetlands and open hillsides to discover the birdlife. Summer migrants will have arrived in May and ground nesting birds will be on their nests making this time of year a fantastic opportunity to see a wide range of upland birds. This event is aimed at the hillwalker and people with a love of the great outdoors. The workshop is also ideal for people who work in the outdoors and who lead groups in the hills or mountains of the UK. This event is focused on bird identification and sightings, however, I will happily respond to any questions and discussions on the wider mountain environment.
The Future of our Uplands
Learn about and discuss land use, conservation and wilding issues. Steve Evison, director of Nearly Wild, join us for this interactive workshop. Steve is an expert in strategic conservation and engaging people in nature recovery & management. He has over 35 years of experience in the field of national and international strategic conservation and nature recovery. We will look at the present opportunities and challenges facing rebuilding natural processes in the UK and how to reconnect broken natural systems. For generations natural resources / nature has been used for agriculture, forestry, hydropower and other much needed services to support a growing population. We will also discuss the current trends behind reintroductions associated with wilding. With such a hot topic there will be time allotted for your questions to be answered. The perfect location to host this workshop is in Cwm Idwal National Nature Reserve. Cwm Idwal is an internationally renowned site and has a rich history for conservation and wilding initiatives.
Enhancing Outdoor Learning
This workshop will introduce you to Environmental Learning Cards which have been created to help engage people in environmental learning anywhere outdoors. The Environmental Learning Cards can be adapted to support a whole range of subjects including literacy, numeracy, science and a wider range of areas within the National Curriculum. Jim Langley of Nature’s Work is a co-creator of the cards and passionate about outdoor environmental learning.
Exploring the Lake District
An opportunity to explore the geography and nature of the Lake District National Park. This workshop will take a close look at the features in the landscape, from its plantlife and glacial features to the geological background and living history including its mining and farming heritage. Many people bring along a notebook and camera to jot down notes and a course booklet will be given to accompany the course.
Wildfood and foraging 
This one-day course will give you an opportunity to gather and prepare wild foods. It will give you confidence to identify wild plants and to learn about their benefits both culinary and medicinally. With our expertise and local knowledge, we will give you the skills and confidence needed to identify, locate and collect wild foods and fruits. Wild edible plants are often viewed with a cautious eye and overlooked as a food resource.
Introduction to Bushcraft
This one-day course introduces you to the rewarding and enjoyable art of bushcraft. You are invited to join our campfire, taste some wild cooking and experience the pleasures of living outdoors. During the course we will guide you into the world of bushcraft, teaching you some of the core skills to live comfortably outdoors. The course is fantastic for those who have never carried out any bushcraft before, or are unsure about the outdoors. The pace of the course gives everyone a chance to learn practical skills while taking in the wonderful woodland they are surrounded by.
