Grass Identification

A one-day course giving participants; 

• confidence in identifying key grasses and sedges
• a good feel for grass groups of neutral and unimproved calcareous grassland and their use as indicator species
• a chance to learn memorable features, allowing grasses in any condition to be identified to species level

Nearly every species of grass and most sedges have at least one key feature, which can be used to pinpoint them to genus and species level. This course aims to teach people to spot and memorise these characters for the majority of common species and some of the more specialised species found on unimproved grasslands. 

This training day will give participants the confidence to identify a wide range of grasses. Throughout the day several species will be repeatedly examined and candidates tested on these, leaving them able to confidently identify 20 species. The workshop will be carried out on 3 different grassland types, and also focus on using indicator grasses to assess habitat type and quality. 

Tutor: Dominic Price

Dominic Price is a highly regarded botanical tutor and has been running courses for all levels of ecologists since 2007. He is director of The Species Recovery Trust and specialises in the conservation of endangered species. He is the author of A Field Guide to Grasses, Sedges and Rushes and co-author of The Photographic Guide to Winter Trees and Shrubs. 

• Notebook/clipboard
• Water, lunch and snacks, firm boots (steep banks) and outdoor clothing
• Hand lens (there will be some to purchase on the day and these can be purchased in the ticketing options)
• £3 for parking at Old Sarum (contactless payment available)

The recommended text for the course is 'A Field Guide to Grasses, Sedges and Rushes' by Dominic Price, available to purchase on the day, through the 'Add-on' ticket options on Eventbrite, or in advance here. 

Please visit our training resources page before the course to download a species list for the day, and take the Buzzfeed grasses quiz.

Old Sarum is signed off the A345, 2 miles north of Salisbury. Meet in the main car park (where there are loos). Address: Castle Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire - SP1 3SD. There is a £3 charge for parking (contactless payment available).Google maps - click here

what3words: harsh.parading.flattered

• 10:00 Arrive on site (no earlier)
• 10:15 Course starts
• 3:45pm Course ends

Old Sarum can be extremely exposed to the weather and there are no indoor facilities beyond the loos. Please note the site does not open before 10am and we've been asked not to queue on the access track before then. If you do arrive early there is a laybe just to the south of the site, or a Coop & Waitrose further south towards the city.

Any problems on the day please call Dominic Price on 07968 786390. 

Please inform us of any relevant medical requirements/conditions we should be aware of prior to the course. 

Lifts available from/back to Salisbury station on request.

Feedback from previous courses

‘I really enjoyed the course and found it much more useful than courses I have attended recently’

‘Just wanted to say thank you for such an enjoyable and interesting day.  Dominic is always such an excellent and relaxed tutor, who can even make learning grasses so enjoyable.’

‘Dominic is a brilliant teacher, it's the quirks one remembers well, not keys.’

'Relaxed atmosphere, so it didn't feel as though you were under pressure to get things right '

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Old Sarum, Castle Road, Salisbury, United Kingdom