Join ecological expert Professor Tom Brereton for a fascinating and enjoyable guided walk around the Symondsbury Estate, where you’ll gain new insights into identifying British wildflowers and grasses.
Tom is a highly experienced ecological consultant with an MSc in Conservation, a PhD in Butterfly Ecology and an infectious passion for the natural world. During the walk, he’ll introduce you to the main plant groups - herbs, woody plants, sedges, grasses, ferns, and rushes - and explain how to tell them apart. You’ll also explore the habitats they thrive in and what these plants reveal about the land use history of the area, stretching back over 3,500 years to the Middle Bronze Age.
As we explore the Estate in the height of summer, we hope to encounter a wide range of species found in diverse habitats, including hedgerows, rush pastures, ancient woodland, Holloways, lowland meadows and acid grassland.
By the end of the walk, you'll come away with a deeper understanding of British flora and how to read the landscape around you - from its vegetation and ecology to the historical land use that has shaped it.
You may also find yourself pleasantly surprised: grasses aren’t nearly as tricky to identify as you might think, and many species are highly distinctive. You’ll leave with a renewed appreciation for the rich botanical diversity right on your doorstep.
You may also like the following events from Symondsbury Estate:
Also check out other
Nonprofit events in Bridport.
