Previous Tomorrow's Biodiversity events

Although many spiders can be identified and recorded in the field, those wishing to record spiders soon realise that there are limitations to this technique and that many species – some of them very common – cannot be confidently separated from similar looking species without taking a much closer look. Those who want to overcome these limitations are ready to start learning the techniques of identifying preserved specimens under a microscope. This course takes people on the first steps of that journey.

Tom.bio are supporting the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) in the delivery of several workshops over the course of 2015. This workshop, held at FSC Nettlecombe Court, will guide you through the NPMS online data entry process and provide you with time to enter your own data with the support of the NPMS Volunteer Coordinator. Please bring a laptop if you have one (we can supply one if not) and your survey data for this year.

This day will focus on using microscopes and advanced microscopy techniques such as the clearing of specimens to identify tricky species. Although focussing on spiders, we welcome attendance by people studying other hard-bodied invertebrates as many of the techniques discussed will be applicable to them. For more details and booking please email Rich Burkmar .

Many spiders and harvestmen can be identified and recorded in the field, with the aid a simple piece of kit called a spi-pot, before being released again. There will be classroom sessions and practice at identifying spiders and harvestmen in the field. We will collect live spiders and harvestmen around the grounds of Preston Montford and bring them back into the classroom for a closer look, before releasing them. We will talk about how you can get help with spider identification and submitting records.

Tom.bio are supporting the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) in the delivery of several workshops over the course of 2015. This workshop, held at FSC Orielton, will guide you through the NPMS survey methodology and plot selection protocol, and allow you to practice a mock survey with the support of the NPMS Volunteer Coordinator.

Tom.bio are supporting the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) in the delivery of several workshops over the course of 2015. This workshop, held at FSC Juniper Hall, will guide you through the NPMS survey methodology and plot selection protocol, and allow you to practice a mock survey with the support of the NPMS Volunteer Coordinator.

Habitats within the Severn Gorge landscape are incredibly important for a wide range of spiders. This workshop, run by Nigel Cane-Honeysett of the Shropshire Spider Group, introduces you to spiders and spider identification within the environment of the Severn Gorge. Outdoors, in local habitats, you will use a variety of simple techniques to temporarily capture these fun-loving creatures for identification. Indoors, you shall attempt to identify to species level using preserved specimens under a microscope in the classroom using the Collins Field Guide to Spiders. This is a Severn Gorge Conservation Trust event supported by the Shropshire Spider Group.

There are some top-value ID courses running in Shropshire this summer. This is a series of legacy events running under the banner of the FSC Invertebrate Challenge project that Pete Boardman managed. Pete will be leading a couple of Cranefly training days and the other expert tutors are Ian Cheeseborough (bees, wasps and ants), Nigel Jones (hoverflies and other diptera) and Don Stenhouse (Beetles).

Many spiders and harvestmen can be identified and recorded in the field, with the aid a simple piece of kit called a spi-pot, before being released again. There will be classroom sessions and practice at identifying spiders and harvestmen in the field. We will collect live spiders and harvestmen around the grounds of Preston Montford and bring them back into the classroom for a closer look, before releasing them. We will talk about how you can get help with spider identification and submitting records.

Tom.bio are supporting the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) in the delivery of several workshops over the course of 2015. This workshop, held at FSC Malham, will guide you through the NPMS survey methodology and plot selection protocol, and allow you to practice a mock survey with the support of the NPMS Volunteer Coordinat

Participants will be introduced to the fundamental concepts of GIS and using QGIS as a tool to explore biological records. We will cover topics like obtaining and displaying basemap data (e.g. Ordnance Survey basemaps and Google & Bing aerial imagery), capturing spatial data, loading data from GPS smart-phone apps or hand-held GPS, producing maps for reports or for display on the web.

Tom.bio are supporting the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) in the delivery of several workshops over the course of 2015. This workshop, held at FSC Slapton Ley, will guide you through the NPMS survey methodology and plot selection protocol, and allow you to practice a mock survey with the support of the NPMS Volunteer Coordinator.