Blogs

Going out in the field... virtually!

by Charlotte Coales

One of the things I’ve missed the most over the past year, is not being able to explore new environments and get out into the field.  That said, I’ve had a great time exploring closer to home, and have learned to appreciate and value my local environment (the back-garden in particular) far more than ever before!  But I miss seeing new places and wildlife.

The theme for the 5th annual World Earthworm Day on 21st October 2020 is Super Composters – to celebrate the relationship between man, waste and worms! We've teamed up with the Earthworm Society of Britain to put together a webinar for those interested in learning more about vermicomposting and the important role that earthworms can play in helping us deal with our waste.

We have been reviewing the feasibility for the FSC BioLinks courses for the remainder of 2020 and have unfortunately come to the conclusion that it makes most sense to cancel the remaining physical training courses and events that we had scheduled. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused and we hope you all understand this is not a decision we have been taken lightly.

Last summer I applied for and received the wonderful opportunity to jump aboard a week residential course for 18-25 year olds with the FSC BioLinks project and A Focus on Nature (AFON). Here, one of the rarer opportunities for a whole bunch of keen young naturalists to bump heads was made a reality. I am grateful for the opportunity, and the connections it allowed me to make in such a small space of time; it has only propelled me ever further into my love for the natural world and biological recording! Read more about the course and what I've been up to since then... 

Elliot Fisher is a postgraduate at the University of Oxford and is exploring human and nature relations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Elliot tells us about his research and how her needs your help...

Hello, I’m Laura. I'm currently working at the Field Studies Council as a Higer Education Placement student,  taking a placement year from studying at Harper Adams University in Shropshire for a degree in Wildlife Conservation and Environmental Management. For my dissertation I am conducting a survey to ascertain what the publics view are towards wasps and what the reasoning may be behind this. So, I would be very grateful if you could take my short survey. 

Are you a naturalist? Looking to gain skills and experience in species identification and wildlife survey techniques? Fancy training in the open air alongside fellow enthusiastic naturalists? 

Increase your employability and field skills with an industry recognised MSc in Biological Recording and Ecological Monitoring. Find out more about the course here...

GT Vision supply the FSC BioLinks with the microscopes that we use on our ID training courses. In this blog GT Vision take the reader through 5 considerations that you should consider when purchasing a microscope: magnification, working distance, lighting, camera/photography and budget.

This year’s City Nature Challenge is no longer a competition. Instead, we want to embrace the collaborative aspect of sharing observations online with a digital community. In these challenging times, being outdoors and connecting with nature is a safe and responsible way to cope with stress. City Nature Challenge allows people to come together and collaborate around the world, participating in whatever ways they can, to document the biodiversity of our planet. 

I was about to leave behind a life of employment, a “proper job” in environmental consulting and go back to university (again) to begin studying my PhD. I liked studying invertebrates, perhaps one of three students from my undergraduate degree that did. Initially, I had been studying bees, starting out self-taught and then attending 2 FSC courses to learn more. With the growing nerves at the thought of my impending PhD, I applied for the Tomorrow’s Invertebrate Recorder course, I needed to brush up on my ID and learn something more than bees. I had never really been taught anything entomological, aside from on FSC courses, so a week of invertebrate inspired learning, and meet like-minded enthusiasts sounded great. Read more...