Plants are fascinating living organisms which have evolved over hundreds of millions of years, having become crucial to all life on Earth. During this course we shall look at a wide range of plants including trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, ferns and mosses. The course will include indoor sessions where we explore the amazing functions of plants such as how they obtain nutrients, grow and reproduce. We shall also look at the structures they have evolved such as leaves, roots, stems and flowers to help them carry out these functions.
Visits to a range of sites are included to look at wild plants in situ. Here we shall consider how their functions and structures are suited to the particular habitats in which we find them. We’ll also share useful tips to help in the process of identifying species in the field.
Stuart Colgate, the tutor, is a freelance ecologist, with particular emphases on botanical and habitat surveys. He is also a member of the Flora of Cumbria Recording Group.
