We are looking for volunteers to undertake botanical surveys on a selection of upland hay meadows that have been restored through seed addition, at locations across the North Pennines.
Time-scales: Botanical surveys are undertaken from third week of June until late July.
Methodology: Groups of two to three volunteers undertake 15 quadrats (1m x 1m square) per meadow. One meadow with 15 quadrats may take between one to two days.

We are offering a free three-day course for beginner’s and botanists wishing to refresh their skills, in exchange for a minimum requirement of helping to survey a meadow over one full day. Beginners are advised to attend all three days, if possible. More experienced botanists can choose which days to attend based on their previous experience. You will need to sign-up to these three training days separately:

Day 1: Wildflower Identification training, Thursday 4 June.
Day 2: Grasses and sedges Identification training, Thursday 11June.
Day 3: Botanical surveys using quadrats training, Thursday 18 June.

We will spend the morning inside, looking at the key flowers and vegetation features of grasses and sedges. In the afternoon we will go on a walk looking at grasses and sedges in a nearby meadow, and along The Pennine Way.

Lunch provided in village hall, with refreshments provided.

The training will be undertaken by Ruth Starr-Keddle, if you have any queries, please email: ruth@northpennines.org.uk.

Please sign up using the Better Impact volunteer system

This event is part of North Pennines NatureFest running from Saturday 23 May to Sunday 7 June 2026. See the full programme at www.NorthPenninesNatureFest.org.uk #NorthPenninesNatureFest26