Dormouse Ecology, Survey and Habitat Management - NEW FOR 2024

A one-day course covering:

• identification and ecology of dormice
• legislation protecting them
• survey standards and techniques
• mitigation and licensing
• habitat management

This training day is intended for early career consultant ecologists, conservationists, land managers, volunteers and trainees.

The course will be split into two sections, the first will be delivered via an online tutorial which will cover the subjects above, including tips on how to set out survey equipment, how to ID signs of dormice, age classes and sexing.

The afternoon session will focus on the practical elements of dormouse conservation - it will provide plenty of opportunities for deploying and checking survey kit. Habitat management will also be covered, and there will hopefully be an opportunity to see and handle dormice!

About the tutor

Holly Stanworth has over 15 years experience in ecological consultancy and conservation. She has first-hand experience of completing dormouse surveys, designing and implementing appropriate mitigation, and managing habitats for this species. She is now a Conservation Officer at The Species Recovery Trust, and works as a freelance ecologist, implementing conservation management across a range of habitats. She is an active member of Surrey Dormouse Group, and runs an NDMP site where dormice are regularly monitored, and active management is ongoing. She is a Dormouse license holder and assists in training others towards their license.

What to bring

• Waterproof outdoor clothing, sturdy footwear
• Water and snacks
• Money for parking at Devil’s Punchbowl (contactless payment available)

There are no indoor facilities beyond the loos at the car park. There is a café at the carpark!

Please inform us of any relevant medical requirements/conditions we should be aware of prior to the course.

Reference (for Dormouse License)

When seeking a level 1 Dormouse licence adequate experience of all life stages & breeding conditions should be achieved, as well as many other things. As such, a referee should observe a person's skills over an extended period of time (2-3 years in most cases) to ensure all the requirements are met. Given this course is completed over a single day, with no guarantee of seeing a dormouse, we will not be providing a reference upon completion.

However, we will provide a CPD certificate which will list all the activities successfully completed, and the trainer will sign relevant sections of the PTES Dormouse Training Log provided the attendee has demonstrated competent skills. This course will continue to provide a major steeping stone in achieving your license, in terms of experience and the information received, as well as giving you more confidence in survey techniques.

Natural England's guidance on this is always evolving, but we have had written confirmation that we can issue certificates. Please note that you need two references, or 1 reference & completion of an appropriate course, when applying for a level 1 license (see Natural England’s guidance here for more details).

As the guidance is in a state of flux we will do our best to let you know if this alters prior to the course, but cannot be responsible for sudden changes in NE's guidance around licensing.

Schedule

09.00 at the latest - online tutorial to be watched prior to the practical session (this will be available from 5pm the night before, a link will be sent a few days prior to the course).

13.00 – 17.00 Field Visit to Nutcombe Down/Valley to practice installing survey kit, check NDMP boxes, and discuss habitat management. There may be an opportunity to handle dormice during this session.

Recommended Reading

Natural England (2006). Dormouse Conservation Handbook. 2nd edition. Natural England (2011). Interim Advice Note - Dormouse surveys for mitigation licensing – best practice and common misconceptions. All publications from PTES.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hazel-or-common-dormice-surveys-and-mitigation-for-development-projects

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hazel-dormice-protection-surveys-and-licences

https://ptes.org/campaigns/dormice/protection-for-hazel-dormice/dormousetraining/

https://cieem.net/resource/the-dormouse-conservation-handbook-english-nature/

Directions

Meet at The Devil’s Punchbowl Car Park – Hindhead, GU26 6AE. Please bring money for parking. Holly will be parked at the eastern extent of the car park, so please meet her there.

Google maps - click here

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Course certificate

This course can be used as part of your Continuing Professional Development (CPD). We invite attendees to download their own certificate and complete the numbers of hours spent on the course, as we are aware some attendees spend more time reading up about courses before the day, and writing their notes up and sitting the online course tests afterwards. The hours on your certificate should accurately reflect this time.

Feedback

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