This one-day course is recognised as the definitive course on dormouse ecology, survey and monitoring. Ideal for those with a general interest, or working towards their Dormouse Handling Licence. The course is held in-person and online and includes information on relevant legislation, dormouse ecology and conservation, survey techniques and habitat management theory.
Regarding references
*Dormice licenses are issued by Natural England and NRW. Two licensed referees are required for any application. As references should be based on observation of a person’s skills over an extended period of time, The Mammal Society do not provide references. We do however provide a certificate confirming completion of the training. The trainer may also sign relevant section of the PTES Dormouse Training Log provided the delegate has shown competency and the skill being assessed can be adequately demonstrated under the conditions of a training course.
Trainer
David Wells (Online and Callow Rock) is an ecological consultant based in Gloucestershire, specializing in protected species survey and mitigation. He has been interested in wildlife and mammals from an early age: one of his earliest memories is of seeing a Pyrenean Desman (in captivity, sadly) when he was three years old. Over the years he has contributed to county or national surveys for dormice, bats, harvest mice, hedgehogs, otters, water voles and water shrews as well as the Mammal Society’s atlas project.
His involvement with dormice started when he attended a Mammal Society dormouse course in Cheddar in about 1988 – one of the courses he now leads. He has held a dormouse survey licence for over 25 years, and is a co-author on the Mammal Society’s forthcoming Dormouse Mitigation Handbook. He was also on the editorial panel for the Mammal Society’s UK BAP Mammals: Interim Guidance for Survey Methodologies, Impact Assessment and Mitigation in 2012. David is also involved with bat survey and mitigation, and is currently chair of the Gloucestershire Bat Group.
Hazel Ryan (Wildwood) has worked in conservation for 27 years since graduating from Royal Holloway, University of London with a degree in Ecology. Her current role is Senior Conservation Officer at the Wildwood Trust, Kent, a British wildlife conservation charity, where she manages captive breeding programmes for native mammals including water voles and hazel dormice. She has monitored dormice for the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme since 1995. As a committee member of Kent Mammal Group she co-ordinates small mammal trapping surveys and dormouse training in the county. Hazel is a trustee of Kent Bat Group, a Volunteer Bat Roost Visitor and bat care co-ordinator for Kent. Hazel in an experienced trainer, teaching courses on a wide range of mammal species and co-author of the Mammals of Kent, the county Mammal Atlas published in 2015. She has appeared in many television programmes to talk about mammals including Countryfile, Springwatch, BBC Breakfast, Inside Out, CBeebies and Nature Nuts with Julian Clary. She also enjoys travelling abroad to trap and handle small mammals and bats.
Location
The online course will be held over Zoom.
The in-person course will be held at the Somerset Wildlife Trust Callow Rock offices and Wildwood.
For the in-person course there will be a field element in which delegates will be led into a woodland and the trianer will carry out a nest box search. Although there are dormice known in the woodland, we cannot garuntee seeing one on the day. As there is a risk of COVID 19 transmission from humans to small mammals we ask delegates to test beforehand if possible and to let us know if you are showing any symptoms before arrival. Participants are recommended to bring sturdy shoes on the day as the woodland has a steep entry. Refreshments are provided on the day but lunch must be brought.
Dates
In 2023;
- The online course will be held on the 26th of May and 23rd of June.
- The in-person course will be held on the 14th of July, 19th August and 29th of September.
To book the course please head to our Eventbrite page.
Reviews
Please note these reviews are from our online course;
- Clear slides, logical progression through the information and great feedback on questions – a well designed course
- The survey techniques section was great, having lots of information about different methods and best amount/time length to gathering a good amount of data
- Great knowledge of the course provider
Prices
Online;
- Student £45
- Member £70
- Non member £90
In person;
- Student £85
- Member £135
- Non member £169
Above prices include booking fee. For terms and booking conditions please click here.
If you have any queries please contact training@themammalsociety.org.