Welcome to Wiltshire College & University Centre - Countryside

Course Requirements – Countryside

Land and Wildlife Management (Countryside)

Welcome to Land & Wildlife (Countryside) Management at Wiltshire College and University Centre. We really look forward to welcoming you in September.

Please find below details of course related costs and items you may need to get ready for the start of term.

Resource Fee

You will need to pay your £25 non-refundable Resource Fee before coming to enrol.  This can be done on the online shop www.shop.wiltshire.ac.uk   You will need to bring a copy of your receipt to enrolment as proof of purchase.   If you cannot pay online, please pay by card on enrolment day.

Stationery

All students are required to provide their own stationery, to include:

A4 lined note paper, pens, pencils, rubbers, 30cm ruler, A4 folder and divers, A4 poly pockets for class notes, Post-it Notes and revision/record cards, cilp-board with cover.

Books

You are not required to purchase textbooks for this course as the Learning Resource Centre has a range of textbooks that you can access. Unit specific recommended reading lists will be provided to by your course lecturer at the start of the course.

However, highly recommended general Countryside Management resources, some of which can be found as electronic versions online, include the following:

History of the Countryside Oliver Rackham. Published by: Orion Publishing Co, 2020 (ISBN: 9781474614023)

Ecological Census Techniques: A handbook Sutherland, W(ed) Published by: Cambridge University Press, 2nd edition, 2006 (ISBN: 9780521606363)

Ecology: The Experimental Analysis of Distribution and Abundance: International Edition.  Charles J. Krebs. Pearson Education 2013. (ISBN 9780321604682)

By All Reasonable Means, least restrictive access to the outdoors. Published by Sensory Trust, www.sensorytrust.org.uk

Farming and Wildlife: A Practical Management Handbook Andrews, J & Rebane, M Published by: RSPB, 1994 (ISBN 978-0903138673)

Nature in Towns and Cities. David Goode. Published by Harper Collins, 2014. (ISBN: 9780007242399)

 

Uniform & PPE

All students are required to have specific clothing and PPE, which must be worn in all practical sessions.  This is available to order from our supplier Wiltshire College & University Centre Archives – JS Teamwear JS Teamwear

The following items are mandatory:

  • Polo shirt(s) – purchased from the above supplier
  • Sweatshirt(s) – purchased from the above supplier, choice of crew neck or zip neck
  • Waterproof coat – purchased from the above supplier
  • Overalls – purchased from the above supplier
  • Steel toe cap boots – can be purchased from the above supplier or from any ‘workwear’ store

We do not provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and this must be purchased before you start your course. If PPE is not present at the start of term, this may exclude you from ALL practical sessions.

For Health and Safety reasons NO visible piercings are permissible during practical activities. All jewellery must be removed including necklaces and rings. Long hair must be tied back.

It is also advised not to have nail extensions or false nails as this could cause injury to animals or yourself. Please be aware no hoodies are permissible for practical sessions.

We recommend students wear the following clothing when appropriate which must be plain colour (black, green or navy) and appropriate for industry and will be available to purchase from the supplier above

  • Warm all weather jacket / Gilet
  • Cargo / Work trousers
  • Waterproof trousers
  • Wellies / Walking boots
  • Spare socks
  • Work gloves

Trips/ Visits and Guest Speakers

All students are expected to attend college educational enrichment activities as part of their course.

We will also have guest speakers and employer masterclasses throughout the year.

A contribution of £150 is required from all students.  Please pay on the college online shop which can be found at www.shop.wiltshire.ac.uk by 6th October 2023.

Please note that trip fees are non-refundable.

Additional trips and residential trips maybe included throughout the academic year. Details of residential trips with costs will be provided closer to the time, providing parents and learners with sufficient notice. Your course lecturer will let you know when the trips are available for additional payment on the online shop. Which can be found on Wiltshire College Online Shop

Work Placement

Each academic year you are required to achieved employer involvement experience. This is mandatory and requires you to complete animal related work experience, please look around your local area for work placement opportunity’s. These could include veterinary practices, dog groomers, pet shops or small animal collections.

If you have already found a placement, please contact Ann Simpson ([email protected]) about the establishment you have found and their contact details.

Warm-up activities 

Students who are keen to get involved in Land and Wildlife, we thought you would enjoy checking out these websites for ideas on what you could get up to over summer.

Some useful Websites

  • Countryside Jobs Service https://www.countryside-jobs.com/
  • The National Trust
  • The RSPB
  • The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
  • The Wildlife Trusts
  • The Woodland Trust
  • The Forestry Commission

Just a few ideas of places to visit:

Look online for your local nature reserves, for example via the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.

  • The New Forest is our nearest National Park.
  • Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire
  • The National Nature Reserve at Pewsey Downs.
  • Savernake Forest

Useful Websites

There are lots of organisations and useful websites related to Countryside Management. Here are just some:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/natural-england