A field walk, outdoor morning tea, plant identification, botanical drawing... Botany for Beginners is a delightful day in nature!

Ravensthorpe Community Resource Centre is partnering with Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show and Regional Herbarium to deliver this special one-day workshop for young people and adults. Botany for Beginners aims to engender an interest in botanical identification and familiarity with the tools required for it.

The event will begin with a morning field walk in the UNESCO-listed Fitzgerald Biosphere. Katie White, Botanist of Caladenia Co, will lead an examination of plant details using hand lenses. Participants will use their own hand lenses in the field and enjoy morning tea in nature.

Appropriately licensed Wildflower Show and Herbarium volunteers will collect specimens of flowers and plant materials. The specimens will be taken to the Ravensthorpe Community Resource Centre, where Participants can conduct botanical dissections under Ravensthorpe Herbarium microscopes.

After a light lunch, the group of up to 25 will study the plant material under the guidance of Ms White. Participants will learn about identifying features and details, as well as how to use microscopes and botanical keys to aid in plant identification. Finally, Ms White will share the basics of botanical drawing.