Training & Events
Land Watch Course
Become a citizen scientist and help us collect valuable data on our Sussex Cetaceans!
In this 2-hour practical session, you will:
1. Learn all about the Sussex Dolphin Project land watch programme.
2. Meet our researchers and learn how our work is helping to understand the distribution and abundance of dolphins and seals off the Sussex coast.
3. Learn the basics of conducting your own land watch and how to identify any marine mammals you may see, as well as answer any questions you might have.
You will also receive an online training pack, access to our group land watch sessions and support for a year.
Price: £20 pp
Cetacean survey training
Join us on our one-day course to learn how to research whales, dolphins and porpoises (Cetaceans) on the water!
In this course, you will learn all about our work and the wonderful cetacean species we have off the Sussex coast! We will take you through some of the ways we study these animals and how this research is so valuable for their protection.
Our morning classroom session takes you through the basics of cetacean research methods, environmental data collection and equipment, interaction guidelines, and cetacean behaviours.
After a break for lunch, we then head out onto the water, to put the skills learnt in the morning, into practice.
Our afternoon boat session will head out into our survey area, giving you the opportunity to gain experience working on a vessel. We will go over safety points, practice using the equipment, data collection and enjoy the beautiful Sussex coastline.
For our first year, we are running the course at the introductory price of £150!
Bioblitz
Our conservation corridor at Shoreham Port is coming into summer, meaning that it is the ideal time to survey the area, recording all plant, insect, mammal and bird species present on the site.
With your help in this bioblitz, we can better monitor the area, identifying changes and allowing us to manage the area for peak biodiversity. We are aiming to run several bioblitzes throughout the year looking at how the site changes over the seasons. This data will be used to keep track of how our conservation work is impacting the species seen on-site.
Background: The SPCC is a unique project site, nestled in the industrialised area of Shoreham Port, and bordered by housing, making it an isolated and important first land-fall for migratory butterfly species such as clouded yellow, long-tailed blue and many others. This isolated area hosts a surprising number of habitat types, and our goal is to enhance these to increase biodiversity in this urbanised landscape.
The spring and summer is a great time to see whether our habitat management plan is increasing the number of species on-site as flowers are in bloom, insects are buzzing, and the birds are chirping!
Events
Sussex Dolphin Project runs regular events, including: beach cleans, litter picks and talks.
We also attend local events where you can come and meet the team and find out more about our work.
Click here for the latest events information: