Training

Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC), Anston, South Yorkshire

Date and time: 16th July 2026, 10am
Location: Aston-Cum-Aughton Parish Council Hall, Rosegarth Av, Sheffield S26 2DD, https://maps.app.goo.gl/YZTJWenhgy3RaStW9
Price: Discounted price £180 inc VAT (reduced from £220)

Overview

Assess your botanical identification skills with the nationally recognised FISC assessment, delivered in partnership with the BSBI.

The Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC) is recognised within the ecological industry as the standard tool for assessing botanical survey skills. Delivered in partnership with the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), it assesses botanical proficiency on a scale from 1 (beginner) to 5 (professional), with a level 6 awarded in exceptional cases. With no pass or fail, the FISC is open to everyone, regardless of skill level.

The FISC takes place over one day and consists of two lab sessions and a field survey. The lab sessions involve identifying 30 fresh specimens from across Britain and Ireland, while the field survey involves compiling a species list on an interesting local site over the course of 2 hours. Your identifications are then compared against a reference list produced by a Gold Standard Surveyor to determine your skill level.

The lab sessions will take place in the morning at Aston-Cum-Aughton Parish Council Hall, Rosegarth Av, Sheffield S26 2DD, https://maps.app.goo.gl/YZTJWenhgy3RaStW9.

The field session will take place in the afternoon. There will be a break in the middle for lunch and travel to the field site, which is within an hour’s drive. Due to limited parking at the field site, car sharing will be encouraged.

You can usually expect to receive an email with your provisional result within 8 weeks of taking the FISC. BSBI undertakes quality assurance checks on all provisional results at the end of the season (October-November), with certificates showing final results issued in December. Provisional results may be moderated and revised during the QA process to ensure consistency across all assessments.