This weekend brought me the first real rehearsal for the course I will assist in at the end of this month.

A clear sign of spring: the daffodil (Narcissus)

As we did last year, we will take the students of biology of our university to the beautiful Hallerbos, a forest known for its bedazzling spring flora. There, we will introduce them to the ecology of forest types.

A wonderful little patch of spring forest on a calcareous slope: wild garlic (Allium ursinum) as far as the eye could see

With the first warm spring days upon us, and a visit to the valley of the Lesse in Wallonia, this weekend brought me already a lot of these forest types ànd their accompanying spring flowers.

In Belgium at its northern range edge: the stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus). 

Aim of the course is to give students a crash course in plant species, an overview of the variation in forest types and an idea about how abiotic conditions and species composition interact with each other, even on a very small scale. And – of course – let them admire the pure beauty of nature.

Micro-environment for the fern Common polypody (Polypodium vulgare) on a mossy tree

Totally ready for the best teaching opportunity of the year!

One of my new favourites of the season: the February daphne (Daphne mezereum)