Dave Green's Geostudies Programme

In these uncertain coronavirus times, Dave Green has boldly gone and put together a programme for the rest of this year and next. Let us hope it can go ahead as planned! Dave can be contacted HERE.

Dave writes:-

Hi everyone,

 

I have been making an effort to put on a programme of evening classes and field trips for the coming academic year. This could be a very dodgy proposition, with the prospect of further lockdowns, changes in regulations etc. but I have had several requests for this, so I will at least make plans to go ahead.

 

In the absence of any replies from Wynstones to my requests, I have now booked an alternative venue: the GL3 Community Hub at Churchdown, which is reasonably priced and has flexible, very clean accommodation, a high tech projector and a tea urn! The Centre (or “Hub”) is situated on the B4063 (the old Gloucester – Cheltenham main road), directly opposite a Tesco supermarket, where they have an arrangement for overflow parking, if the hub car park is full.

 

Apart from a couple of requests to go ahead with the Covid-affected Geochemistry course, I have had only one suggestion for a course – the Geology of Gloucestershire, and a request for a weekend field course somewhere in the UK.

 

So; my suggestion for a programme for the year will be as follows:

 

Autumn Term

21st September to 7th December (not 26th Oct ): The Geology of Gloucestershire. An in-depth study of the geological evolution of our county (old pre-Edward Heath boundaries!) – probably second only to Shropshire in the variety of its Geology and hence its scenery. In the near future I have been commissioned to write a book on this subject, so this will be useful for me too! There will be extensive use of geological specimens and maps (subject to regulations of course). In the meantime, the only easily accessible books on this are the two volumes in the 1960s-70s“Geology Explained” series, by William Dreghorn: “Geology Explained in the Cotswolds and Severn Vale”, and “Geology Explained in the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley”, still available in hardback second hand (David & Charles), and re-published around 2000 in paperback by Fineleaf Press. Most other information is in papers and BGS publications.

Held on Mondays 7.30-9.30 in GL3 Community Hub, Cheltenham Road East, Churchdown, Gloucester GL3 1HX. Cost: £75 for a 10 week course.

 

27th-30th November Field Course

Location to be decided (Pembrokeshire?, Anglesey? Isle of Man? Isle of Wight?)

 

Spring Term

11th January to 22nd March (not February 15th): Geological Breakthroughs. Geological ideas, technologies and discoveries that have transformed the way we think about the Earth. Two good books have recently appeared on this subject: “A Brief History of Geology” by Kieran D O’Hara (2018), and “Breakthroughs in Geology” by Graham Park (2020), but there are many more that deal with various aspects – Plate tectonics, Uniformitarianism, Palaeomagnetism, the Petrological Microscope, Biostratigraphy etc.

Held on Mondays 7.30-9.30 in GL3 Community Hub, Cheltenham Road East, Churchdown, Gloucester GL3 1HX. Cost: £75 for a 10 week course

 

Summer Term

19th April to 5th July (not 3rd nor 31st May): Geochemistry. Geochemistry is the science that uses the tools and principles of chemistry to explain the mechanisms behind major geological systems such as the Earth's crust and its oceans. This is a vast field, covering processes operating in the core and mantle, the hydrosphere, reactions on the earth’s surface, reactions due to interaction with the biosphere etc. Geochemistry is very important as a detective tool in assessing the origin of magmas, the composition of the ancient atmosphere, palaeotemperatures, the age of geological materials, the time a surface has been exposed to cosmic radiation and many more. This course will take an introductory look at this subject.

Held on Mondays 7.30-9.30 in GL3 Community Hub, Cheltenham Road East, Churchdown, Gloucester GL3 1HX. Cost: £75 for a 10 week course.

 

Early June Field Course to Germany? (vaccinated??)

 

8th June to 13th July   Geology and Landscape in Gloucestershire (evening field course Tuesdays 7-9)  First meeting point:- North Nibley:  Meet at the minor  roadside near the school, east of the church GR ST 737960 .  Further sessions on website, separate leaflet, and/or by contacting Dave Green.

 

I am still open to other suggestions. Please let me know if you are intending to come to evening class in September – numbers will dictate the room we are allocated at Churchdown.

 

I will try to make further arrangements for classes at Ross/Monmouth (Autumn term) and Thornbury (Spring term) in due course.