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The A-Z of being a conservation trainee

Getting to grips with a pair of loppers by Katie McEvoy

Catharine takes a reflective look at the traineeship...

Nature continues to give me so much, helping me through some challenging times, and there can be no doubt that nature, now more than ever, needs our help. Eight months ago, I bravely decided to switch careers from being office-based for over 30 years to doing a hands-on job in conservation. During that time, I had tried my best to let nature into my life at nights and weekends but it wasn’t enough for me. I studied for numerous qualifications and volunteered for several conservation organisations. 

I saw the advert for conservation trainees at the Trust in May 2022 and it immediately made me smile. The prospect of having the opportunity to spend a year on a structured programme, refreshing my knowledge whilst gaining essential practical skills, really excited me.

I think back to how thrilled I felt when Iain, the Practical Land Management Officer, rang to offer me the role. I smiled to myself as it dawned on me that I was about to start a new chapter of my life, in wildlife conservation. What skills I would gain and how much more confident would I be? I hoped it would help me to push the boundaries as to the kind of roles I’ll be applying for at the end of the traineeship. What I did know was that it was the right thing to do for me at the right time. 

I started with Katie and Carolyn on 6th September. We spend three days per week out on the reserves with Romy, who started her traineeship in April, and under the direction and guidance of Andy Bucklitch, the new Practical Land Management Officer. Andy’s only been in post two weeks longer than us but you’d never know it. He’s always there to explain the task, why we're doing it and how to do it safely.  We quickly gelled as a team, working well together and looking forward to coming in each day to see what’s in store for us. What more could you ask for than that?

In order to make each day count, I’ve been keeping a journal and, to show just what a fantastic journey it's been so far, I thought I’d list all the challenges and opportunities from A-Z that I’ve experienced over the past four months.

The A-Z of being a conservation trainee

A

A feeling of wellbeing.
Assisted getting roving work parties set up - getting all the tools etc.

B

Birdwatching / wildlife watching whilst out on reserves, my list of bird species is up to 54 so far.
Bramble clearance with loppers and slashers.
Boardwalk repair.
Bridge repair.
Built a footbridge from scratch.
Blackthorn clearance.

C

Coppicing.
Completed a course on Mustelids - badger, otter, pine marten, polecat, mink, stoat and weasel.
Contributed to social media posts.

D

Drive the pool car after passing an assessment.
Dormice monitoring. I love this and am looking forward to training as a licenced handler over the next couple of years.

E

Erection of interpretation boards – signage at Boynes Coppice and Meadows and Melrose Farm Meadows.

F

Fencing using a manual post stumper and then comparing it to a powered one that thumped in the post in 15 seconds!
Fitness – my fitness has improved and I’ve not needed to use my inhaler once.

G

Gained a First Aid – Forestry & Outdoors qualification.

H

Harvest mouse nest monitoring – I found my very first nest at Lower Smite Farm and it's now on the list to take part in 2023.
Health & Safety – completed basic induction.
How to dig out a stuck Land Rover safely using waffle boards.
Hung a gate and dug out a post.

I

Identified the contents of a barn owl pellet.

J

Jacked a gate using a portable jack.

K

Knowledgeable about the working practices and roles within the Trust.

L

Land Rover driving practice went well and I’ve just passed my Land Rover Assessment.
Leadership training – learnt how to safely manage a group of volunteers.
Looking forward to coming in every day and being part of a team that is making a difference on nature reserves.

M

Mentoring and enjoying sharing some of my transferable skills with my colleagues.
More able to deal with challenging situations.
Mowing - able to use BCS Mower. Looking forward to more opportunities next year.

N

Noble chafer beetle monitoring visit with Harry Green at Tiddesley Wood was very informative and enjoyable.
No longer experience the effects of stress and anxiety.

O

Opening up the farm buildings in a morning and closing them at night.

P

People counters – technology behind them and how to site them on access points to reserves.
Photographed work parties and documented our tasks.
Passed my pool car assessment.
Post-hole digging using a breaking bar and a shove-holer.
Pruning apple and pear trees in Eades Meadow.

Q

Questioning my boss Andy when I’m not sure I’ve quite got the hang of something.

R

Ran a stall at the Christmas craft fair selling my wildlife cards and photographs.
Re-fenced an area at Upton Warren to keep the cattle out.
Removed staples and old posts and put in 25 posts with a powered post stumper.
Responsibility of managing volunteers on a work party at Dropping Well Farm. 
Routine for getting out and putting away the vehicles.

S

Safeguarding training for vulnerable adults and children.
Spent two days preparing ground and then planting a mixed species hedge at Dropping Well Farm.

T

Tree popping to remove silver birch saplings at The Devil’s Spittleful to keep it as a heathland.
Tree and scrub clearance at Long Meadow to provide habitat for the brown hairstreak butterfly.
Team Away Day at The Knapp & Papermill & Witley Court. Got to meet most of my colleagues.
Tree Inspection and Surveying qualification (LANTRA). To be aware of potentially dangerous trees and how to mitigate them.

U

Use of a power drill.
Use of ratchet and coach screws.

V

Vehicle safety checks every time we take out a Trust vehicle.

W

Working as a team.
Working with volunteers on roving work parties and local volunteer groups.
Wrote a blog about hedge planting and had it published.

X

Xeroxed documents for a training session on ‘How to get your dream job in conservation’.

Y

“You can do this” – telling myself that I could crawl under a footbridge to screw in a bolt, whilst lying on my back in a pool of water. If I can do that, I can do anything.

Z

Zest for life – re-invigorated. I’m more confident and outgoing with a sense of wellbeing.

A woman and a man carrying a plank to repair a boardwalk by Katie McEvoy

Repairing a boardwalk by Katie McEvoy

Woman using a BCS mower by Katie McEvoy

Mowing by Katie McEvoy

A woman in waterproofs about to go underneath a boardwalk to repair it by Carolyn Franklin

Repairing a boardwalk by Carolyn Franklin

Woman smiling at the camera whilst pointing at a harvest mouse nest in the vegetation to her right by Romy Clarke

Finding a harvest mouse nest by Romy Clarke

It’s an exciting time at the Trust. There's so much going on and as a team of trainees we're looking forward to getting involved in projects at Green Farm, the Severn Treescapes project and Romsley Manor Farm Meadows. 

As you can see it’s been a great journey so far. If I can experience all this in four months, think what I can experience and achieve in the remaining eight!. The traineeship really has been life changing. I'd love to stay at WWT in some capacity when it's over; these four months have shown me that it’s more than an organisation, it’s a family. 

 

Having spent a career working mostly in an office, Catharine is now following her lifelong passion by retraining to get outside and help wildlife, whilst inspiring others.

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