Back in 2014 I began studying landscape design and horticulture with a view to becoming a Landscape Architect. At university I seemed to cling to those that had ecology backgrounds and would, without realising it, focus my own projects around wildlife enhancement or mitigation.

I realised very early on that designing urban plazas would never be my strong suit. I started volunteering for a number of wildlife work parties and survey groups, and found the process and the experience incredibly rewarding. This then led me to apply for the ecology traineeship at BBOWT. 

The ecology traineeship is so varied depending on the time of year. The traineeship consists of three days in the week with one day a week working with the mammal team surveying water voles. We are now in the middle of survey season so most of our time is spent on reserves across the three counties.

You could be spending an entire day in one location surveying wild flowers in a glorious hay meadow or need to do several survey tasks on three different reserves across two or even three counties. 

One example Monday in May 

Morning: Adder tracking at a heathland reserve

Thankfully this process didn’t require trainees to walk around the reserve searching under all the scrub and looking through all the open heath of this vast reserve. A tracking device was used on a select sample of adders caught in the early summer where certain measurements were taken, such as sex, weight, and length.

Our survey was one of many over a two and a half-month period. We used a bio tracker which essentially was a honing device with a large aerial to locate the adders.

Adders are incredibly elusive creature and at this time it was raining and relatively cold. So even with the bio tracker there were some instances of attempting to peer through thick scrub in order to determine the adder's exact location. I am looking forward to seeing what the data can offer in terms of hot spot areas for this species. 

Afternoon: Reptile refugia checks at Snelsmore common, Berkshire.

Another fantastic site for all reptiles. Prior to our visit refuge tins and carpet tiles were numbered and distributed across the reserve. Armed with a map and GPS locations of each tin/tile our task was to document any reptile species present near on or below the sites.

We were lucky enough at one of the sites to see an adder with its diagnostic zigzag marking scuttle off after noticing our presence. After tracking adders all morning, it was incredibly rewarding to see one by the end of the day. 

Before starting the traineeship, I had a very clear vision of where I would see myself in 12 months’ time. I was keen to work in ecology consultancy considering my background in working on large landscape projects.

Having completed nearly half of the traineeship I look forward to exploring the incredible diversity and rarity of species along our waterways and precious fenlands as well as learning more about the management strategies put in place to maintain and restore these wonderful sites. I hope to therefore work in freshwater ecology at the end of this traineeship in some capacity. 

More than 1,700 volunteers help us towards our vision of more nature everywhere, on our nature reserves, at our visitor and education centres, in our offices and more.

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