I am responsible for engaging the public with nature through running events and activities – anything from pond dipping to fungi walks to a series of events looking at food through history. I’m an amateur mycologist (fungi) and a published author of a scientific paper – opportunities I wouldn’t have had without working for the Trust!

I studied Animal management at university and followed up with another qualification at Askham Bryam college. I knew I loved wildlife and people, so when a traineeship came up at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust I thought it would be ideal! Turned out it was something I was very passionate about and really excelled at, so when my traineeship finished I went straight into a Community Engagement Assistant job with the Trust. A common misconception about my role is that conservation is just about the practical work with wildlife and habitats. I think it is just as important to teach and inspire people about the natural world at their level – otherwise we will never manage change.

My advice to people looking at careers in conservation would be: Don’t feel too pressured to go to University immediately or at all – you can take time out to think what you want to do. There are always external pressures but follow your passion – you’ll end up there anyway and you’ll excel at it.

I am responsible for responding to planning applications, giving feedback on anything related to ecology; bird surveys, bat surveys and advising on any protected sites close to the development area which might require protection.

I studied Geography and Biology at A level. I then studied Human Geography and Town Planning at university. I worked as a Planning Officer for a local authority in West Yorkshire for three years. I had a desire to do more to ensure nature is protected from harmful development, and this is what led me to my current role at the Trust.

A common misconception about my role is that many people think that I’m here to object to every development proposed, but that’s not true. It is very rare that we will object to an application and often we will speak to developers about our concerns and work with them to make a development more beneficial to wildlife.

My advice is to study something that you find interesting, not just something that others expect you to study or tell you will get you a good job. You have to have passion for what you do otherwise it will become a chore. If you find something you are passionate about then don’t be afraid to pursue it, learn more about it and find a way to get involved. Maybe try volunteering for a while to test the waters and see how a job feels.

My role is all about protecting the marine environment from pollutants; whether that’s litter, sewage, oil or chemicals. I do this by educating and empowering communities, working with Yorkshire businesses and carrying out a range of surveys to increase our understanding of the issue and enable us to lobby for change.

I was always fascinated by the sea and how we know so little about what’s happening under the waves, so I decided to study Marine Biology at Swansea University and loved it! After finishing my degree I came to a crossroads. Do I continue my studies and do a Masters degree (which all my friends were doing), or do I go out on my own and try to get some hands-on experience in the field? After thinking long and hard I decided to go for the latter and I’ve not regretted it since. I applied for a traineeship with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust at their Living Seas Centre in Flamborough and have never left. After 6 months of my traineeship, the skills I had learnt shadowing staff enabled me to gain employment with the Trust and I have had numerous roles within the marine team which has continued to expand my skill set and experience.

My advice to young people would be: Hands-on experience is a must! Even if you can’t afford being an unpaid trainee for an organisation, try to volunteer in your spare time if possible. After finishing my degree, I felt unemployable and no different from anyone else who had just graduated, but becoming a trainee with YWT increased my knowledge and even more importantly, my confidence!

I’m working as part of the team to restore the biodiversity, water level, carbon capturing abilities and use of upland peat landscapes for people and wildlife. My role helps the team deliver the practical work on the ground by making sure they have the resources and support to do this. I’m also a big supporter of ‘Everybody Outdoors’, a campaign to raise awareness of clothing, gear and representation for plus size bodies in the outdoors.

I did an undergraduate and two postgraduate degrees in Archaeology. I initially applied to do a funded postgraduate project which focused on engaging hard-to-reach groups of people with archaeology, but I found that the reality of academic work and the heritage sector was quite different to what I expected. This in combination with mental health struggles and family bereavement led me to volunteer with Norfolk Wildlife Trust as a County Wildlife Recorders. I knew I’d always loved being outside and used this time to refocus on what I wanted from my job. I got a job working as an Allotments Officer for Norwich City Council, and then realised I wanted to work in a wildlife focused career, ideally with a focus on climate change. In the beginning I was quite disheartened as I kept missing out on roles to people with more direct experience, but during the pandemic  I was able to volunteer with the South West Peak Landscape Project, and finally got my job working for the Yorkshire Peat Programme!

A common misconception about my role is that it’s just spreadsheets! People assume an admin role is all desk-based but working for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust I have been able to use the organisation skills I already have while building up my skills by helping out other team members assisting with surveying days and joining them on training sessions. It’s great to have the opportunity to do both!

When you look at other people’s lives it can seem like they’ve followed a clear trajectory to get to where they want to be, but you can’t see all the times they didn’t succeed, the things they’ve had to give up to focus on what they wanted, or the support they’ve had to get there. There is always an element of luck which you can’t control about opportunities that come up at the right time for you. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get where you want to straight away.

As part of my role I help to plan and deliver the invasive species treatment programme across the Rivers Colne and Calder. Invasive species are species not from the country that have been introduced, either accidentally or intentionally, and have spread out into the landscape out-competing native species. My work mainly focuses on two key species - Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed. These have a huge economic impact on the UK, as well as bring a public health hazard, and limiting biodiversity. I engage landowners, bring them on board the project, and then treat these plants with localised doses of pesticide to kill them off. I then also work on projects to help native vegetation re-establish, helping restore riverbanks to a healthy state for both people and wildlife.

I always knew I wanted to work outside in the natural environment, and I was always more interested in the practical geography than the human side. I wasn't 100% sure exactly where I wanted to head into, so I did an Environmental Science degree at university to gain a broad experience and figure out exactly what I wanted to do. During this time I realised I really wanted to pursue a career in conservation - I volunteered for The Conservation Volunteers to gain experience and absolutely loved it. I then did a Masters in Biodiversity and Conservation, but found I lacked experience. As a result I applied for a role as the Yorkshire Derwent Catchment Partnership Trainee with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. I gained SO much experience from this role, working with a range of team members on different reserves and projects. I had a budget for my training to get licences and basically got experience DOING the job I wanted to get, which was ideal for then getting my current job!

A common misconception is that people think the work I do is limited to nature reserves.  For wildlife to thrive it requires both reserves, which act as strongholds for biodiversity, and also positive change in the surrounding environment so wildlife can spread across the landscape and survive. Much of our restoration works takes a 'Catchment Based Approach' as water catchments are so interconnected, and a change in one area will have a significant impact on the areas downstream. You also have to be prepared to go out in all weathers!

My advice to young people would be: The power of experience cannot be overstated. I was in circumstances that meant I could volunteer for almost a year, but there are lots of routes into conservation. Many of my coursemates on my degrees worked as ecological consultants for a number of years before transitioning into the conservation field. If you can volunteer, or find work in an environmental field, it's far easier to jump across into a conservation role. The hardest bit is getting your foot in the door.

My role is all about managing the land we own to ensure we are improving it to favourable conditions and promoting the work of the marine team to the public. It is a varied role as some days I can be out on the reserve moving livestock and other days I am in the office planning and developing new projects.

I studied BSc Geography at University and was coming up to my final months before graduating when I found the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust traineeship online. I applied and was waiting to hear when the pandemic hit, which put everything on hold - so whilst things ran their course I found other volunteering opportunities online so I could keep expanding my skills and knowledge on conservation projects. I did my traineeship at Spurn alongside my master’s in Environmental Management of Wildlife and Landscapes at Sheffield Hallam. I thoroughly enjoyed my traineeship and loved getting stuck in. I got to run my own project which was to redesign 2 fields to increase habitats for SPA bird species, which involved talking to Spurn Bird obs to use their expertise, and using my skills in Geographical Information Software (GIS) to calculate and identify low laying areas of the fields which would become wet grassland. 

I joined the team at Spurn point in April as a Living Landscapes Assistant. My trainee project is currently coming to fruition with works scheduled to take place in spring 2023. It is great to see how small projects from trainees can make a difference and the skills you gain are directly related to jobs in the sector.

I had a few misconceptions about my role but the biggest one was the amount of paperwork involved! I was surprised on how much office time I would need to complete my work. However, now I have been in the role a while, some of this is my favourite part. I love being involved in the planning of future projects and collating of data for the site. I was also surprised in how much involvement with the public I would have. I spend a lot of time talking and educating the public which I surprisingly enjoy!

Advice I would give to anyone currently looking to get into the conservation sector is to find volunteering opportunities near you. The traineeship both let me build up essential skills that I didn’t have, and also allowed me to find things I was not interested in. Further advice I would give is to build up your contacts in the sector - this could be by social media or in person. It meant I could get to know the different jobs in the sector and find out which would suit me best.

I work closely with our Inspiring People Officers like Kat to develop, support and promote our public programmes. My work is all about inspiring people to connect with nature and helping them learn more about how their actions are vital for Yorkshire’s wildlife.

I come from outside the environmental sector, so my story is one of transferable skills. I completed degrees centred around archaeology and heritage and gained bits of experience through volunteering with the National Trust, an internship at an archives and even a bit of work with CAMRA! I wanted to try out as much as possible and this built up to my previous role which was managing a heritage site for three years. These experiences helped me to develop my knowledge of visitor engagement and the charity sector. I also did an apprenticeship whilst working which I found incredibly useful for transferable skills - especially in terms of my own personal effectiveness and understanding different types of learning and working styles.

In terms of misconceptions in my role, I think a big one is that you have to be a wildlife expert to work in organisations such as Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. There are definitely roles where you need to have specific wildlife expertise but I’ve learnt and noticed so much more about nature since I started working here. Everyone is so passionate about helping wildlife and they’re more than happy to help you out!

The advice I would give is: you’ll never know it all. I spent so long at the beginning of my career worrying that I didn’t know enough that I forgot to look back on everything I’d learnt so far. Experience as much as you can but take some time to celebrate your achievements as well as understanding where situations could have gone better and what you can change next time.