There are many aspects to the traineeship at Surrey Wildlife Trust. From developing community engagement skills, gaining practical qualifications such as chainsaw and brushcutter tickets, to learning how best to run a practical volunteer task. Everyday you are out in nature and everyday you learn something new.  

Let me take you through a typical day in the life of a trainee...

On this particular day myself and my mentor were headed out to run a practical habitat management volunteer session. The aim of the session was to help restore a calcareous grassland sight through the removal of scrub species such as Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea). Removing these species on areas of chalk grassland allows for greater floristic diversity. On this particular site, the removal of scrub lets through more sunlight for the Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) species to grow. This is the main food source for the caterpillars of the rare Small Blue Butterfly (Cupido minimus) therefore these beautiful little butterflies are mainly found on chalk grasslands where Kidney Vetch is present. The volunteer task was ultimately helping improve the habitat for the Small Blue. Knowing the aim of the task helps remind you and the volunteers why they are there and what they are doing is actually benefitting nature.

The first order of the day was to pack up the truck. Writing a kit list the day before helps ensure you don’t miss anything and you have all you need. One of the most important pieces of equipment is the tea kit; you would have some grumpy volunteers if you don’t pack the biscuits!

For this particular task, tree poppers were needed. These are large metal tools with jaws that grip the trunk of the shrub you are removing. You can then leaver the tool backwards to ‘pop’ the shrub out of the ground; roots and all. This is much more effective than just cutting it down and leaving the roots as that would allow the plant to grow back!

Once all the equipment is packed (not forgetting tea and biscuits) we head to site to meet the volunteers. We then have a chat about what the task is all about and why we are doing it, as well as a quick health and safety brief before starting the task.

Rather than creating piles of removed scrub in the woodland surrounding the chalk grassland, the material was burnt. Natural England regulations stipulate that to burn on chalk grassland it has to be on a raised platform. These were wonderfully created out of old scaffold poles and brackets along with a metal sheet to burn on. The burn platform is specifically designed to easily be carried in manageable pieces and fit into the truck bed! Burning on platforms prevents scorching of the ground and stops excess nutrients from the ash getting into the vulnerable chalk grassland. Fires on the platforms have to be kept smaller to try and prevent any material from falling onto the ground and catching. However, they are still effective!

Through the day there is a break for tea/coffee and biscuits as well as a stop for lunch. One of the best parts of being out on task is that every lunch is a picnic! The volunteer task is finished by 15:30 and we head back to base soon after, providing the fire is out and safe to leave. Once returned to base, it’s a matter of unpacking and cleaning the tools, making sure everything is ready and available to use the next day.

A highlight of the traineeship and being on task is being out in nature all day, working to benefit nature. On this occasion we got to see Peacock Butterfly (Aglais io) and Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni), Green woodpecker (Picus viridis), Great Tits (Parus major) and Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). We will have to come back in late spring/summer to see how we have helped the Small Blue Butterfly!

Thanks for joining along with an average day in the life of a trainee and hope to see you on a volunteer task soon!

Lucie

Surrey Wildlife Trust Nature Space Trainee