Choosing your Developing Green Talent Traineeship host…
Each trainee will cover all of the key responsibilities in the Developing Green Talent
Trainee Role Profile. The day-to-day work of each trainee will vary depending on the
host placement. To help you to choose which placement would be best for you, please
see the host placement descriptions below. Each post will be managed by a Developing
Green Talent mentor who will be based at the same location as the placement.
You may apply for as many placements as you wish, the application form gives details
on how to do this. However, you must rank the placements you are applying for in
priority order.
All trainees will be encouraged to meet other staff at other offices and reserves to gain
experience in other aspects of the Trust's work, share skills and undertake training
courses.
2 x Berkshire Team
2 based at Hasker House, Woolley Firs, Maidenhead, SL6 3LJ
Mentored by the Reserves Officer (Berks)
2 x West Berkshire Team
2 based within the West Berkshire Living Landscape project area (Nr Newbury)
Mentored by the West Berkshire Living Landscape Project Manager
This is a great opportunity to join our friendly team and help make a difference for wildlife
in the Royal County of Berkshire.
The reserves in Berkshire include areas of internationally important heathland, tranquil
woodland and species-rich meadows. Two to three days a week will be spent working
out on the reserves undertaking practical habitat management, and working with
conservation grazing livestock (ponies, cattle and sheep), In addition, the placements
based in West Berkshire are likely to have site wardening opportunities, including the
potential to lead guided walks for members of the public
Our reserves are home to a wealth of wildlife; just some of the highlights include
nightjars, woodlark, dartford warblers, grizzled skipper butterflies, brilliant emerald
dragonflies, adders, water voles, dormice, otters and a host of plants and fungi. Learning
to survey for some of these species will form part of the day to day work too.
There will also be regular opportunities to assist in our community work, for example
helping to plan and run family focused events. Environmental education will also feature,
and you will be encouraged to develop your skills in order to help the delivery of primary
education sessions
Lastly, in order to broaden your conservation experience still further, you will also spend
some of your time working on wider countryside projects.
The knowledgeable staff in Berkshire will provide you with the support and guidance you
need during your placement to help you gain the necessary experience to ensure the
best possible start to your future conservation career.
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1 x Chimney Meadows Nature Reserve
Chimney Meadows Nature Reserve, Chimney, Bampton, OX18 2EH
Mentored by the Chimney Meadows Reserve Warden
Chimney Meadows is our largest nature reserve at over 260 hectares. This tranquil
complex of grassland habitats lies in rural West Oxfordshire and forms the heart of our
Upper Thames Living Landscape Project. The reserve is nationally important for the rare
flood meadows it contains, of which less than 1,500 hectares remain in England. The
meadows are botanically rich and are used by breeding curlew. Winter flooding of some
of the fields creates a refuge for wildfowl. Management of the meadows includes an
annual hay cut and livestock grazing.
Chimney has an extensive network of hedgerows which attract declining farmland bird
species. As well as the Thames running through the site there are also many historical
and newly created wetland features, including ponds ditches, and scrapes used by
wading birds and winter wildfowl. Otters, water voles and harvest mice are also present
on the reserve.
The placement will be based at the reserve office at Chimney Meadows, and will offer a
wealth of different experiences throughout the year. A trainee may expect to gain
training and experience in the following sorts of activities:

Grassland habitat management including working with livestock (cattle, sheep and
ponies) and the annual hay cut, which will require tractor driving

Maintaining and creating hedges

Maintaining and erecting new fences for stock control

Using chainsaws to pollard trees and clear fallen branches and trees from fence lines

Working with volunteers – there is a very active volunteer group with an excellent
base of skills to learn from. Trainees will gain experience of leading volunteer work
parties

Assisting at events, such as guided walks, to engage the public

Administration and building maintenance – helping to run a small office and two
agricultural barns at the reserve base
Project work will depend on your skills and interests and on the needs of the team, but
may include:

Management of a particular feature on the reserve, such as a hedge line, from theory
to practical implementation, working with volunteers and staff

Work with local schools/community groups, running environmental education
activities on site or in school grounds, in support of the Living Landscape scheme

Running seasonal events or activities for the general public
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Introduction to College Lake Placements
College Lake Nature Reserve is widely regarded as one of the best places in
Buckinghamshire for water birds and is also a designated Site of Special Scientific
Interest (SSSI) for its geology. It is a rich mosaic of grassland and wetland habitats
which supports more than 1,000 species of wildlife. Visitors enjoy a range of family
activities and guided walks throughout the year and a number of projects are developing
on-site to increase people-engagement opportunities.
The friendly and knowledgeable staff in Buckinghamshire will provide support and
guidance to help you develop your career in nature conservation.
1 x Environmental Education at College Lake
Office base: College Lake Nature Reserve, Upper Icknield Way, Bulbourne, Tring HP23
5QG. Mentored by the Community Wildlife Officer (Bucks), but working closely with the
Buckinghamshire Education Manager
College Lake Nature Reserve (SSSI) is widely regarded as one of the best places in
Buckinghamshire for water birds. Visitors enjoy a range of family activities and guided
walks throughout the year. Our Environmental Education Centre welcomes over 2,500
schoolchildren per annum. Pupils take part in a wide range of hands-on activities which
aim to develop a stronger understanding of ecological concepts and reconnect our
young visitors with the natural world
This placement provides an exciting opportunity for a suitable candidate to combine the
delivery and development of our busy environmental education work, with practical
conservation management of an important nature reserve.
Responsibilities and opportunities of this post will include:

Assisting and leading the delivery of our environmental education programme –
involving planning, setting-up and delivery to primary school groups on a daily basis

Assisting with the development of educational resources and facilities, which may
also include inputting to our newly developed Forest Schools site

Undertaking biological surveys, specifically bird surveys and butterfly transects

Assisting with College Lake’s busy public events calendar

Assisting with the management of the Nature Reserve including practical
conservation tasks to maintain and develop the education area

This post will require approximately 1 day of weekend working per month

Project work will depend on your skills and interests and on the needs of the team,
but may include:

Supporting the development and delivery of a programme of environmental
education activities for families, specialist education groups and the general public

To support on-going work with Forest Schools in Bucks and on-site at College Lake
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1 x College Lake Nature Reserve and Visitor Centre
Office base: College Lake Nature Reserve, Upper Icknield Way, Bulbourne, Tring HP23
5QG.
Mentored by the Community Wildlife Officer (Bucks), but working closely with the
College Lake Warden and Visitor Centre Manager
College Lake Nature Reserve (SSSI) is widely regarded as one of the best places in
Buckinghamshire for water birds. It supports a rich mosaic of grassland and wetland
habitats which supports more than 1,000 species of wildlife. Visitors enjoy a range of
family activities and guided walks throughout the year.
This placement offers a unique opportunity to be involved in the core practical reserves
management at College Lake, as well as supporting important visitor engagement work.
Responsibilities and opportunities of this post will include:

Assisting with the management of the nature reserve

Helping to plan and lead the regular work parties

Leading guided walks

Undertaking biological surveys - specifically bird surveys and butterfly transects – as
well as rapid assessments

Assisting with College Lake’s busy public events calendar

Livestock management

Supporting the Visitor Centre Manager on key areas of development, which may
include on-site information, access, supporting volunteers, and providing high level
customer service to visitors

This post will be expected to provide Duty Warden cover at weekends on a rota
basis (approx. 1 weekend per month)
Project work will depend on your skills and interests and on the needs of the team, but
may include:

Management of the specific habitats at College Lake or Pitstone Fen

Initiating creative projects and approaches to offer new experiences for visitors
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1 x Upper River Ray and College Lake
Office base: College Lake Nature Reserve, Upper Icknield Way, Bulbourne, Tring HP23
5QG. Mentored by the Community Wildlife Officer (Bucks), but working closely with the
Upper River Ray Assistant Reserves Officer.
The Upper River Ray Living Landscape comprises a complex of reserves totaling 173
Hectares of species-rich hay meadow and wet grassland. In summer, the botanically
rich grasslands provide breeding habitat for wading birds including curlew and lapwing.
In winter, large flocks of wildfowl such as teal and wigeon can be seen in the flooded
fields. The hedgerow complex supports buntings, finches and tree sparrows as well as
rare butterflies such as brown hairstreak. Ponds and scrapes provide important habitat
for aquatic life and also provide for over-wintering snipe.
College Lake Nature Reserve (SSSI) is widely regarded as one of the best places in
Buckinghamshire for water birds. It supports a rich mosaic of grassland and wetland
habitats which supports more than 1,000 species of wildlife. Visitors enjoy a range of
family activities and guided walks throughout the year.
The placement will offer the chance to develop a strong range of practical skills
throughout the year at Upper River Ray Living Landscape, as well as opportunities for
practical reserve work and people engagement work at our busy College Lake Reserve
and Visitor Centre.
A trainee may expect to gain training and experience of performing the following sorts of
activities:

Assisting with the management of the Upper River Ray nature reserves

Livestock management

Undertaking biological surveys and rapid assessments

Assisting at events such as guided walks and family activities

Working with volunteers at College Lake - trainees will gain experience of leading
volunteer work parties

Develop administration skills using a variety of software packages

This post will be expected to provide Duty Warden cover at weekends on a rota
basis (approx. 1 weekend per month)
Project work will depend on your skills and interests and on the needs of the team, but
may include:

Management of a particular feature on the Upper River Ray, from theory to practical
implementation.

Running a seasonal events or activities for the general public
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Your time will be split between these two sites, with 3 days at Upper River Ray and 2
days at College Lake Nature Reserve
1 x Oxfordshire Reserves Team
The Lodge, 1 Armstrong Road, Littlemore, Oxford, OX4 4XT
Mentored by the Reserves Officer (Oxfordshire)
This is a great opportunity to join our friendly Oxfordshire team, and assist with the
general management of more than 30 nature reserves across the county. Collectively
they cover a range of important wildlife habitats including woodland, lowland meadow,
chalk grassland and a wide variety of wetlands. Oxfordshire reserves include some
internationally important habitats, such as the unimproved flood meadows at Oxey Mead
and the fens at Cothill. Our reserves are home to an incredible diversity of species and
the successful trainee is assured many new wildlife experiences.
Based at BBOWT HQ, the placement will also provide regular opportunities to assist with
our community work, such as helping to plan and run family and volunteer events on our
community wildlife reserves, and with our environmental education work at our purposebuilt centre at Sutton Courtenay.
This placement will offer the trainee a wealth of different experiences throughout the
year including:
 Habitat management across a broad range of habitats from woodlands and hedges,
to meadows and fens

Practical skills, such as the use of chainsaws, brushcutters and other tools used in
conservation management techniques

Working with volunteers - the team works with numerous active volunteer groups on
reserves across the county

Maintaining and erecting new fences for stock control, and assisting with health
checks and movements of livestock (cattle, sheep and ponies)

Ecological survey work, such as habitat rapid assessments and surveys for particular
species using established methodologies

Organising and running events on reserves to engage the public in wildlife
conservation

Writing reports and media articles

Educational work with schools groups, or other children’s groups on reserves and at
the Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre
Project work will depend on your skills and interests and on the needs of the team, but
may include:
 Installation of a habitat feature on the reserve (such as new hedge, pond or
woodland planting scheme), from research and planning to practical implementation,
working with volunteers and staff

Work with local schools/community groups to run environmental education activities
on site at Sutton Courtenay or in school grounds, in support of the Trust’s education
programmes
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
Planning, organizing and delivering a seasonal event or discovery day for families or
the general public
1 x Warburg Nature Reserve
Warburg Nature Reserve, Bix Bottom, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 6BL
Mentored by the Warburg Reserve Warden
The Warburg Reserve is a fantastic and secluded nature reserve high in the Chiltern
Hills near Henley-on-Thames. It is famously rich in plants, fungi and invertebrates and
has many rarities associated with ancient woodland and unimproved grassland. The
reserve supports 15 species of orchid, nearly 1000 species of fungi, and a wealth of
birds, mammals, reptiles and butterflies.There is a small visitor centre and the reserve
attracts all kinds of people from specialists interested in a particular species to families
on a picnic.
The placement offers a very varied range of activities reflecting the many different
aspects of managing a large, complex reserve. Details may vary from year to year but
the trainee could expect to gain experience in all of the following:

Leading guided walks and school/children’s group visits

Surveys such as butterfly transects, rapid assessment habitat surveys, plant
population counts

Fence construction, path clearance, scrub control

Woodland management such as felling, coppicing, pollarding

Scrub management

Pond clearance

Hedgerow management / hedge-laying

Meeting visitors and acting as a representative of the Trust

Livestock movements (cattle and sheep) and health checks

Leading and working with volunteer groups on most of the above activities

Day to day office duties including cleaning, administration and health and safety
checks
Project work will depend on your skills and interests and on the needs of the team, but
may include:

A hedge planting project, including planning the project, managing the budget,
ordering materials and carrying out the work with volunteers

Developing a new trail for children

Taking responsibility for managing a group of wildlife garden volunteers
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