I am currently studying Biomedical Science at the University of Southampton and have had the opportunity to work at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust for two weeks. This placement was advertised to me by the university as I am on a bursary which offers opportunities to those from more difficult backgrounds through the Ignite Programme. Organisations like the Trust who work with students from underprivileged backgrounds and offer them places like the one I was able to undertake, allow us to have experiences that I would not have been able to achieve. 

I have always been interested in nature (both flora and fauna) and when I was offered the chance to learn and survey this in real time – I couldn’t contain my excitement. In recent years, the changes to our climate and ecosystems have also piqued my interest and I have wanted to learn more about organisations that are at the forefront of protecting wildlife and their habitats. During my 2 weeks at HIWWT, I have been able to see what an impact the Trust has on local wildlife and the conservation of species. I was lucky enough to witness the hard work everyone put in, it was nice to see the genuine care for the environment; it was quite lovely to share this mutual interest with everyone on the team.

I was happy to work with HIWWT as this experience allowed me hands on fieldwork that I would not be able to do otherwise. In my first fieldwork we travelled to the Isle of Wight in order to collect soil samples from some land the Trust had recently acquired. At first, I didn’t understand the reason we were sampling soil but the people that I was working with were helpful in explaining that we soil sample to see the different nutrients e.g., concentration of nitrates in the soil. During the soil sampling I was able to ask questions (I asked a lot!) and they did not hesitate to answer any of my queries. I was able to see pigs and cows in the flesh (I’m from London so this is a rarity), which got me incredibly excited, and I couldn’t help but boast to friends about being so close to these animals. My favourite time at HIWWT must be my recent reptile survey. In this survey, I was able to see slow worms, common lizards and even an adder! The most exciting part was seeing a snake in real life and for the first time I wasn’t afraid to be near something that is usually seen as frightening. When I first looked up slow worms, I thought I would be afraid to be near them, but as the survey went on, I felt brave enough to be closer to them and even undertake some of the survey myself (I must tribute this sense of bravery to my teammate who encouraged me and helped me to feel safe).

Although the fieldwork was mostly my favourite part of this placement, it did come with its own challenges. The long stretches of walking, the wet soil and the fields filled with animal waste – these do pale in comparison to the amount I learnt and the amount of fun I had.

I was happy with the balance of field work and desk work I was offered, this meant I still got to have my hands on approach, but I wasn’t tired out from always being out in the field. The thought of desk work may seem boring, but it allowed me to learn about all the species of bird I was not aware existed in the UK. I was able to look at the images of birds and it allowed me to appreciate just how beautiful nature truly is.

I am extremely grateful for the 2 weeks I have spent at the Trust, and I am happy to know there are people out there who care about wildlife and protecting them as much as I do.

Jess

- Student at the University of Southampton