Since starting my traineeship, I’ve met so many brilliant people and a lot of them are volunteers. I work with the roving volunteer team quite often and over time I’ve got to know everyone pretty well, which has honestly made such a difference. You really see how much experience and energy they bring to every job we do.

Working with volunteers is a huge part of conservation, so learning how to lead a group properly was something we needed to get comfortable with. We started with leadership training run by Andy Harris, one of the reserves officers. The whole trainee team did this alongside volunteers who wanted to help lead work parties. It gave us a good idea of what is expected from us and the reserves team always set a great example by clearly explaining the site, the task and any health and safety we need to consider.

More recently, we’ve begun leading some of the practical sessions ourselves with the roving volunteers. My first go at co-leading was with my colleague Sam at Upton Warren's The Moors. We were clearing scrub to get the area ready for future fencing work. Knowing the volunteers helped because it meant that we had a sense of who was confident with the tools, who might appreciate a bit more support and who was trained to use the more dangerous equipment like brush-cutters.

The next time I led was a bit more challenging. We were coppicing at Monkwood. Dom, the reserve officer, got everyone started off but then for a few hours it was just me leading. It’s a funny feeling being the one in charge because you want to make sure the job gets done properly but also that everyone enjoys themselves and stays safe at the same time. Trying to juggle all of that takes some practice. During this session, I really learnt how important it is to listen to volunteers and take on their thoughts and suggestions.

This job also felt a bit more dangerous than the others. Some of the coppice being felled was quite large and it’s hard not to worry about poles falling in the wrong place. Usually, everyone being aware of their surroundings helps to avoid most issues but as a leader you’ve still got to be ready for anything. To make things more interesting, it was windy that day and there was a big dead tree in the coupe, so I asked anyone working near it to wear head protection. It really showed how important proper risk assessments and first-aid training are when leading.

Working with our amazing volunteers has honestly been one of the highlights of the traineeship. They’re hardworking, funny, passionate and each person brings different skills that I’ve learnt a lot from. Stepping into a leadership role with them has been exciting and a bit nerve-racking at times but it has definitely helped me grow in confidence. Their support makes it all so rewarding and it’s made me want to keep improving so I can lead more sessions in the future. If anyone is thinking about volunteering, I’d absolutely say 'give it a go'.

Thank you for reading and I’m looking forward to writing the next blog soon!

Owen has decided to further his career in conservation with a focus on wetlands and meadows.