These walks with local companies and organisations are a great way for your team to get outdoors and find out what nature is up to in your local area. This could be at one of our nature reserves, or we can come to you if your site is large enough.
Meet Cambridge Community Conservation Officer Iain
Some of you will have met Iain Webb, Community Conservation Officer, on one of our Corporate Member events and activities. Hear about the guided lunchtime walks that we run
Image credit: Nik Shelton
I will take any chance to be outdoors and its even better being able to jabber about nature.
You never know what you’re going to see - it’s great to be kneeling down to show the group something and see them all leaning in or kneeling next to me. You can just feel the connection with nature and it’s a bit of a wow moment to be honest.
What’s trickiest thing about guided walks?
Keeping to time. Even if I’ve been to a place hundreds of times before, there is always something new to see, or something will catch my eye: it might be a bird in the sky, something in a tree, or a particularly spectacular-looking fungi, which then takes me off on a tangent.
What’s the daftest question you’ve been asked?
I like the saying, there’s no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid answers.
Often people will ask me about something they’ve seen in their own garden, or to settle a debate on a ‘fact’ they’ve been discussing with a friend. It’s a good test for me and it just shows they are taking notice of what’s around us.
What’s the most common question you’re asked?
Probably about any bird song we hear when on a walk, although not all of them can really be described as ‘singing’.
There are some hilarious ‘what are they saying’ descriptions of bird calls, for example:
- A wood pigeon: ‘My toe bleeds, Betty’
- A yellow hammer: ‘A little bit of bread and no cheese’
- Great tit: 'tea-cher, tea-cher, tea-cher'.
You’ve been doing this job for a while now, I won’t say just how many years, but what are the biggest changes you’ve noticed?
Sadly, the biggest change is a decline in many species. We have lost 62% of our flying insects in the last 20 years and the clearest indication of this is no longer having to clean them off our car windscreens and lights. This is catastrophic as, with other invertebrates, they pollinate most of the world’s crops, provide natural pest control services, decompose organic matter and recycle nutrients into the soil, along with being a food source for many animals and birds.
But there are also success stories including an increase in the numbers of red kites, peregrines and dormice.
What are your ‘top of the spots’?
A hobby, [wait you saw a stamp collector?] – you know when I said there were no stupid questions, I may have been mistaken.
Image credit: Paul Wyer
A hobby, as in a bird of prey, which I haven’t seen very often. We saw some great examples of puff balls on a walk with the team at Granta Park and it was great to find a whole host of interesting creatures when we did our first net sweep of PA Consulting’s land. It’s going to be fascinating to see the increase in biodiversity as we work with them to manage their habitat.
So, what is this about you wanting to do a lunchtime guided walk around a staff car park?
I am a great believer in knowing ‘What’s in your area’, which is probably why I work for The Wildlife Trusts – having 46 individual trusts around the country means we are truly local. I’m happy to guide groups around one of our nature reserves, around their land, or any nearby green sites. But one of the amazing things about nature is what you can see just around your streets, or even in a car park – the challenge is on!
We’ve had some great feedback from staff who’ve enjoyed the opportunity to get out of the office and really felt the benefits of connecting with nature and the physical activity. We all get caught up in Iain’s enthusiasm and learn so much to wow friends and families.
If you are interested in finding out more about our Corporate Lunchtime Guided walks, or other events and activities offered by the Corporates Team then please do get in touch.
Image credit: Allie Birley