I registered as a volunteer for the BCN Wildlife Trust during the pandemic but had to wait a while before activities got off the ground. I get some volunteer days through work and have enjoyed doing some low-carbon volunteering – walking from my house to habitat management sessions at a nearby chalk pit that the Wildlife Trust manages.

I’ve mainly undertaken scrub management and raking grassland. I love the diversity of our chalk grasslands and know that management is so important to retain it.

My favourite project to date has been the ancient woodland inventory survey in 2023. I have botanical surveying skills which I don’t use as part of my day to day job so it’s a real joy to go out across Bedfordshire, looking at new sites and putting those skills to good use.

This year I surveyed more than a dozen woodland parcels and found some potential new areas of ancient woodland. Some have been in very unexpected locations  - one was behind a housing development in Luton and initially looked unpromising however once inside – I found a carpet of wood anemone! I’m looking forward to revisiting that site next spring to catch them in flower.

I hope my volunteering efforts will ultimately help these sites gain protection and appropriate management. Next year I’m hoping to continue on the ancient woodland project and maybe try a hedge-laying session.