After passing my driving test and getting a car at the beginning of the month, it has allowed me to venture out to more events, as well as continuing to work from home on various projects.
Events
Aberystwyth University Careers Fair
My first careers fair with the trust made great practice to talk to other students about my work with the trust so far and my application process. Luckily I was joined by Julieanne Quinlan, who helped to explain to the students their Curlew and drone surveying work, as well as everything else the trust does across the UK.
Afterwards, I contacted many of the students I talked to about upcoming opportunities for them to apply for and get involved with, such as the upcoming release of the next placement student roles.
Wales Biodiversity Partnership Conference
I have been very fortunate that my year with the trust coincided with a Wales Biodiversity Partnership Conference, as this event is the best opportunity I could get to meet all the faces of nature conservation in Wales in one room. I found this important to hear about the Senedd’s main environmental and biodiversity targets in person, such as the 30 by 30 and the Sustainable Farming Scheme, especially when the morning talks on the first day were delivered by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies (MS).
This event allowed me to expand my network, by reaching out to new people from across the industry and have a chance to talk about the amazing work of GWCT and hear about others’ contributions also.
Project Application
Carrying on from last month, my research work has continued. Although now I am using some of this research to focus on helping the team construct funding applications for a hopeful upcoming project called ‘Thriving Allotments’. I am very excited about this project, as it is a result of bringing my own enthusiasm and knowledge to the team, as I have been involved in an allotment community and an urban green space project whilst at university.
Building New Skills
As I have not previously worked with GIS before, I have slowly been teaching myself. This will hopefully help with analysing spatial data, especially with fieldwork and any new drone data that might be taken by the team.
Planning for the month ahead
Since being able to drive legally, my confidence has grown to go more places next month. With this in mind, I have planned to get involved with fieldwork days, more careers fairs and even a trip to GWCT’s model farm, the Allerton Project. From the fieldwork days, I would like to learn more about breeding wader birds, and from the Allerton project, I will be spending time with researchers and experts there to find new methods to bring back to projects in Wales.