Hello! I’m Katy and I’ve been working for BTCV and East Lothian Council for 4 months now. As I don’t have a photograph of me on a boat, I guess I should just give some information about my background
I started my career in Conservation by undertaking an honours degree in Wildlife and Countryside Conservation. During the second of year of this I was lucky enough to get the seasonal warden post at Spurn Point National Nature Reserve, which is situated in East Yorkshire. I was fortunate enough to get this post the next year as well. I loved working at Spurn, because it was so changeable, every day the site looked different as it was being shaped by the North Sea and the Humber Estuary. When this contract ended I decided I needed to gain more practical experience within the conservation sector and so took up a Trainee Field Officer post with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Working in this post was amazing! I learnt a lot about habitat management, fell in love with botany and met some fantastic volunteers.
I’d been working for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust for a year when the position with BTCV Natural Communities came up. This position involves working with the East Lothian Council and with communities which are based on the coast. I am really happy that I was successful in this position as I want to gain more experience working with communities, and linking these with their environment. I feel that a lot of communities have lost this connection with their surrounding environment and I believe it is important to try and re-establish this link. I’m especially interested in how conservation projects can bring communities together, and how they can help communities take ownership of their local green spaces. I am also interested in how these projects can help include people who are living on the edge of society.
So far, in my role as ‘Coastal Communities Project Coordinator’ (mouth full!) I have taken on several projects ranging from looking into criteria which would designate one of the sites a Local Nature Reserve to working with and monitoring two young people employed under the Future Job’s Fund. I am also arranging a community litter pick on the beach of Prestonpans, while preparing for an open day in North Berwick, where I’ll be hosting a coastal arts and crafts stall.
So all in all, I’m very busy at the minute with various stuff going on. I’m really enjoying my placement so far and am finding it both challenging and stimulating. I’m really looking forward to the next 8 months and am excited to be working with the guys from ELC and BTCV!!
Here's a photo of me looking excited...