We got to know the staff and interns starting out in the environmental sector at the Countryside Education Trust and what the practical experience they are gaining means to them.
The Countryside Education Trust (CET) in Beaulieu, now in its 50th year, has supported 15 interns and two early careers staff members so far through the Youth for Climate and Nature (YouCAN) scheme.
These internships and job roles offer hands-on experience at the Trust’s farm and woodland sites and, for some, a first step into a green career.
Casey Spry, 25
The internship at the CET is Casey’s first job in the environmental sector. She completed a BSc in Marine Biology at the University of Exeter’s Falmouth site, followed by a MSc in Science Communications at the University of West of England, Bristol.
She said: ‘No one in my family is really into this so my interest started through TV and I loved anything to do with the ocean as a child. I really enjoyed science and also worked with dolphins during my gap year in Australia.’
As part of her internship, Casey created an audio trail around the CET site, talking about sustainable farming practices. She interviewed staff, wrote the script, edited and uploaded the clips of the 10 points on the tour.
You can listen remotely here: https://audio.filmstarr.co.uk
Casey said: ‘I wanted to communicate environmental science in an accessible and engaging way and an audio trail is something that anyone can listen to rather than just reading information boards. I’m also designing a children’s activity sheet for school groups so they can go round the trail with their teachers.’
Casey is also helping with CET’s Owls Clubs for 0 –14 year-olds and residential groups staying at CET. She said: ‘The internship is a brilliant opportunity and has given me a chance to try different things so I can think about what to focus on.’
Alex Martin, 23
Alex graduated last July with an Integrated Masters in Biology focussing on conservation ecology and behavioural ecology. As a 17-year-old she took part in Operation Wallacea in Ecuador working with scientists doing conservation and carbon credit and primate surveys.
‘I grew up in the countryside and spent a lot of time outside as a child – I was brought up around animals and have always been horse mad. Working at the CET has been a great opportunity to develop skills and make contacts with people. I feel I’ve learnt more about what goes on behind the scenes of running something like this. It’s a chance to use creative skills and social media and interpretation to try different things.
‘People feel very disconnected from the environment. When you grow up in a rural area you understand more about how farming works and what is around you. Some people don’t understand the connection they have to the environment and how reliant we are on the environment and climate to survive.
‘What the CET does is to create that connection and understanding. You are much more likely to care about protecting certain species if it is not just a distant thing – it’s something that means something to me.’
Charlie Marchant, 20
After a successful first internship focussed on coppicing, Charlie began a second stint with CET, this time as a garden intern.
Charlie was originally recommended to the Trust after completing the Young Adult Ranger work experience course at The Parks Foundation, in Dorset – also part of the YouCAN scheme.
He said: ‘There’s not been a barrier of “you need a degree or a qualification, so you can’t come in”. I’ve been able to just work as hard as I want and get to where I want because YouCAN’s provided that funding and those projects. They’ve taken a barrier down, the way I see it.’
You can read more about Charlie’s green career journey here.
Through YouCAN, the CET is also supporting young people at different stages of their green career journey.
Jessica McTeague, 27
Jessica started out doing a degree in product design and then switched to biology at the University of St Andrews and has undertaken several volunteering roles including at the Botanic Gardens. She is now a climate and environment assistant at CET.
She said: ‘My parents were always good at taking us outdoors and to parks when I was growing up in Glasgow. Flowers and plants are the thing that got me interested in nature and then you learn what they do in the environment, how they’re connected and their lifecycle.
‘This is my first job in this sector which isn’t volunteering and I feel really fortunate. They are so good here at taking time and training you. I’ve done everything from a tractor course to amphibian pond surveying and carbon literacy training. It develops your skills and helps you work as a team and you appreciate what other people are doing.’
Kristian Markusen, 30
Kristian worked in ecological consultancy for a year, giving advice on construction sites about aspects such as protected nesting birds, dormice and bats. During his role as sustainable farming assistant he has been looking after the animals and working with school groups.
He said: ‘This role really came about because I didn’t want to be the bad guy any more telling people what they can and can’t do – I wanted something with a more positive outlook. I was always interested in the education side of things and working with children has brought me a lot of joy, it’s much more fulfilling work.
‘Kids have this innate interest and curiosity in things and are very good at asking questions – they don’t worry if it’s a smart question or not, they just ask away and it’s important to try to keep that alive as much as possible.
‘The classroom system wasn’t really working for me in a lot of ways so a place like this where you can come face to face with a pig for the first time for example encourages you to ask questions you wouldn’t in a classroom.
‘It’s important we nurture the next generation. We are standing in front of an environmental challenge primarily of our own making and those who came before us.
‘It’s our responsibility to do everything we can to make things better and equip those who come after us with the knowledge and tools they will need to tackle that challenge.’
Millie Townsend, 34
Millie received YouCAN funding for a 14-day project to restore CET’s herb garden and test weed suppressant methods and ways to care for the area more sustainably. She is also the current New Forest Writer in Residence, under the pen name Yarrow Townsend. The 12-month tenure is supported by the NPA, CET and non-profit writers’ agency, Artful Scribe. Find out more here.
Millie said: ‘The herb garden has been on site for quite a while and the team wanted to look at doing it in a more sustainable way so it’s more manageable for volunteers to look after. A lot of the herbs are Mediterranean so will be ok in the dry weather, but it’s on clay, so we needed to look at how to help them dry out in the winter. So we introduced gravel to deprive them of nutrients and improve drainage.
‘We also used the project as an educational opportunity to test weed suppressants comparing the plastic membrane already there with wood chip on another section, gravel on another and we’re going to try fleece from the sheep here too.
‘We also wanted to look at natural dyes so young people can use sustainable plants like woad which is from the cabbage family to create colour.’
The internships have also had a positive impact on the rest of the CET, Operations Manager Anna Barnard said: ‘The staff at the Countryside Education Trust feel passionately about the value of the internship programme. As well as giving the interns the opportunity to gain professional, paid experience in environmental work, it has enabled us to explore different projects, share our experience and enjoy the benefit of viewing our work from a new perspective.’
YouCAN was made possible thanks to National Lottery Players, through which £1.2 million was secured from a Climate Action Fund grant from The National Lottery Community Fund – the largest community funder in the UK – and a further £264,000 in match funding from partners.
The projects within the scheme span 300 square miles across the New Forest, Southampton and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and are led by the New Forest National Park Authority in partnership with the Countryside Education Trust in Beaulieu; Freshwater Habitats Trust; The Parks Foundation in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Southampton National Park City project; Theatre for Life, and care and support charity Alabaré. You can find out more about YouCAN here.
Find out more about the Countryside Education Trust and its green careers opportunities here.