Fired with Enthusiasm

Wildlife Trusts have two great assets: their nature reserves and their people. Our recent staff day out at Greystones Farm Nature Reserve combined these impressively.

If I had written a list of objectives for the day, I doubt that I would have aimed as high as what actually happened. Not least because the weather on the high Cotswolds can be unpredictable. How lucky we were!

The task that 30 staff attended to was to help with clearing the huge piles of hedgerow thinnings that have been built by visiting volunteer groups. Because the site is a nationally important Site of Special Scientific Interest, we had to work carefully in line with our English Nature licence. This meant that our bonfires had to be contained within limited areas and built onto protective galvanised sheeting.

Despite the enthusiastic work put in by the staff, half of whom are primarily office based, we still left much work for Reserve Manager, Amy and her volunteers to finish by the end of March. What we did achieve however, was:

• Great team work
• Activity and exercise
• Increased understanding of nature reserve management
• Fun
• Enthusiasm for our sandwich lunch

I had a great time, and it reinforced to me why I still love working in Gloucestershire and why The Wildlife Trusts are so good at involving people with wildlife.