(Nation wide) Looking for shadowing/ work experience with woodland surveyors, woodland managers or similar

[OakAdmirer]

Hi all, long time lurker, first time poster. My name's Tom, I'm currently doing a full time (countryside ranger) internship with the National Trust.

 

I've become so drawn to the idea of working in the woodlands, I've already had the chance to go out with some people that do surveys for the Trust, meet a few woodland officers and so on. I'm contacting employers who are posting interesting roles on CJS to ask how I might progress towards working for them. Looking at a level 4 Arb course at Merrist Wood later this year.

 

For the time being I would just love the chance to go out and shadow people who take care of or do any kind of recording/ surveying in the woods. I'm based in Devon but since this is really valuable experience for me, willing to travel great distances to achieve this.

 

Would anyone on here be able to help, or point me in the direction of someone?

 

Cheers!

Tom

[doobin]

Jesus, even with all the millions worth of properties that they get left every year, the National Trust are exploiting people like you to work for free full time, before they might offer you a role paying £21k/year??

 

**************** them.

[OakAdmirer]

I have various gripes with the volunteering scheme, part of why I'm looking at alternatives. I should say that I'm getting free accomodation, all inclusive, in a very expensive part of Devon, funding for several tickets e.g. my CS30/CS31 and good brand new gear (like fancy arbortec trousers) which are mine to keep. It's not without it's perks.

 

But it is very competitive, which is why so many are willing to do a year or more unpaid before they can move into paid ranger work. In the interests of having a constructive thread, I'd rather chat about potential arb routes rather than b**ch about my volunteering 😄