In 2024, we put a call out to the Ecologists of the Future, inviting them to join us in a special new workshop, an Introduction to Ecology. Designed specifically for teens, we wanted them to discover how to identify different habitats, their importance and how to monitor them in the context of our changing world. They didn’t need to come with any prior experience or knowledge, simply a love of wildlife and a desire to learn more about how we protect it. Attendees ranged in age from 12-18, some travelling over an hour to reach us for this exciting opportunity. The session was led by WTBCN Chief Executive, Brian Eversham, a renowned ecologist with a passion for peatlands, who has authored over 250 scientific papers and reports.  

What wildlife do we care for and where?

Arriving at the Countryside Centre at the Ramsey Heights nature reserve, the day began with Brian discussing why there are so many different species, and the wide range of habitats within the Beds, Cambs and Northants area. Across our three counties, we’re fortunate to have wetlands, chalk and peat, heathlands, grasslands, ancient woodland, farmland and scrub. Water sources include streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and ditches. This diversity of habitats supports an incredible variety of species. In the Great Fen alone, we are proud to protect great crested newts, tansy beetles and great silver water beetles, fen violets, water dropwort, marsh harriers, bitterns and common cranes.

Surveying the Site

The group were keen to get started on the practical work, so our first outdoor session headed out to look at plant diversity and ecology. At Ramsey Heights, our meadows are rich in variety, with wildflowers such as yarrow, black knapweed, field forget-me-not, dove's-foot cranesbill and lesser stitchwort. Using quadrats (metre square frames) and ID guides, we studied the distribution of different plants over an area and learned about the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system. It was exciting to discover over 80 plant species! 

In the morning, the workshop also looked at bird habitats, comparing census strategies and how techniques will vary by species type. Birds encountered included cuckoos, swallows, dunnocks, blackcaps and blackbirds. 

Reserve Management, the Why and the How

After lunch, enjoyed in the beautiful surroundings of the reserve, we returned indoors to learn more about why we manage nature reserves, how the Wildlife Trust sets conservation priorities and how we monitor the wildlife that live in and visit them.

Understanding that it is almost impossible to manage to maintain all species which are recorded from an area, we questioned when is it right to leave land to simply rewild, and when does intervention benefit biodiversity? Brian explained how research papers and handbooks are useful starting points for habitat management plans, but how to consider their limitations too, whether they’re just partial stories published in magazines, or research focused on limited species and not considering full-spectrum implications. When is it right to manage a site favouring one endangered species over broader biodiversity? Fascinating lessons for our young audience to learn!

A Sweeping Success

We put this into practice on our second outdoor session, recording insect diversity and learning more about their ecology.

Whilst invertebrates make up the vast majority of species in almost all habitats, Brian noted they do not attract the attention of conservationists and naturalists to the same degree as species-poor groups like birds and mammals. For this reason, he provided an extensive background on the diversity, lifestyles and general biology of invertebrates for our students. The group discussed the pros and cons of many surveying techniques such as litter sampling, pitfall and water traps and transects, then headed out with sweep nets to explore.

An hour’s sweeping and beating of trees did produce an impressive array of invertebrates, almost a mini bioblitz, with over 100 species! The most abundant were tortoise-beetle larvae from the creeping thistle, and scarcer species like the tortoise shieldbug and the umbellifer longhorn beetle, a two-clawed hunting spider and a spider-hunting wasp. A bonus on this walk around was the sight of a common lizard, basking in the warm sun on the office’s wooden step.

The Climate Change Factor

This busy, challenging, yet fascinating day wrapped up with a final indoor session on the vital subject of climate change and local wildlife. Brian addressed how habitats would be affected by changing temperatures and rainfall, how different species may need to adapt and migrate, and how we must provide the safe routes for them to do so, through wildlife corridors and better-connected wild spaces.

All attendees left with a comprehensive handbook written by Brian covering all these areas and more, to aid them in their future conservation training. Brian highlighted that although professional ecologists often no longer have the time or funding to monitor crucial changes in British wildlife, amateur naturalists and conservationists do! So, recruiting this new young contingent to help survey, record and report on our wildlife’s behaviour is essential for future habitat management success. It was an absolute pleasure to welcome such passionate and curious young people, who showed that the future of wildlife conservation is in very safe hands!

Attendee feedback

The young people were all asked to complete a feedback form noting what they enjoyed, how they felt, what they learned, what they'd change, what they'd share with someone else and what they'll remember. Here are some highlights from their responses...