Youth Ranger Emily in Hardwick Wood
We went out late in the evening, coats up to our necks with some bat detectors. These work by picking up frequencies that we normally wouldn’t hear and making them audible for our ears. To the lake we went to find some bats, hoping to hear some Daubenton's bats. On the way, we learned what bats actually sound like (or at least what they sound like through the detectors). Turns out they sound like a strange hybrid of water droplets on a window and… farts?
Youth Ranger Emily bat picture
It was very exciting when we saw them, zipping over the lake, gone before you knew you’d seen them. There were many collective “oooh”s and “aaaahh”s from the group. After the initial excitement had died down, we started sharing fun facts we knew about bats, which quickly turned to light competition. Did you know that bats have over 20 muscles per ear?... But I digress. On the way back, we discussed other nocturnal animals like owls and badgers, the latter my instructor, Becca, is very fond of.
All in all, it was an enjoyable activity, and I learned a lot about nature’s sky puppies.
A lot of people, when they hear the word ‘coppicing,’ think that it must have something to do with copper, but this isn’t the case. In fact, it’s the act of cutting trees like hazel back to the ground so the trunks look like a stool, which makes the trees grow back with more shoots. It helps us manage woodlands and is good for many different reasons. For one, the branches we cut off can be used for other things, like bean poles, and it means that more light can reach the ground, so rare flowers can thrive. It’s the same job that things like mammoths and warthogs would do in the past, so we are simply doing their job for them (given that they’re extinct). It’s been done since the Stone Age (yes, that’s right children, before the internet).
Youth Ranger Emily coppicing picture
I thought it would be a walk in the park; it was exhausting! The branches were thicker than I thought, and it took me longer than I’d like to admit to stop jamming the saw. I will say however, that shouting “Timber!” to your fellow coppicers (if that’s what they’re called) is thrilling. There was wildlife to learn about too; apparently harvestmen spiders are fond collectors of sawdust, although nobody knows why!
In the early evening, we set up the moth trap. It was a large wooden box with a small opening at the top, above which was a lightbulb. The lightbulb, we were warned, was really bright and could temporarily blind you if you stared at it like a gecko without a tongue. We left the trap overnight and came back the next morning to see the results.
Youth Ranger Emily moth trap picture
We found a lot more variety than I expected! Some orange swifts, yellow underwings, and another with a very long and strange name that I can’t remember for the life of me. We did find one huge hawk-moth, which was very exciting; who knew you could get moths the size of your hand in this county (certainly not me).
It was originally going to be a moth session for younger children, so they could come and learn about moths and set them free. Since I was doing work experience that week with another volunteer, we had the opportunity to help out with the activities. I enjoyed learning about all the different moths, especially now that I can use specific species names in my stories and brag to my friends about being able to identify them.
Emily, Youth Ranger
Most of the time when I’m doing volunteering work for the Wildlife Trust, the work is without a doubt very fulfilling, but Mother Nature isn’t capable of saying ‘thank you.’ This time, however, we were doing work for the community in the garden of a care home in Wisbech, which meant plenty of verbal gratitude. Even if it had been a thankless task, digging a humungous hole for a pond isn’t something I’d want to miss out on.
It was nerve racking in the beginning, but everyone was so pleasant and polite, and I got a reputation within the first 15 minutes. I’m sure that being considered an intellectual authority in a specific field is a compliment for most, but the title of “Bug Girl” isn’t particularly what I was hoping for. Considering how enthusiastic I was at the slightest sight of an insect, however, I may have dug myself into a hole with that one. (Get it? Because we were digging a hole? … Yeah, not my best pun).
Overall, it was a great activity. Working with the Youth Rangers of the Fens as a member of the Young People's Forum, I made new friends, participated in community work, knew more about nature on the way out than I did on the way in, and a kind old lady (upon seeing me lift a large tub of wood chips) called me a “strong young girl.” Quite the confidence boost.
There are several Youth Ranger groups across our three counties. They are designed for secondary-age young people who are interested in local wildlife and global environmental issues, and are a great place for young people to meet others with a similar interest. They are a mix of volunteering, surveys, socials, and walks, supporting young people to learn about and take action for wildlife.
Most sessions are attended independently by young people. Find out where your closest group is and how to contact the staff member from our Youth Rangers page.
