Great Experience
Over the past two weeks I have been volunteering here at Westonbirt Arboretum as part of my Applied Geography course at Bournemouth University. My aim was to gain experience in a particular field of work that could potentially be one of many career paths after I graduate.
Chris Meakin has been in charge of organising where my time has been spent during these past two weeks, as well as my previous four weeks last August. What has been great, is that I have been able to experience aspects of day to day work in many areas of the arboretum.
On Mondays and Thursdays I have had the pleasure of working with Hazel Willmott and her team of enthusiastic volunteers. We have tackled tasks including the cutting back of overhanging Hazel from pathways, cutting back the epicormic growth from Lime Avenue and clearing areas of sea buckthorn and bramble. The latter two not being particular favourites of mine or the other volunteers. However, an eleven o’clock tea break not only provides a much earned rest but often a chance to gobble down some delicious home-made cake, of which the biggest piece seems to find its way to me. They’re either being far too kind, or there is some kind of ulterior motive going on. My suspicions are usually confirmed, when just before we start back, I’m shown a particular branch, (usually on the large side) that coincidentally needs sawing down.
Tuesday and Friday mornings I have been able to work alongside one of Sally Day’s volunteers, Graham Dennis. Graham usually helps with the labelling of trees and plants throughout the arboretum, which I was able to assist in during the summer. However, the weather has meant these last two weeks have seen us both counting seeds and taking rhododendron cuttings for Penny Jones, the one woman propagation team.
In amongst these regular tasks, I have also spent a couple of days with the Tree Team, helping with caging and planting. Furthermore, I have assisted a school field trip to the arboretum, numerous family activities, as well as creating a childrens winter activity, based on the winter buds of our native trees.
Together, my experiences here at Westonbirt Arboretum have provided me with great insight into how the arboretum runs and how the different areas of work inter-link. I can now appreciate the time and effort that goes into propagating, planting, and managing just a single plant. I can also take away some basic conservation management skills, an improvement in my species identification, certain propagation methods, and knowledge on current problems such as bio-security within the arboretum and the methods to stop the Sudden Oak Death disease spreading across Westonbirt.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and I would greatly urge those who are considering volunteering in similar environments in the future, to enquire at Westonbirt Arboretum, as it is a great opportunity and experience.
