Happy International Women's Day!
Image credit: Mark Hamblin/2020VISION
It’s International Women’s Day! This year we’re celebrating by profiling two of the many wonderful women working at NWT - Katy Barke and Natasha Hemsley.
Image credit: Katy Barke
Katy leads a team delivering a range of projects across west Northumberland. These projects have involved reintroducing water voles, mobilising volunteers to count ospreys, preserving heritage and wildlife in Redesdale, working with our partner Northumbrian Water and restoring native woodland at Kielder, one of the most remote parts of the England.
What got you interested in wildlife?
I have memories from my first ever holiday to the very north of Scotland (aged 4ish), begging my parents to let me have the skull of a decomposing seal that I had found on the beach. We compromised on allowing me to take a couple of teeth…! I still like to collect ‘bits’, much to the disgust of my husband – as I type, there’s a crayfish claw on my desk that I found in an otter spraint a few months ago. Yum!
One of my standout childhood wildlife moments was watching the salmon leaping at the Alston Arches in Haltwhistle with my Nanna, something I look forward to seeing every year, and this year enjoyed sharing with my young son.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Quite honestly, my colleagues are one of the best things about working at NWT. There’s such a broad range of experience and skills in my team and in the wider trust, and it’s a very supportive and friendly place to work.
I enjoy the variety within my role with all of the different projects, and it’s also really rewarding to be involved in restoring species and habitats in the area I grew up in. Seeing an idea through from initial inception, to then developing a bid and bringing in funding, and then seeing it actually happening in real life gives me a huge buzz.
Of course, the opportunity to be out and about in the amazing places we work is a huge perk. Seeing osprey chicks up close or releasing a water vole into the wild are the days when you can’t really believe that you’re being paid to do this job!
What would you say to young women and girls interested in wildlife/conservation?
Stay curious! If you find an area of wildlife that interests you, find out everything you can! I had a particular interest in mammals growing up, which persists… but I’m also really interested in coral reef ecosystems, which has nothing to do with my job. If you can find a local young naturalists’ group or club or anything, then get involved. You might be able to find a mentor who can support you, and you’re bound to learn all sorts of things.
I would say that it’s a challenging area to break into for a career as so many people want to work in the sector. Experience is everything so if you’re able to volunteer, then that will bring hugely valuable experience. If you decide to go down the university route, then I would highly recommend you investigate sandwich courses with a year working in an organisation as a brilliant way to get a head start. If you decide to go straight into work, there is an increasingly number of early career trainee and assistant roles.
Remember, you don’t need to make wildlife or conservation your job to enjoy it and make a difference. Be persistent and, if you’re applying for a job, do everything you can to understand the role completely for an interview. I always think ‘shy bairns get nowt’ – put yourself out there.
Natasha Hemsley, Project Assistant for the Revitalising Redesdale and Kielderhead Wildwood
Image credit: Natasha Hemsley
Like Katy, much of Natasha’s work involves protecting wildlife and landscapes in west Northumberland. The Revitalising Redesdale project which aims to celebrate, conserve and enhance the area’s rich cultural heritage, landscape and wildlife. Kielderhead Wildwood, which Natasha also works on, is a partnership with Forestry England to restore an upland woodland ecosystem.
What got you interested in wildlife?
Although interested in wildlife from a young age I’ve always lived in built up areas so didn’t regularly have access to nature. It wasn’t properly until university that I realised I wanted to pursue conservation as a career when I focused on the ecological surveying and habitat management side of my degree at Newcastle.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Working across two projects I get to experience a huge range of activities from peatland restoration to tree planting and work mostly outdoors on our nature reserves. I also enjoy working with partners to improve and protect important landscapes.
What would you say to young women and girls interested in wildlife/conservation?
I would encourage anyone who can to volunteer, or even just make small green acts to protect wildlife like create a wildflower meadow in a corner of the garden for bees or install a bird feeder so you can practice ID skills over breakfast.
Feeling inspired by Natasha and Katy? Check out our jobs vacancies and volunteering roles.
Chloe Cook, Estates Assistant
Chloe Cook
Chloe's job role is to help the estates team with the practical conservation and management of our 60 reserves across Northumberland!
What got you interested in wildlife?
I've been interested in wildlife since I was a child. When I was really small my mum used to take me on 'bug hunts' and 'rabbit walks' and my love of wildlife grew from there. Helping out on my Uncle's sheep farm in South Wales made me realise I really wanted an outdoors, hands-on job. These both lead me to look at a career in conservation.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
The thing I enjoy the most about my job is working outside. I could never do a desk-based job! I love the hands-on physical work, it's tough at times but it's fun, rewarding and a good workout! I'm very lucky in that my job is so varied- I'm always on different reserves doing different jobs so you can never get bored. I'm also surrounded by the best team I could wish for! It really is my dream job and the best job in the world 🙂
What would you say to young women and girls interested in wildlife/conservation?
I'd say just make sure you do what you love. Don't do a job because you feel like you should or because someone tells you to- find what you love doing and aim for that. There are so many different areas in conservation work, so take the time to find an area you will really enjoy and throw everything at that!