Lexie's story so far as a Nature's Recovery and Climate Change Trainee

One of our Nature's Recovery and Climate Change Trainee - Lexie reflects on why she decided to take on a traineeship and what the role has brought so far...

Hey there, I’m Lexie and I'm a Reserves Trainee at Radnorshire Wildlife Trust! When I'm not knee-deep in nature, I'm hitting the books, currently studying for my A-level finals. Next year, I plan to take my love for the ocean to the next level with studies in marine biology at University.

With a childhood spent on a small holding, I was always drawn to the great outdoors. I would spend hours every day exploring the fields and woods around my home. I loved the feeling of the sun on my face, and the smell of fresh air. As I grew older, my appreciation for nature only grew stronger. This is the exact reason why I jumped on the opportunity of a traineeship from Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, which was only offered to two lucky 6th form students!

A photo of two girls looking at an ID guide

March marked the start of my traineeship, and it couldn't have been a better time to brush up on my butterfly knowledge before diving into the start of the butterfly surveying. I levelled up my expertise on butterfly ID, mastering the art of spotting everything from grand Fritillaries to teeny Skippers. I even earned my stripes with the likes of Ringlets and Meadow Browns! It was a challenging yet exciting experience to witness the diversity of butterfly species and their habitats, thankful to be a part of this effort to monitor and protect these delicate creatures.

Trainee Cardigan Bay — Trainees visit to Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre

On top of that, working alongside the trust has given me a rock-solid vision for my future - studying marine biology. Now, I know you may be thinking - marine biology, Radnorshire - not usually two words that come into the same sentence! However, throughtout my traineeship, I have had the pleasure of teaming up with the coastal wildlife trusts! A trip to Nefyn in North Wales was a total game-changer, as I got to perform strandline and micro plastic surveys on the beach. Then, I was lucky enough to head down to New Quay for some serious marine mammal identification training! We put our new skills to the test out on the water, spotting some playful seals and dolphins. Overall, being near and on the waves inspired me to unravel more of the millions of secrets the sea hides, experiences I wouldn’t have been granted without the Wildlife Trust!

Winter's chill is creeping in, and so are the winter bird surveys! My summer bird knowledge was rusty, let alone winter! But now, I’m dusting the cobwebs off the books, and I'm getting schooled in bird 101 – being trained all about what our common habitants look and sound like. I now have an eye for identifying the unique yellow wing of a goldfinch and an ear for recognizing the melodic tune of a blackbird!

Gaining more than 300 hours of work experience has allowed me to develop an appreciation for the natural world around us. I now pay attention to the tiniest of details when exploring the outdoors - the abundance of fungi present in every direction is particularly striking!