Twelve young people with a shared passion for nature and conservation, joined the team at Chichester Harbour Conservancy this summer for an exciting new work experience programme.
The students aged 17 to 21 from across Sussex and Hampshire, had the opportunity to find out about different job roles and career opportunities in Chichester Harbour National Landscape.
From conservation and education to hands-on countryside management, the placement offered a glimpse into the many roles that keep Chichester Harbour National Landscape thriving.
The programme was created by Helen Winter of the Chichester Harbour Conservancy Education Centre, who wanted to give young people a chance to turn their growing interest in nature-based careers into real-life experience.
Helen explained, “Young people are becoming increasingly interested in conservation and environmental issues and keen on pursuing careers in this field. We want to offer them the chance to gain experience of the different avenues they could take.”
The two-day programme is designed for students considering their next steps and exploring future career options. It offers hands-on experience alongside the Chichester Harbour National Landscape Rangers, the Nature Recovery Team, and the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) team.
Spending time with Protection & Recovery of Nature manager Sarah Chatfield, the students gained a real insight into the conservation challenges facing the National Landscape – and the complexity of the work to implement nature recovery projects. Their visit included tours of key sites showcasing the evolution of saltmarsh recovery; from areas successfully restored in the past, to ongoing projects, and plans to regenerate areas of saltmarsh habitat across the harbour in the years ahead.
The students got hands-on at one of the harbour’s saltmarsh restoration sites, carrying out survey work and using transects to identify and monitor saltmarsh plants. One participant said, “I’ve learnt so much. I found the saltmarsh session really interesting from start to finish. I would love to get involved in the ranger work in the future.”
The group also visited Tern rafts developed as part of a project to create breeding habitats for Common Terns in the harbour. Students discovered the effort and expertise behind making this project a success, from habitat creation to monitoring and protection.
At a local farm, CHC Farming Officers Michelle and Tegan explained how they work with landowners and farmers to help improve efficiency and sustainability within farming and land management practices, while also supporting nature recovery and wildlife.
On Thorney Island, the group toured Eames Farm with farmer, Angus Sprackling , who explained how CHC supported projects, are helping him to implement regenerative farming and improve coastal grazing for his native breed beef cattle herd. The visit highlighted career opportunities in sustainable agriculture and environmental project work.
Day two focused on a day in the life of a CHC ranger. Under the guidance of rangers Rosie and Jack, the students got stuck into a number of countryside management tasks including wildflower meadow maintenance at Marina Farm and painting and maintenance work to improve access and safety in the harbour at Dell Quay. The session gave them a flavour of the variety and satisfaction of working outdoors.
Helen said, “The students have been really positive about the experiences they have had over the two days. Leaning about different routes into conservation careers and the opportunities for work and volunteering has introduced them to options they may not previously have been aware of. We really hope they have been inspired to follow future career opportunities within the sector.”