As part of our ‘Meet the Team’ blog series, hear personally from our team members about their roles at EcoNorth and more. Today, meet Jamie, our Assistant Ecologist.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I was born and bred in lovely Lancashire, where my interest in nature and wildlife was inevitable due to countless hours spent exploring the great outdoors with friends, family and on my own. I came to Newcastle after finishing college to study biology at Newcastle University and never lost my connection to nature or my desire to be surrounded by it whenever I could. After completing my undergrad degree, I decided to fuel my desire to see the world and travel, spending time in South America, South East Asia and a year in New Zealand. I returned to Newcastle to achieve my masters degree in ecological consultancy and shortly after graduating finally began my career as an ecological consultant here at EcoNorth in October 2022.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time out with friends and keeping active in nature as often as possible be that hiking, camping, running, swimming, kayaking or climbing. I have a keen interest in foraging and enjoy making tasty meals and snacks from any edible bounties I can get my hands on. Music and films also play a big part in my life and concerts are a regular outing (much to the dismay of my ears).
Summarise your role at EcoNorth
My role at EcoNorth encompasses pretty much every aspect of the job of an ecological consultant. I have conducted a huge range of field surveys, including numerous protected species (bat, red squirrel and badger surveys, plus otter and water vole surveys from atop the company kayak), invasive species, BNG and habitat surveys, as well as mapping. I have written many reports for the above-mentioned surveys and reviewed reports for my colleagues. This has enabled me to be involved in a range of critical work within the company whilst working alongside every member of the team. Every day I am challenged with something new and presented with important learning opportunities which help build upon and improve the skills I have in order to become an ecologist.
What got you into Ecology?
I have always had a deep love of and interest in nature and spent most of my life in the outdoors walking, hiking, birdwatching, camping and foraging with my family. We were lucky having such a wide range of habitats and wild areas to explore, as well as the many family holidays to various wildlife sites around the country, and my parents and wider family’s keen interest in wildlife rubbed off at a young age. It wasn’t until university that I realised pursuing a career in ecology was even an option for me, but I haven’t looked back since and now spend my days working in a field I have always loved whilst also contributing to the improvement of biodiversity and status of the UK’s wildlife.
What do you like most about working as an Assistant Ecological Consultant?
The most gratifying part of working as an assistant ecological consultant is seeing the plans and recommendations for mitigation or habitat creation which you detail in reports actually being implemented when the project goes beyond planning. You know that the work you have done is actively helping to protect nature and species within active development, something that wouldn’t be happening if this job didn’t exist. Another aspect which is enjoyable is the ideal mix of field work and office work. It’s appealing to be regularly visiting lovely outdoor sites to conduct surveys and utilising all I’ve learned so far in a practical way then following that up with report writing back at the office.
Describe the project you have worked on that you are proudest of. What did you do that worked out particularly well?
I have had significant input into the management and execution of a large scale peat mapping project which is aiming to train satellites to identify different vegetation types for easier assessment of habitats whilst also taking depth and soil measurements and samples to better understand the quality and extent of England’s peat reserves. The vast amount of fieldwork and planning will eventually lead to the creation of a tool which can be used in the future to help inform conservation and restoration of the UK’s most important habitats and carbon sinks. This project has been very fieldwork intensive with long days spent out high in the fells or on bleak moorlands – somewhere I feel very comfortable – accompanied by equally long days meticulously planning site visits and access requests for a huge number of sites across the whole of the North of England. Despite various setbacks, I feel that I have risen to the challenge and helped drive this work forward throughout the year.
What do you see for the future?
I feel I have found a home at EcoNorth and couldn’t have been luckier with starting my career here and taking my first steps into ecological consultancy after getting the opportunity to work with this amazing team. I see myself being a part of the team for years to come and hopefully making a lasting positive impact on the state of the UK’s wildlife through my efforts here at EcoNorth.
Finally, what advice would you give to anyone starting out?
Get out there and get as much hands-on practical experience as possible. Bat surveys are a great way to meet likeminded people, including ecologists who will more than likely be able to put you in touch with a company that is hiring or at least be able to point you in the right direction.
Further your knowledge and understanding of current UK legislation surrounding protected species and other useful topics such as invasive species as these will prove useful when trying to learn more about ecology. It can be very helpful to attend online or in person training courses, such as those provided by the Field Studies Council (FSC), as these can be extremely beneficial, interesting and often fun and fulfilling, and you will likely meet some wonderful people along the way!
Skills like GIS, habitat mapping and knowledge and botanical ID are a strong backbone for any budding ecologist and these paired with a basic understanding of ecology, species specific knowledge, and some understanding of relevant legislation will set you well on your way to becoming an ecologist.