‘You’ve got to start somewhere’

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By Bob Brown, National Trust for Scotland’s Upland Footpaths Team Manager

I’ve always been an outdoors kind of person; I wasn’t very academic, I’m dyslexic and left school with no qualifications. I’m much more practical and wanted a job that used these skills. I started off as a trainee footpath worker and spent time as a consultant before joining the conservation charity National Trust for Scotland as a training officer to share my skills and experience of footpath management.

As the role developed, I moved into the contract management side, managing footpath projects at a few Trust properties before being given the opportunity to become Upland Footpaths Manager, looking after the entire network of footpaths across the National Trust for Scotland estate. Here are my top tips for getting into estate, land and habitat management:

Research

I started out by doing a foundation style course with the Scottish Wildlife Trust, that sadly isn’t around in the same capacity anymore. I joined the course to learn about different aspects of conservation that gave me an insight into the type of work available and influenced me to pursue a career in land management. It's really important that you carry out some research about the area of conservation you’re aiming to get into.

Experience

Gaining experience at different places, in various roles aligned with your end goal, creates a far rounder understanding of conservation practices.

By working in a range of different landscapes, geology and vegetation, you’ll get a better sense of what’s involved and this will help you determine the right role for you. Geography will often dictate the responsibilities involved in your role, so it’s important to bear that in mind. For example, a countryside ranger at Balmacara, a traditional crofting estate, will work in a different way to those at St Abb’s Head, a seabird and marine National Nature Reserve.

Volunteering

I started volunteering at Thistle Camps where I was able to work with different people on a variety of jobs to get a sense of what working outdoors involved. This opened my eyes to the opportunities available to me.

Volunteering is an excellent way for people to get a foot in the door. You don’t have to commit to long periods of time, spending a weekend at local places will shape your experience and this will be evident to employers too. Some local organisations have links with larger ones like the National Trust for Scotland, so it’s a great way to build relationships and make yourself known to people who you might work with in the future. It’s also a great way to show your worth and demonstrate your commitment to working in conservation.

Our charity the National Trust for Scotland has a variety of volunteering opportunities available across the country. Other types of organisation such as NatureScot also offer residential volunteering opportunities.

Networking

Take advantage of opportunities to talk to colleagues at different levels when you’re starting out, whether that’s during a volunteering opportunity or work experience placement. Showing interest in your colleagues and their work, asking questions about why things are done a certain way will demonstrate your willingness to learn and show you’re serious about working in conservation. For me, visiting different places while volunteering at Thistle Camps and doing contracting work on footpaths at different National Trust for Scotland properties helped me to develop familiarity with colleagues who got to know me and my work ethic which certainly helped secure future roles with the charity.

Reality check

The reality is working outdoors isn’t for everyone. The roles are often physically demanding, and this combined with harsh weather can be enough to put people off. While they have their challenges, outdoor conservation roles do have their benefits and rewards too. Those days when you’re taking your lunch break on the side of a hill in the sunshine, and you spot a rare golden eagle fly past tend to outweigh all the bad ones!

On the job training

At the National Trust for Scotland, we have a number of entry-level opportunities for learning on the job with our stonemasonry and gardening apprenticeships where you can gain practical experience and get paid at the same time. Going down the academic route is great for research -led and office-based roles, but gaining practical experience is more valuable when working outdoors as it shows potential employers that you’re resilient and can handle challenging situations that on-site experiences offer.

I was originally hired as a contractor to help with a 6-month footpath training course that developed into a full-time role as a training officer with the National Trust for Scotland, which led me to getting my SVQ Assessor qualification. The on-the-job training was an added benefit and helped to build my skills and experience before I moved onto the contract management side of footpath management. As the role grew, I was very fortunate that the Trust recognised the need for a permanent role to manage footpaths across the entire country, which led to the role that I work in today as Upland Footpaths Manager.

I’m proud that my work at the National Trust for Scotland contributes to our charity’s strategy to deliver Nature, Beauty & Heritage for Everyone. The 10-year strategy, unveiled in 2022, refocuses our vision of caring for, sharing and conserving Scotland’s heritage – including the 245 miles of paths we are responsible for. To find out more about the Trust, take a look at https://www.nts.org.uk

First published in CJS Focus on Land and Habitat Management in association with the Landscape Institute on 5 June 2023. Read the full issue here

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