Post:
TCV Natural Talent Traineeship – Pollinators of Created Meadows
Bursary:
£12,510.60
Location:
World Museum, National Museums Liverpool (with Landlife National
Wildflower Centre & Merseyside Biobank)
Mentors:
Guy Knight (WM) & Damian Young (LNWC)
Duration:
12 months
Start date:
25th January 2016
Closing date for Applications: 23rd October 2015
Thank you for your interest in the Natural Talent UK traineeship scheme. This scheme is
funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
How to apply
Full details on how to apply and application forms can be found at
http://www.tcv.org.uk/jobs/latest-job-vacancies
Please read through this traineeship description thoroughly, completing an application
form (available on request or on-line and to download) showing how you meet the criteria
outlined in the Skills & Experience section of this document and any other information you
feel is relevant.
Project background
Natural Talent UK aims to increase expertise across the whole of the UK to protect our less
well known species and create awareness of the habitats that supports them. The
programme responds to identified skills shortages in the conservation sector by providing
trainees with the opportunity to develop an expertise in a specific taxonomic group, habitat
or a mixture of both. Natural Talent UK will also increase the capacity of volunteers and
communities to play an active role in surveying, mapping and taking an action to increase
the biodiversity value of their local places.
Wildflower meadows are among Britain’s most evocative and inspirational wild spaces,
immersing those who visit them in a world of colour, life and diversity. Their catastrophic
decline in the past 70 years is perhaps one of the country’s greatest conservation tragedies
and it is estimated that 97% have been lost through changes in land use since 1945.
Fortunately, they have in recent decades been subject to some of our most exciting creative
conservation initiatives. The widespread creation of new meadows in urban areas continues
to help mitigate wildflower loss and counter the ‘pollinator crisis’, as well as providing
pleasant spaces which promote understanding of biodiversity and public engagement.
England’s North West is at the forefront of some of the most recent innovative and
ambitious habitat creation schemes. Supported by Kew Grow Wild, ‘Tale of Two Cities:
Liverpool and Manchester’ is establishing ten hectares of new meadows in the region, whilst
Landlife’s National Wildflower Centre in Liverpool provides inspirational wildflower displays
to educate, engage and enthuse people and is a centre of excellence for creative
conservation.
The region provides a perfect opportunity for understanding and providing new information
on the biodiversity and conservation value of created meadows. Such work relies on scarce
and declining taxonomic skills, particularly in insect identification. Working with World
Museum’s unique resources of over one million entomological specimens, its extensive
libraries, in-house expertise in all major invertebrate groups, and benefitting from its track
record of fieldwork and ecological survey, the trainee will develop a deep understanding of
the invertebrates attracted to created meadows. They will develop skills in species
identification, ecology and conservation of major pollinator groups such as bees and
hoverflies and will also be encouraged to look at other insects associated with plants,
developing their own specialism throughout the project.
Practical field skills in invertebrate survey, habitat creation and habitat management will be
developed through work at numerous local created wildflower meadows, ranging in age
from one to 20 years old. World Museum’s and Landlife National Wildflower Centre’s on-site
meadows will be used extensively in this training, as will the two Wildflower Farms managed
by Landlife.
In addition to their work on invertebrates, the trainee will also access the knowledge and
experience of Landlife staff and the botanical resources at World Museum to develop a good
understanding of wildflower and seed identification, plant communities and farming of
native species.
Merseyside Biobank, the local records centre for North Merseyside, will also be a major
partner in this project, providing training in biological recording and GIS technology,
facilitating access to the biological recording community and developing an understanding of
how data is used and interpreted.
Public engagement will be a fundamental part of this traineeship and this is central to the
vision of all of the partner organisations in serving communities which often do not have
good access to the natural world. World Museum welcomes around 700,000 visitors per
year and has dedicated public engagement spaces, Landlife National Wildflower Centre was
established as inspirational public attraction for understanding and enjoying nature, and
Merseyside Biobank’s work with ‘The Biodiverse Society’ project links community groups
with naturalists in the region. The trainee will benefit from the many opportunities for
meaningful and rewarding engagement this provides and deliver both field-based and
indoor sessions which empower individuals and communities by promoting the connections
between created meadows, local biodiversity, environmental health and human wellbeing.
Training
The traineeship will provide training in:
 Identification of insect pollinator species
 Identification of other invertebrates associated with plants
 Identification of wildflowers and their seeds
 Use of identification manuals, keys and microscopes
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Specimen preservation techniques and preparation of voucher specimens
Risk assessment procedures
Survey planning and logistics
Field surveys and recording techniques
Insect monitoring techniques
Habitat creation and management
Team working
Working with partner organisations and the public
Managing data and record databases
Report writing
Community engagement
Engaging with marginalised communities
Delivering Citizen Science in communities
Technical skills (e.g. GIS mapping and spatial analysis)
Data flow (outputs and sharing environmental information)
Biological recording (data standards, self-validation and verification)
Person specification
ESSENTIAL
DESIRABLE
Qualifications:
No formal qualifications necessary although
candidates will have to demonstrate knowledge of
some aspect of the natural environment and their
enthusiasm for the traineeship.
Some formal or informal training in
biological science, natural history, wildlife
conservation or biological recording.
Experience:
Demonstrable experience of work with, and
enthusiasm for, invertebrates.
Experience of specific invertebrate field
survey techniques.
Demonstrable experience of biological fieldwork.
Understanding of the value of biological recording.
Demonstrable understanding of the value
of biological collections to conservation /
evidence of work with biological
collections.
Some knowledge and experience of wild
flower meadows.
Experience of species-level identification.
Experience of interpreting natural history
to the public.
Skills :
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
An understanding of the use of identification keys
and microscopes for invertebrate species
identification.
Good working knowledge of basic IT software
packages.
Ability and desire to undertake fieldwork and a
general understanding of relevant health and safety
procedures.
Demonstrable experience of invertebrate
species identification.
Demonstrable experience of plant
identification.
Demonstrable experience of verbal
communication of some aspect of British
natural history.
Ability to communicate in writing to both
popular and scientific audiences.
Work with communities, particularly in
some aspect of natural history.
Excellent time management skills.
Understanding of the value of pollinators
and issues affecting their conservation.
Existing interest in a pollinator or plantfeeding invertebrate group.
Personal Qualities:
Demonstrable experience of self-motivated learning
and completion of a project.
Demonstrable desire to learn and a vision of where
this traineeship could take them.
Demonstrable passion for natural environments and
species and habitat conservation.
Evidence of a methodical approach, an eye for detail
and manual dexterity.
Demonstrable desire to share their skills to benefit
communities and science.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Other:
A full, clean driving licence