Conservation work at Chilworth

Last Sunday I joined the University of Southampton’s Conservation Volunteering Society to carry out various tasks in the nearby Chilworth Conservation Area, which I recently learned was established by the University of Southampton. I finally had a Sunday a free and am very happy to have been able to do some hands-on work outside in the fresh air. The various tasks we worked on included clearing bramble, digging and planting trees, removing invasive species and moving logs with the help of a pair of Alaskan Malamute working dogs. The society provides all the tools and gloves used during the day, so all we needed to bring was a pair of sturdy shoes and lunch!

Despite a bit of rain in the afternoon, it felt great to be outside, and the conservation area is really lovely. The work was good exercise, especially guiding the dogs who were pulling the logs for us. They were very strong and at times I wondered who was leading who but they were also extremely friendly and enthusiastic workers! Whenever I have a Sunday free I hope to continue taking part in tasks with the Conservation Volunteering Society. It’s also a great way to see different local areas as they carry out work in not only the Chilworth Conservation Area but also in Southampton Common, Portswood Recreation Ground, the New Forest and several more.

Entering the Chilworth Conservation Area. 

It was difficult to capture in a photo but in the midst of those large trees is where we set up the base for the day, to keep the spare tools and peoples’ belongings safe and dry as we worked. We were able to take a couple breaks during the day for some warm tea and for lunch and these trees provided good shelter from the rain.

One of the Alaskan Malamute working dogs. Running around with those guys was a great way to keep warm! 

I am lucky enough to have a housemate with similar interests as me, who also studies Biology with a focus on plant sciences and ecology. We were both keen to get more involved with the Conservation Volunteering society. However, even if you don’t have a friend to go with, it shouldn’t prevent you from joining. During the day we got to know a lot of really nice people from a range of different courses from Archaeology to postgraduate PhD students. In addition, my housemate and I weren’t the only ones joining for the first time this year, so there were actually a number of new people giving conservation work a go.

Lastly, I thought I’d give a quick update on the progress of my third year project. I’m happy to say that I’ve now completed all of my lab work and have all of the raw data I need. The whole processes took longer than expected and I had to repeat a couple of the steps along the way but I think through doing so I have gained a much better understanding of the protocol and techniques I was conducting in the labs and feel much more confident in the skills that I’ve learned.

Now I’m beginning to tackle the values I’ve obtained from my lab work and will soon begin the somewhat daunting task of the all important stats for my project. Wish me luck!

Kristin