The Ecologists’ Life

Editor’s Note: The following is a guest post by Rachel Bates of Ecology Escapades

Quite often, people ask what I do, and then look at me blankly when I tell them that I am an ecologist. It never ceases to amaze me that there can be so much in the news about protected species, so many developments that have required bat surveys, or newt surveys, and the majority of people still don’t know who we are or what we do. It can be a little bit awkward (sometimes amusing) trying to describe my job, as there is so much that it entails.

Ecologists, put simply, work to enforce the various laws regarding the environment and protected species. We carry out protected species surveys to inform development proposals and planning applications (for example bats, great crested newts, reptiles, dormouse, otter, red squirrel, and many others); we assist with surveys for conservation projects and writing habitat management reports; we provide advice to organisations, businesses and individual homeowners about managing land, gardens and the countryside to benefit wildlife; we carry out habitat and plant surveys and assess a site’s potential to support protected and notable species – the list is endless and full of variety.

With this in mind, in my mind even, images spring up of surveyors walking through meadows on a warm sunny day, with the birds singing and a gentle breeze, recording plant species present – perhaps sitting under a shady tree by a stream with a packed lunch, looking through a wildflower book trying to identify some plants you are unsure of; standing near old, old trees near dusk, watching the sun go down on a balmy summer evening as you wait for the appearance of bats. Or, perhaps, the image is of scrambling through ancient woodland to set up dormouse tubes, excited by the thought that over the coming months you may find something, distracted by the pretty spring flowers and the warmth, the deer that you catch a glimpse of through the trees, and the birdsong all around you.

Sometimes, this is indeed the case. We ecologists can be very lucky in our job; a site that supports so much wildlife, a beautiful day, trips to different parts of the country. But it would be unfair of me not to mention the other side.

The other side can make or break a person. It can alter career paths and change destinies. I am talking, of course, about the weather. There is so much more that is part of ecology – the people you meet, the places you visit, the things you learn – but weather plays a prominent role, for field surveyors in particular. Ecologists are quite lucky in that a number of surveys cannot be done at certain times of the year, or in the rain or cold weather. Either animals are simply being sensible and hiding somewhere warm and dry or the rain makes it very difficult to see field signs – evidence of presence, such as droppings, food remains, hair – so in these instances, we have reports to write, reading to catch up on, all from the comforts of indoors.

However, on the occasions where you are required to wrap up warmly, clad in waterproofs and with a spare set of clothes in the car..... this, this is the test. For example, last year was an awful year weather-wise. It rained almost constantly. As part of the work in my old job, we had to set up numerous dormouse surveys, 50 dormouse tubes per site, and then check each site once a month. I don’t think either my colleague or I were properly dry for three months straight. Our waterproofs gradually got more sodden, less able to resist all this water; water trickled down our sleeves, rips in waterproof trousers created damp patches on our knees. Mentality has much to do with coping with this, I think. When I was happy and relaxed, I liked the sound of the rain, the feeling of being wrapped up warm and dry (okay, warm at least) while the rest of the world was sodden. When I was tired and cranky from being wet and scratched to bits from all the brambles, I hated it. (Brambles are an ecologists worst enemy, well, barbed wire fences too).

Earlier this year, just before I left my job, we had more sites to set up for dormouse surveys. This time, thankfully, there was no rain. Instead, it was freezing cold, well into the minus, and we were out in blizzards with bitterly cold, strong winds. In one particular woodland, the wind had created beautiful snow drifts which we had to wade through. Unfortunately they were waist high, and wading through them was incredibly hard work. During that week, my feet were constant lumps of ice, my fingers swelled with chilblains and my face became all dry and chapped from the wind, a bit like when I had to stand still for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for three weeks when I was an ecological clerk of works supervising the demolition of some old university residential blocks in case any bats were found.

Another important thing to bear in mind in ecology is the anti-social hours you sometimes have to do. The two species that feature heavily in ecology work are also species that require surveying at night. Want to see the latest movie on a weeknight? Sorry, that pond needs surveying for great crested newts. Fancy a girly night out on a Saturday? Errrmm... that building needs a dusk/dawn survey completing for bats.

Great crested newt Triturus cristatus

The point is, these instances make or break an ecologist. Some hate it and change career, perhaps into conservation or to work for charities; others grin and bear it, because the people you meet, the places you go, the knowledge that you are doing something to help nature and protect vulnerable species, and the sheer number of beautiful and wonderful things you get to see and experience more than makes up for frozen toes, mouldy waterproofs and sleep deprivation.

We are ecologists because we love it =]


About Me
I am a freelance field ecologist who undertakes ecological surveys for ecological consultancies and anyone else who might need me. I love the countryside, and walking, especially baking, and I would really like to get the chance to get into photography and to write more about the things I love.

Blog: http://ecologyescapades.wordpress.com/