Global eco experience for Reaseheath Countryside students
Eight first year students from Reaseheath College’s Countryside department are to join environmental projects abroad as part of their summer training.
The students, who are studying for their Level 3 Diploma in Conservation and Wildlife Management at the Nantwich college, will gain practical experience in eco-tourism and in conservation, environmental, and woodland management during a four week funded work placement.
They won the opportunity after successfully applying to Grampus Heritage and Training Ltd., a non-profit making organisation which aims to give UK students and young workers the management experience and practical skills required by the environmental industry. All Reaseheath’s students gained placements against strong competition from applicants from colleges nationwide.
Adam Bailey-Rimmer, 17, from Manchester, Alice Hardwell, 16, from Wrexham and Floris Stoter, 28, from Liverpool, are going to Skálanes Nature Reserve in East Iceland, where they will help to create a centre for Icelandic environment and cultural history. The centre will also be a model for sustainable tourism.
Alice Martin, 16, from Aberystwyth, and Jasmine Salmon, 18, from Ellesmere Port, are off to the Czech Republic to study organic horticulture and permaculture systems. They will be based at Apple Farm, a sustainable small-holding 100 miles east of Prague which aims to teach sustainability, self-sufficiency and education.
John Humphreys, 26, from Wirral, and Richard Laurence, 27, from Nantwich, will join Hylates Limited, an eco-tourism company which is developing environmentally friendly facilities for visitors in Cyprus. Cyprus has a very fragile natural environment which is under pressure from developers. During their placement the two students will try to find sustainable and local solutions which will maintain and improve biodiversity.
Rhys Donnell, 17, from Clwyd will join preparations for the annual woodfest in the Dübener Heide Naturpark, Germany, and will also carry out practical nature conservation including heathland and forest management, working at a village arboretum, making interpretation boards and joining school conservation projects.
All students on the Level 3 Diploma have already completed one month’s work experience this year with leading countryside bodies like the National Trust.
Programme Leader for Countryside Siobhan Smyth said: “This experience will greatly enhance our students’ CVs as they will be engaging with conservation industries across Europe and learning the skills which employers look for. They will also learn how other cultures operate, which is only something you can learn by experience.”
Richard Laurence, 27, who hopes eventually to set up his own environmental business, said: “This is a brilliant placement where we will be using local materials and methods to aid public access to heritage sites. I’m looking forward to it very much. It’ll give me valuable experience and some real skills which I can use to take my career forward.”
If you would like to find out more about the Level 3 Diploma in Conservation and Wildlife Management as well as our other Countryside courses please visit the Countryside section on our website.
