A New Chapter
So much for a regular posting schedule…
My recent relocation to ‘God’s Country’ has been wonderful but no less manic and stressful. Now that I’m finally starting to feel a bit more settled, I’m ready to get back to my writing and photography, starting with a quick update. 2025 has had many ups and downs already, but moving to Wales in March gave me a fresh start, a wonderful new chapter in my life where I can wipe the slate clean and start from scratch, and I certainly haven’t wasted these first few weeks.
My very first day here I was exploring local areas of natural beauty, speaking with rangers and learning about nearby opportunities from local volunteers. I became a member of the Friends of Cardiff Reservoirs volunteer group through Welsh Water, helping to conserve local sites and educating the public on environmental matters. One of the first things I noticed when I arrived, was the incredible amount of green spaces, even in highly populated areas. Locals seem to have a closer bond with nature and I’ve never felt so warmly welcomed into a community.
Shortly after securing my first volunteer role, I also became a monitoring volunteer with North Wales Wildlife Trust. This position allows me to remotely monitor an Osprey nest, reporting back behavioural observations and protecting the nest from human threats. It’s certainly an interesting watch, with a previous male returning late in the season and re-establishing dominance of his territory and partner. Just being able to watch these gorgeous animals on my screen is thrilling and it’s an honour to be able to contribute to the protection and conservation of this truly majestic species. I’m so excited to see how this season progresses.
Another challenge to this move has been keeping on top of my uni work and assignments, which is made slightly less difficult when you have a deep passion for what you study. I’m now reaching the end of my first year with Edinburgh University on their Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health Masters. It’s been such an amazing experience so far, full of extraordinary people and I can’t wait for year 2 to begin!
Through the uni, I was also able to become a member of the Global Diversity Foundation’s ‘Global Environments Network’. Through a series of workshops led by the incredible Carolyn Finney, environmental enthusiasts from all over the world discussed the future of conservation and engaged in dialogue surrounding encouraging positive change. I was so honoured to be a part of this discussion and to listen to the stories and life experiences of so many inspirational people from all corners of the world. There is a lot more to come from GDF and their GEN programme and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.
Having surpassed the 2 month mark, I can reflect on the time since I moved and appreciate just how much I’ve been able to do and achieve. I’ve really been trying to throw myself into conservation, gaining as much experience and knowledge as I can along the way. I’m so lucky to have a wonderful support system around here, as well as family back home who have already come to visit, and I’m so grateful to all my friends for keeping in touch and for forgiving the sporadic messaging. Never one to sit still for long, or any length of time apparently, I’ve got some interesting projects in the works surrounding bat acoustics and identification, which I’m excited to get stuck into. Just know that if you’re struggling to reach me, I’m probably sat in a park somewhere geeking out over the wildlife or sat with my nose in a biology book!
Until next time!
