Prior to my current 13 years with GWT, and alongside a Registered Nurse career, I had some experience with various livestock around 1996-97, helping out on a friend’s family smallholding. Following that with another 11 years of working voluntarily at Coleg Gwent Usk Campus’ Rhadyr Farm, within their very large farm estate. I volunteered on an almost daily basis as a general farm hand, and my list of responsibilities included anything livestock-based. The farm had a fairly large flock of sheep of around 600 ewes, plus a 50 ewe flock of pedigree registered Suffolk sheep (I loved those Suffolks!), along with a small group of various rams. We also had a separate flock of about 100 Cheviot type ewes, plus a few Border Leicester rams; to breed ‘Halfbred’ ewes as replacements for the two commercial, early and late lambing flocks. There was a dairy herd of about 150 milkers at the time, plus ‘followers’ (young heifers and ‘dry’ cows not being milked), and baby calves (another favourite task was looking after these, even though they’d cover you with milk and slobber!). The college farm also had a small beef suckler herd; and groups of older bull beef calves for finishing. My involvement was mostly based around all aspects of sheep care, but work days usually involved something to do with the cattle and calves too. I also spent many an hour on the scraper tractor, cleaning down walkways around the cowshed and milking parlour area after the cows had been in. So much slurry …. But I digress.

Because of my prior experience I am lucky enough to be allowed to undertake other livestock and field-based work at Pentwyn, things I have always done since joining GWT as a volunteer. Such as; extra checks of livestock outside of the rostered checks; cleaning of livestock water tanks; and changing livestock warning gate signs around when stock are moved. On top of this I get to enjoy some yearly events such as lambing duties, shearing, and more recently bracken rolling; all of which can help to save valuable time for GWT's Senior Conservation Officer Joe Ryder to get on with other urgent matters. But none of these would be considered part of the warden’s role; which I see as being more about keeping the GWT reserves accessible, safe, and presentable, to be enjoyed by all who visit, especially the wildlife.

As livestock checkers for GWT we already fulfil some of the warden’s duties, with regard to; being observant and reporting back any potential health and safety issues that could put people, or animals in danger; picking up any litter or lost property; ensuring gates are open or closed as appropriate; and reporting if access is difficult, perhaps due to damaged gates or overgrowth of bramble. However, as a Warden I have a little more scope and authority to resolve issues, where practicable and within agreed safe practice, which is very satisfying. Apart from tree, scrub, and bramble pruning I have become fairly adept at gate adjustments so that they open and latch, not only easily but securely! I am lucky in that I have the support of the other conservation grazing livestock checkers to also spot issues early on as they visit the grazed fields during daily checks. Otherwise I would need to walk a lot further to perform routine checks across the large site and not just areas rarely visited. It all helps to keep me fit though, and the opportunity to see wildlife of all types and sizes is wonderful.

Each Warden may have a different GWT staff supervisor, depending on location and type of tasks involved on that site. My supervisor for Pentwyn Farm is Senior Conservation Grazing Officer Joe Ryder. Every potential issue, concern, or incident is reported back to Joe, and he will sort or facilitate anything I am unable to deal with myself. Joe also gives me guidance and ideas if I feel willing and able to tackle small jobs, and can facilitate relevant hand-tools for use. Hence my knowledge and skills are steadily increasing, not only on a practical basis but within conservation guidelines.

Sometimes Joe will suggest a task needing to be completed, but quite often I will mention something that I believe to need attention. Joe will review suggestions each week and may prioritize tasks differently if needed; then agrees those he feels are appropriate or safe for me to undertake alone. So all my ‘warden day’ tasks are agreed beforehand, making my time more constructive and fulfilling as well as safe. Obviously weather plays a great part in what I can achieve, and some days I just want to spend my time wandering the site quietly and enjoying being there; and that’s fine too. We are volunteers and Gwent Wildlife Trust are grateful for our time, however limited that might be. So we are not under any pressure to go out on the reserves and undertake tasks; it’s just that I enjoy doing them.

My actual Warden tasks undertaken so far on Pentwyn Farm include:

• Keeping signage clean and visible. Also putting up some of the new GWT gate signs.

• Occasional cleaning and tidying around the workshop area, plus re-sharpening any pruning tools I use.

• Lots of bramble pruning! As much as bramble is valuable for wildlife (and enjoyed by ponies on occasions), it does tend to completely take over in places and has to be cut back from gateways and around the medieval barn.

• Pruning back overhanging trees and scrub around gateways or paths, including the farm entrance track, to allow clear access for pedestrians or vehicles.

• Gate adjusting. It’s amazing how a perfectly closing gate will suddenly be completely out of alignment!

• Setting up and removing electric fencing – used to control livestock grazing areas as required.

• Removing small areas of broken or fallen fence where necessary, or securing areas where gaps may occur and reporting loose fence posts.

• Retrieval of lost property – including some items successfully returned to rightful owners!

• Sometimes assisting as needed, with any events held at Pentwyn Farm; which might be GWT led educational events, or a volunteer work-task day to tackle larger jobs.

Wardens of other sites may have different duties/tasks they can do, and many are also involved with various wildlife monitoring or surveying on their sites. So if you think you might be interested it’s worth speaking to a GWT staff member for more information as I believe not every site has a designated Warden at the moment. Gwent Wildlife Trust staff are very supportive, and appreciative of our time and efforts, and I have always found volunteering for GWT very rewarding. If there is a reserve you already like to visit it can give that walk more purpose, and a chance to explore an area with greater depth of knowledge about how it is managed. I recommend signing up!

Thanks to players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, we can provide training opportunities for our volunteers to help us with our nature recovery work throughout Gwent.