Work experience at Norfolk Rivers Trust

My name is Emily Battams and I took part in work experience for three days with Norfolk Rivers Trust. I spent my first day completing earthworm surveys with Ursula and Ed, which consisted of digging holes and counting the amount of worms and also testing the consistency of the soil within different fields. We we’re looking at the effect of cover on fields during the cooler seasons on the nutrients within the soil.

During the very beginning of the second day I went into the office and read up on ‘The River Mun’ which showed the effect of non-native species in rivers, their effect on particular areas along the Norfolk coast line and the strategies Norfolk Rivers Trust in putting and has put in place to try and reduce these effects – this was incredibly interesting, and also tied into what I was going to do with Ursula for the rest of the day. We spend the rest of the morning and majority of the afternoon in one wetland pulling up watercress to create space for a small flow to filter water – we became wetland monsters with the amount of cress that covered us. Although Ursula’s and my whole body ached from the hard work we put into it, it was worth it! This allowed me to really get involved and enhanced my practical skills whilst having a really good time.

During my final day, I spent majority of it within the office making a game on food chains for the children. We also took a short trip into Blakeney to look at the different sections along the river where eels pass as they arrive from the sea.

All of the days benefited me in many ways and related to everything I was learning in college. I gained so much experience from these few days as it really did allow me to bring the information I had been learning in school to life. On top of this I gained a lot of knowledge about ecology, which was extremely interesting. I was surrounded by very helpful and friendly people all of the time who shared the same interests as me which is why I am so grateful to of spent my time with The Norfolk River Trust and would love to do it over and over again!