In August, I was fortunate enough to be able to join a group of volunteers working with Surrey Wildlife Trust as part of a work experience week for college. Based at Whitmore Common and Royal Common, we bracken scythed areas of open land.

I have noticed wide areas of bracken in my local area but never truly appreciated the significant impact it has on the biodiversity of an area. Bracken encroaches on land in part due to the wide fronds it produces, which spread out and cast shade across anything growing underneath. It stops the native fauna and flora - such as protected heather - from thriving. Scything the bracken was quite a hard job and it took a group of amazing volunteers a few hours to clear one area.

I sought out a work experience placement with SWT because of my love of nature and geography, which I hope to study at university.

I have always enjoyed walking and experiencing nature first hand, but during lockdown my family and I stuck to the strict one hour of exercise a day. In this time, we walked from our house, doing the same walk every day. To start with I thought this was going to be rather boring, but after a few weeks I realised something whilst walking the same path every day. I suddenly noticed the seasons. I noticed the Hawthorn blossom and then the wild strawberries, the stinging nettles and the blackberries and the gorgeous pink snowberries before winter set in. I developed an appreciation for the local area, and we now often walk the same walks throughout the seasons.

One of our favourite walks is over Royal Common. Here we have seen a mass migration of frogs and lizards (which bask on the deck walkway), dragon flies and various birds. We love to watch the Oak trees spring into life and then drop their acorns.

I now appreciate the environment that flora and fauna need to survive in areas of special scientific interest - such as Royal Common - and how hard Surrey Wildlife Trust works to protect these fragile ecosystems. When I next go to Royal Common, I will look to see if the heather is making its way back in this area of scientific special interest.

By Sophie

Find out more about work experience opportunities with Surrey Wildlife Trust.