February update from Heritage Trainee Shannon Rae

February was dominated by fundamental training courses and the delivery of my Forest School sessions. Leading these has been a great new learning experience for me and I am finding out the best ways to offer fun, hands-on outdoor activities. I have been getting the children to seed bombs, saw wooden discs and make necklaces, create things out of sticks and clay, plus build amphibian and reptile refugia. The children often take this a step further and build “water parks for ants” and bug hotels. They enjoy digging and playing around in the mud, which is all heavily encouraged around set activities. I have about two sessions left to deliver and I plan to do some pond-based tasks and den building, as well as a special treat of hot chocolate around the fire for the last session. Though I have found this to be quite challenging, it has been fun and exciting to plan and execute a range of outdoor activities.

During the second week of February I completed further training in chainsaw felling (trees up to 380mm). It was five days spent in the woods learning how to fell, using types of cuts which are called: basic fell, split level and Danish default. There is nothing more satisfying than having full control over a large tree and hearing the crack of timber as it falls. Chainsaw season has now ended because birds are beginning to make their nests, but I am pleased to have obtained this licence.

I'm also proud of the fact that I completed a two day course in outdoor first aid, alongside other Trust staff members. The course covered risks of exposure, fractures, bleeds and CPR.