Meet Claire Oughtred - Trainee Ranger

By Laura Ross

Communications Officer, Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

Claire Oughtred recently joined the Land Management team as Rye Harbour Nature Reserve's new Trainee Ranger. You'd definitely fancy your chances with her on your quiz team; she has a degree in Social Anthropology, a Masters in the Environment and Climate Change and an interest in rare birds and flowers. I met up with her to find out where her passion for knowledge comes from.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

My interest in nature and the outdoors definitely comes from my family. Growing up, I spent my summers exploring the moors of County Durham, where my father would always encourage me in spotting rarer birds such as Black Grouse, as well as more unusual flowers like Spring Gentians. This background ultimately led me to study an MSc in Environment and Climate Change at the University of Manchester, and from there I pursued a career in environmental management of big infrastructure projects before making this wonderful change into conservation.

What does your role as Trainee Ranger involve? 

There's not really a typical day as such, but yesterday I had the pleasure of supporting the marine team in undertaking a fish survey down at Rye Harbour. Today and tomorrow I am doing my brush cutter training course in Sevenoaks. It is really so varied which always keeps it interesting! 

What are you most looking forward to?

I think having the opportunity to learn about so many aspects of reserve management, whether that be plant and bird identification, or building my strength and practical skills by building and using different tools. I'm also excited to learn how to lead volunteer sessions.

And what do you see as your main challenges?

That there is so much to learn! I try to keep in mind the mantra that 'The only true wisdom, is in knowing you know nothing' because I find that the more I learn, the more I realise there is to know. Socrates would be proud.

Do you have a favourite spot at the nature reserve?

I love the shingle beach on the Beach Reserve. For me, being by the sea is a pleasure of the gods.

Tell us something about you we might not know

I love learning other languages and exploring how the languages we speak can frame the ways we think. For example, did you know that the Pirahã language does not have words for numbers? This means that its speakers enjoy a cognitive anumeracy - basically, their language doesn't allow them to count.