NORFOLK WILDLIFE TRUST

Reserves Assistant - Brecks

1. About Us

NWT’s vision is to seek a sustainable environment for people and wildlife where the future of wildlife is protected and enhanced through sympathetic management and people are connected with and inspired by ’s wildlife and wild spaces. Two of the key strategies in order for us to achieve our vision are to manage and enhance our nature reserves for wildlife and people and to help wildlife adapt to climate change by promoting a “Living Landscape” for Norfolk through the establishment of an ecological network, with targeted action plans.

A visit to our website at www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk will provide more information on our impressive portfolio of nature reserves and the work of the Trust in general.

2. Background to NWT’s Nature Reserve Management in :

At approx. 50,000 ha NWTs Brecks Living Landscape Action Plan area is part of a wider Brecks Character Area occupying over 900km2 of and north Suffolk, and is internationally recognised for its special wildlife and nature conservation interest. The area is particularly famous for its heaths, grasslands, unusual fluctuating meres, and strange, primeval wetland features known as ‘pingos’, the product of an active peri-glacial past. More recently, the area has been the home of Forest, one of the UK’s most important working timber forests, and widely recognised as a wildlife and amenity asset in its own right.

The Brecks Biodiversity Audit identified over 2,000 priority species of national importance ie rare or scarce. The Brecks holds 28% of all UK BAP species. 72 species are entirely or largely restricted to the Brecks.

A wide range of organisations and individuals are involved in the protection and enhancement of this very special environment, and is one of the leading land managers for wildlife in the area. The Trust owns and/or manages 10 nature reserves in the Brecks, and is also the major delivery partner in the Brecks Heath Partnership (BHP) re-creation project on former forest plantations (currently a further 8 sites).

Of the 10 NWT reserves in the area, 8 hold SSSI status, while 6 support international designations, and 2, Weeting and Thetford Heaths, are National Nature Reserves (NNR). NNR is a particular attraction, supporting several nationally rare and scarce plants, and being one of the best (and most visited) places in Britain to observe breeding stone curlew at close quarters. Over 5000 people visit this site every summer, and our visitor centre, serves as an information and sales outlet, and is the base for the Weeting Summer Warden. In the Fens we have worked in partnership with the Environment Agency to create a new wetland site on the River Wissey, where newly planted reedbed will hopefully hold nesting bittern and marsh harrier in the future. The Brecks reserve operation is administered from our workshop and office at .

Grazing is a major conservation management tool for us in Breckland; where appropriate, our sites are grazed with combinations of sheep, cattle and ponies, using either NWT owned stock or external graziers, while East Wretham Heath currently also serves as the base for the Trust’s grazing operation

Most Breckland sites managed by NWT are in Higher Level or Countryside Stewardship (HLS or CS). In addition to the annual income NWT actively seeks additional funding for specific projects either through CS or via partnerships including the Shifting Sands’ project supported by Heritage Lottery fund

3. The Post of Reserves Assistant - Brecks Team

The Brecks Reserves Assistant will be based at NWT East Wretham Reserve, in Norfolk, and will be expected to work at other NWT managed areas within the Brecks and Fens including the Wissey Wetlands and Brecks Heath Partnership sites. The Reserves Assistant will be expected to undertake a variety of tasks, including fen mowing, scrub management, and maintenance of machinery and infrastructure.

NWT reserves within the Brecks area are managed for many species of wildlife and visitors that enjoy these unique areas. Species benefiting from the Trust’s management work in the Brecks include Stone Curlew, Nightjar, Woodlark, Spiked Speedwell, Spanish Catchfly and Lunar Yellow Underwing Moth.

4. Post-holder Profile

The post is demanding, but presents the opportunity to work on some of the county’s most important wildlife sites, and develop valuable skills in the management of nature reserves and their visitors.

The successful candidate will have a good working knowledge of wildlife conservation. Good communication skills are essential, both with colleagues and members of the public, as is the ability to work as part of a team in managing these busy sites. The successful candidate will have an aptitude for practical tasks and will be willing and able to be trained in the use of tractors, brushcutter, chainsaw, pesticide application and in first aid. Experience of livestock management, is also desirable.

A detailed job description is attached for information and to assist you with your application.

The salary is between £17,250 -£18,750 per annum, depending on experience and amount of training required.

The hours of work will normally be 8:30am to 4:30pm with half an hour for lunch, but you will be expected to work occasional evenings and weekends for which reasonable time off in lieu will be granted.

The post holder will be entitled to 25 days holiday per annum, inclusive of three days to be taken between Christmas and New Year, plus bank holidays.

5. Application Procedure

Candidates should apply by sending a copy of their CV, detailing education, employment, relevant experience and two references. You should also send a statement outlining why you consider yourself suitable for the post and what particular skills and attributes you have which will enable you to fulfil the requirements of the job. A job description is enclosed to assist you with this. Please state where you first saw the post advertised.

Completed applications should be marked Private and Confidential and e-mailed to [email protected]

The closing date for receipt of applications is midday on 5th January 2021.

Interviews are likely to take place on 21st & 22nd January 2021.

The successful candidate will be expected to provide proof of eligibility to work in the UK at the time of accepting the offer of employment.

We regret that we are unable to provide feedback from the application stage and if you have not heard from us by the end of January you should assume your application has not been successful on this occasion.

Thank you for your interest in this post and the work of the Trust. We wish you every success with your application.

Norfolk Wildlife Trust December 2020