Countryside management - advice

[Bel]

Hello
I'm after some advice. My son is at the stage of applying to university. He's keen to work in some kind of countryside management job and has been doing voluntary work. He's looking at countryside management degrees at Aberystwyth, Harper Adams, Newcastle. Does any one have any advice about how these degrees are valued in the sector? Is it better to do something like that, or a more traditional subject like geography? Or would it be better to go down the route of trying to get a job (v hard I know!), apprenticeship etc. any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

[wanlock dod]

You'll have to excuse my rather flippant attitude to this, but as somebody who studied a quantitative environmental degree and has never struggled to find work I would recommend the more rigourously scientific courses over the more wishy washy ones. It was suggested to me about a decade ago that environmentla management degrees were about students spending 3 years learning how to cut the grass. I can't say that I have seen anything in the interim to suggest that this isn't fairly close to the truth (although I accept it is something of an oversimplification). Is countryside mamagement anything more than an agriculture degree without the farming bits?

I have heard that these management type courses can be very popular with students, the suggestion being that they are easier (no need for all that difficult maths, physics or chemistry), and also cheaper (no need for those expensive practical classes etc.) so I can understand the appeal. The reason why I would recommend something more quantitative is that I feel it is likley to present a broader range of potential opportunities post qualification. I feel that this is proabbaly especially true for somebody that already has some practical voluntary experience in a relevant area.

[Johnny81]

I am currently studying a countryside and wildlife management degree in Northampton. Almost finished my second year and will receive an FdSc soon then a Bsc next year, I am 30 years old and I can honestly say it is one of the best things I have ever done. I have been taught many aspects of ecology by some well regarded professionals. I have learnt the basics of ecology, habitat ecology and management of habitats. I have been taught about plant taxonomy and various survey techniques. I have been taught some levels of species identification and of course the laws and mitigation and conservation of protected species. As a part of various modules I have to work for companies to learn a "hands on experience" in a work place environment. All of these types of courses I imagine will teach phase I and II habitat surveys also (vital in some environmental roles).

In my University a geography degree runs along side some of the ecology lectures as we learn about the various habitats and habitat ecology etc.

I do not think these courses (from my experience) are just hands on now (how to mow grass etc.) any more. They have a very ecological scientific base now and mathematics is used A LOT in these courses as we have to work out probabilities etc.. We use a lot of GIS mapping software also now to map habitats and species. I am thoroughly enjoying my degree and I have learnt so much and would encourage anyone else at any age to do so if they had an interest in this subject and would like to do something in the future with it.

From what I know most sectors will require a BSc degree in a similar field with a masters for senior positions (if lacking experience). All voluntary work is great for the CV also.

[wanlock dod]

I see that most of what Johnny has learnt during his course so far would probably also have been covered by a degree in Ecology, but I suspect that some of the issues might have been covered in more detail on an ecology course rather than a management course. To my mind, the question is whether there is a broader range of opportunities open to an Ecology graduate than a Countryside Management graduate, all else being equal.

A friend of mine studied environmental science, and did some modules in geography in the early part of the degree. He said that the first half of the geography and environmental science lectures were commonly almost the same, the difference being that in teh geography classes th elatter part was spent looking at slides of rivers, glaciers or whatever the lecture was about. In the environmental science class there would be a couple of slides, followed by quantification of whatever they were studying, whether that be rates of glacier movement, or bed load transport in rivers etc. etc. Ultimately he concluded that environmental science was geography, but actually knowing it. Could it not be that there are parallels between thsi and the countryside management / ecology degrees?

[Bel]

Thank you both for your replies. It's really useful to have different perspectives. When you, wanlock dod, say, :

"To my mind, the question is whether there is a broader range of opportunities open to an Ecology graduate than a Countryside Management graduate, all else being equal."

that's exactly what I was wondering - what degree will give a broader range of opportunities. It sounds like there is quite debate. He hasn't really looked at Ecology degrees, so I guess he should be exploring those, rather than just restricting himself to 'countryside management' - although that it was is immediately appealing to him I think. Good to have the view of someone actually studying the subject. Thanks again to both.

[Johnny81]

Ecology and countryside management all run along side each other in my course as I outlined. This might not be the same in other universities.I would suggest on contacting some universities and getting a prospectus, or going to open days etc..

[tom00_uk]

was the case at mine, there might be one module different a year, and in the final year where there is greater freedom to select modules it might end up the same

[Adam Cheeseman]

I would advise a degree that involves both practical modules and one that includes species identification. Too many people coming into the profession with degrees nowadays that know all there is to know theoretically but yet don't know how to use a bow saw or identify the simplest of species and have little or no practical experience. So if they can't find a suitable course with a practical element I suggest they get involve with a local volunteer conservation group or offer to volunteer with a countryside ranger service or similar.

Aberystwyth used to be good, also Sparsholt College, Wye College and the University of East Anglia. Looking on the Countryside Jobs Service, Naturenet, BTCV websites may offer some tips and good advice too. The Field Studies Council also run good, fairly cheap day, weekend and week-long courses.

Cheers,

Adam

[DoraMac]

Bel, I apologise if I am slightly hijacking your thread, but I was wondering if anyone had experience of the OU environment courses.

I am not going to be job seeking, but may apply to do some voluntary work in this area. In particular, the course I was considering is Y181 - Introducing Environment.

[Bel]

No problem, Dora Mac. And thanks to everyone else for comments and advice.