Understanding my environment

I have always been curious about nature and love being outdoors in my spare time, but on a day-to-day basis I used to completely ignore nature. Commuting and walking around day-to-day I had tunnel vision of where I needed to be, at what time, things I had to do that day and what I was doing at the weekend. I would walk past trees, wildflowers, and beautiful pockets of nature without batting an eyelid or taking it in. Since joining the Keeping it Wild Traineeship I have learnt so much about wildlife, and I have found that the more I learn, the more questions I have. 

I came across the Keeping it Wild Traineeship at a Green Jobs Fair held at Walthamstow Wetlands in October 2022. I was desperately wanting to learn about jobs in the conservation sector and what I had to do to kickstart my career. At this point I had been applying for many roles and not hearing back due to my lack of practical conservation experience. I instantly got excited about what the Keeping it Wild Traineeship had to offer and put in an application.

Throughout the traineeship I have learnt vital conservation skills like surveying, carrying out maintenance and repairs on site, how to use, store and maintain conservation tools (e.g., a brush cutter that I had never used before), what goes into the planning and delivery of practical conservation sessions with volunteers, education, and community engagement sessions, as well as species identification skills that I lacked. 
 

Learning about tree identification has been one of my favourite parts of the traineeship. Now when I walk past a tree, I can’t help but look at the bark, leaves or buds and wonder ‘what type of tree is this?’ I love this quote by Confucius ‘The beginning of wisdom is the ability to call things by their right names.’ Learning tree names has given me a sense of power and connection to my surrounding environment – now I am seeing the trees that I have learnt everywhere I go.  

I love sharing trees names and facts with my friend and family when out and about. I feel that nature is often only talked about when you are surrounded by people who are passionate about it. I hope to make nature fun for others and inspire them to ask questions and learn more about the nature that is all around us.
 

Tree identification tips

Tree identification can be tricky as many trees are constantly changing throughout the seasons. Make sure you take it slow and learn a few trees at a time. There are several great apps which can help you with identification like iNaturalist and Woodland Trust British Tree Identification app, in the meantime here are some useful tips and clues to think about…

Surroundings 

When identifying a tree, it is important to look at the surroundings, where the tree is located can tell you a lot. Some species like to grow in certain areas, for example willow trees like to grow near water . 
 

The season

Being aware of the season can also tell you a lot about a tree. Deciduous trees change throughout the seasons and in winter you will be relying on the bark and buds to give you the information you need to identify. Spring is when many trees burst buds and bloom, but knowing when a tree will usually flower can help you to identify it, for example blackthorn blooms late in winter and hawthorn flowers later in May. 

Overall size and shape 

Looking at tree size and shape can help you with identification as many trees have a distinctive look. For example, some trees like silver birch grow tall and narrow, whereas others like oak have a wider, spread-out crown. If you notice that a tree has many stems, instead of a singular trunk, this could mean that it has been coppiced or pollarded, so it may be a hazel, hornbeam, willow or beech tree. 
 

Bark 

When looking at the bark make sure you examine the colour, markings, texture and over all appearance – this can give you clues to identify the tree. Some trees have distinctive bark, like silver birch which has white flaky bark, and others have a similar look which can be tricky to identify. Bark can change as a tree ages, for example ash trees develop fissures as it matures. It is also important to examine the whole tree when looking at the bark as it can differ between the base and crown of the tree. 
 

Leaves and needles 

Leaves and needles can help you to identify a tree, make sure you look at the leaf type, shape, texture, appearance, and colour. Broadleaves are split into 2 types, simple and compound leaves. Simple leaves are whole leaves, and each leaf is attached to the main stem, whereas compound leaves are divided into multiple leaflets and attached to the main stem via short stalks.
 

Conifer leaves are known as needles or scales and most conifers are evergreen, where their leaves are shed gradually throughout the year, growing new needles or scales to replace them. 

Flowers 

Most trees bloom in spring, this can be a great time of year for identification as you can get great clues from a tree’s flowers. Broadleaf trees flowers have reproductive organs, and conifers usually have cones for reproduction. There are several ways that a tree may reproduce - hermaphroditic trees like cherry produce flowers with both male and female parts, monoecious trees like alder produce separate male and female flowers on the same tree, and dioecious trees like holly produce separate trees which are either male or female.
 

Fruits and seeds 

Fruits and seeds give great character identification, take a look at the colour and texture of a tree’s fruits – are they smooth? prickly? rough? soft? hard? dry? hairy? This can tell you a lot about the tree. Broadleaf trees grow nuts, catkins, stone fruits, pears, apples, whereas conifer trees grow cones which contain seeds. 
 

Leaf buds and twigs 

Looking at leaf buds and twigs is most helpful when identifying trees in the winter. Take a close look at the buds shape and arrangement to help you to identify a tree. Buds at the end of twigs are called terminal buds, and buds along the stem are called lateral buds and have 3 main arrangements – alternate, opposite, and spiral. 

Looking closely at the twigs can also tell you a lot about the tree. Try to identify the texture, is it smooth? spikey? or hairy? For example, spikes could tell you it is a hawthorn or black.

What I have learnt about myself

As the traineeship has flown by, I have learnt more and more about wildlife, but I have also learnt more about myself. I have learnt that I am not the only one who gets excited when successfully identifying a tree or learning the name of a tree I have never seen before. I have also learnt that other people share this passion for nature, I have made amazing connections during the traineeship and friendships for life, and I have loved learning from others who have great knowledge in specific areas. Finally, I now have a clear vision of where I would like to take my career and that it is ok to want to work outdoors.

I love seeing the look on peoples face when they tell me about their corporate office jobs and I follow with ‘I have just completed a traineeship with London Wildlife Trust and want to become a Ranger’. Sometimes it is confusion – ‘but there is no nature in London?’, sometimes it’s a smirk - ‘what do you actually do?’, and sometimes it’s intrigue - ‘I would love to do something like that, you are lucky to be outside every day.’ When it is the latter, I find myself smiling and it reminds me that this is the right path for me, I am excited to carry on learning and see where my career takes me.

If you would like to get involved in exploring nature, there are some great projects out there! London Wildlife Trust has many workshops and volunteering opportunities, including Nature Nurtures, a project partnered with Spread the Word, Black Girls Hike CIC and London Youth. Nature Nurtures workshops are for young Londoners between 16-25, exploring themes of identity, wellbeing, and cultural heritage, while connecting with nature through creative arts. 

And finally, Wanderers of Colour are an amazing grassroots collective by and for people of colour, committed to improving access to greenspaces and travel. They have many sessions you can get involved in, including climbing, walking, camping, and skiing. Follow @wanderersofcolour on Instagram to find out more.