INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACESwww'btcv'orgnaturaltalent

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Rats, Weeds and Awareness.........
Lyn Byrne BTCV Natural Talent Invasive Species
Apprentice
INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent
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BTCV Natural Talent Apprenticeship Scheme
BTCV Scotland's Natural Talent apprenticeship
scheme is leading the charge against the loss of
specialist ecological skills in the UK's
environmental sector. Set up in 2006, with
support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, BTCV
Scotland has worked towards training the next
generation of experts in specialist habitat
management and taxonomic skills. Working in
partners such as RGBE, LNAC, NIEA, NT and SNH 19
apprenticeships have been recruited in fields
ranging from mycology, bryology and lichenology
through to farmland conservation and invasive
species management. BTCV are looking for the
final 12 month apprenticeship , starting early
next year, to be based Northern Ireland.
INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent
INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent
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BTCV Natural Talent Invasive Species
Apprenticeship

• Host Organisation
• Lough Neagh Advisory Committee
• Mentors
• John Early, NIEA
• Mark Horton, Ballinderry Fish Hatchery

INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent
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BTCV Natural Talent Invasive Species
Apprenticeship

• Training
• Workshops
• Laboratory visits
• Volunteer days
• Conferences

INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent
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• Rams Island Rat Eradication

INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent
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Ballinderry River Non-Native Invasive Plant
Control Programme

• Catchment wide alien plant control programme
• Volunteer workforce
• Community Landfill Tax funded
• Part of RIPPLE (Rivers, Involving People, Places
  and Leading by Example)
• First project of its kind in NI

INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent
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Education Awareness

• Education packs
• Games, activity sheets
• Awareness Events
• Training courses, awareness days

INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent
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Apprenticeship Schemes

• Creating a focus at a community level
• Promoting good practice within communities
• Bridging the gap between advisory networks and
  people on the ground
• Affordable dedicated workforce

INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent
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Volunteers

• Key to invasive species management
• Personal connection with local environment
• Key percentage of workforce
• Help sustain the longevity of projects
• There happy to be paid in cake..............

INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES www.btcv.org/n
aturaltalent