Seasonal worker placement at Kilchoan Melfort Trust
Marine Science student with a strong interest in conservation and restoration
In the summer of 2025, I had the opportunity to work with the estate team at the Kilchoan Melfort Trust. As a Marine Science student with a strong interest in conservation and restoration, I wanted to gain terrestrial experience, and the estate’s rewilding focus made it the perfect place to learn.
Over the two and a half months I took part in a wide range of estate and rewilding activities including gardening, path and plantation management including Sitka removal, meadow creation and grass cutting. I also assisted with wildlife monitoring projects such as moth and bat surveys which included pheromone use, and got a chance to help out with bee keeping.
These experiences introduced me to species identification and the use of tools like iNaturalist, which I continue to use independently to discover more about the natural world around me. Learning about the practicalities of moth and bat surveys, the correct techniques for these, hearing bat calls through detection devices and observing bee colony development were particular highlights.
Working with the gardening team provided me with an introduction to plant species and identification which was something I had limited experience of previously and really enjoyed learning about various different plants. Alongside this I also worked in the polytunnel and the kitchen garden learning about seed planting and crop rotation based on season. The opportunity to work in these different areas gave me a really well-rounded learning experience, seeing the process from start to finish.
As well as spending time on the estate during the placement I also took the opportunity to explore the estate through their many trails over the summer and really enjoyed see the spectacular landscapes and seascapes of the peninsula.
Overall, my time at Kilchoan was incredibly rewarding, allowing me to build a broad set of practical conservation skills that I look forward to developing further in my career.