As Reserve Warden and Outreach Officer at Shapwick Moor Nature Reserve in Somerset, Alex Learmont plays a key role in managing the site and inspiring the next generation of nature lovers.
Q. What does your role involve?
As Reserve Warden and Outreach Officer at Shapwick Moor, my role is incredibly varied, with a focus on practical conservation - managing the habitats and wildlife that make the site special. I also attend regular stakeholder meetings and collaborate with organisations like Natural England, the Wildlife Trust, and the RSPB on conservation initiatives.
A big part of my role is education and community outreach. We run a weekly programme with a local Somerset school, bringing Year 7 and 8 students out to the reserve for seasonal activities like wildlife surveys or hands-on tasks such as digging and removing tree guards.
This year, I’m doing more visits to local schools to give talks, which has been a great way to connect with students who can’t make it to the reserve. The enthusiasm, especially when it comes to owls, has been fantastic, and I hope to expand this even further in 2026.
Q. What’s your typical day like?
A typical day might start with me doing a morning check around the reserve: topping up bird feeders, inspecting the paths, or carrying out general maintenance. Later, I could be out doing an Otter survey, often with the help of some fantastic volunteers. These surveys involve assessing the habitat’s suitability by recording features like water depth, flow, surrounding vegetation, and signs of disturbance, as well as looking for evidence of otters such as spraints (droppings), holts (underground dens), footprints, and feeding remains. In the afternoon, I might be off-site meeting with one of our partner organisations to discuss ongoing conservation work.
No two days are the same, and that variety keeps things interesting for me.
Q. How did you get into your role and conservation?
I studied zoology at university, which gave me a solid foundation, and like a lot of people in conservation, I started out by volunteering with my local Wildlife Trust. That was my way in. After that, I took on a variety of roles in conservation ecology, gaining experience across different areas.
At one point, I made a bit of a shift and worked in visitor experience for the National Trust, which was much more focused on people and events. That gave me a whole new set of skills around engagement and public outreach.
A few years ago, I saw the job advert for this role at Shapwick Moor. I'm from the local area and already knew the reserve quite well, so I thought, “Wow, what an amazing opportunity.” I went for it, and I’ve now been here for about three years.
It’s been fantastic. I’ve learned so much, especially on the practical side of conservation, with lots of training opportunities, and gaining experience from our volunteers and colleagues. I feel incredibly lucky to be in a role like this.
Q. What do you enjoy the most about working for a conservation charity?
For me, one of the most rewarding things is having a positive impact on this little patch of land that I’m responsible for. The longer I’ve been here, the more I’ve come to love the site - you start to know it deeply, notice the changes through the seasons, and feel connected to the place in a way that’s hard to explain.
On a practical, day-to-day level, I just love being outside. I’m sat here now watching a Marsh Harrier and a Buzzard having a bit of a scuffle overhead. You’re constantly surrounded by nature, and you never quite know what you’ll see.
That sense of knowing a site, not just the species, but how it lives and breathes throughout the year is probably what I love most. It’s a privilege to be part of something like that.
Q. What wildlife do you have on site at the minute?
The resident birds are definitely waking up! Our birds of prey, including Marsh Harriers, Buzzards, and Kestrels, are actively engaging in courtship displays and beginning to establish their territories, as well as the infamous Barn Owl! After a busy survey season, it’s wonderful to see the site coming alive even more, with wildlife visible everywhere.
Q. What have you got planned for the rest of 2025?
One new thing we’re launching this year is a dragonfly transect survey, which I’m excited about. We’ve always known we’ve got loads of dragonflies and damselflies here, but we’ve never monitored them properly. Now we’ll have a fixed route divided into sections, and our volunteers will walk it regularly, recording everything they see. All of that data gets fed back into a central database, which helps build a picture of how our insect populations are doing over time.
We’re doing it in partnership with a fantastic group called ROAM (Recorders of the Avalon Marshes). They’re full of local experts who’ve helped us set up a proper survey route on the reserve.
We’ll also be continuing with our regular guided walks, which run twice a month and are always a lovely way to engage people with the reserve.
We’ve built a reptile hotel inspired by successful designs at other reserves, and we are hoping it will become a great spot for snakes and lizards to bask. With some patience, visitors might even spot a grass snake. Our surveys show a healthy grass snake population, regular sightings of slow worms, and we’re still on the lookout for adders.
Q. What topics do you cover in your talks?
When I speak to adult groups and local community organisations, I tend to focus more on the reserve itself - talking about the practical side of conservation, why we do certain things, and how we manage the land and wildlife. People are usually interested in the behind-the-scenes side of running a nature reserve.
Everyone loves owls – so in schools, especially when I’ve done talks with Chris Sperring, we usually cover things like owl adaptations, what makes an owl an owl, the different species we have here in the UK, and some of the conservation work we do to help protect them. Owls are always a hit!
Q. What are some of your favourite projects that you've worked on over the years with the Hawk and Owl Trust?
Setting up the monitoring programme at Shapwick Moor has been a hugely rewarding project. It transformed our approach from ad hoc surveys to a comprehensive, volunteer-led system that tracks everything from wildflower habitats to reptiles. Many volunteers had no prior experience, but through training and hands-on learning, they’ve grown confident enough to lead surveys independently.
A standout moment was confirming a strong harvest mouse population during our small mammal surveys, which now guide how we manage the land. It’s been a real team effort and something I’m incredibly proud of. It’s not just about collecting data; it’s about building knowledge, skills, and a deeper understanding of the land we care for.
Q. What is your favourite wildlife species?
Water Voles are one of my favourite species for their characterful nature – and we’re lucky enough to have them here on the reserve. We don’t see them that often, but there are plenty of signs if you know where to look. You can spot their burrows along the banks and look out for feeding signs, like little piles of nibbled vegetation.
I did have a special moment last year when I saw a little juvenile, just a tiny baby Water Vole, up close. It was one of those lovely encounters you remember for a long time.
Q. What advice would you give to someone interested in conservation?
My biggest piece of advice is to always stay curious. Having a sense of wonder and a questioning mind helps you connect with nature. Ask questions, go outside, and just watch and listen to what’s going on around you. Conservation is all about being aware of the little details – like hearing birds sing or noticing the different species in your garden. That’s how I learned growing up, as none of my family were particularly into wildlife. I spent hours just observing and picking up on things like bird calls and other sounds.
Volunteering is also key! Whether it’s with local groups or organisations, that’s the best way to gain hands-on experience and start learning from others. It’s all about getting involved and building those connections.
If Alex’s work has inspired you, why not visit Shapwick Moor and experience the reserve for yourself? With British summertime now in full swing, now is the perfect time to plan your visit.
To explore our upcoming events, visit: https://members.hawkandowltrust.org/Event-Search
For further information about Shapwick Moor, visit: https://shapwick.hawkandowltrust.org/
