JAMES WATSON
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
Estate Worker
RSPB
Sherwood & Budby South
2025.07 - 2026.03
- Deliver habitat management across ancient woodland and lowland heath to meet conservation targets.
- Operate and maintain machinery including tractors, brushcutters, pedestrian flails and chainsaws.
- Maintain estate infrastructure including gates, drainage, signage, fencing and visitor access routes.
- Maintain yard, tools and vehicles ensuring compliance with health & safety standards.
- Undertake species monitoring and assist with ecological surveys and habitat reviews.
- Carry out lookering as part of grazing management.
- Lead and support volunteer work parties undertaking practical conservation tasks.
- Assist with public engagement events including Robin Hood Festival.
Residential Volunteer
RSPB
Oronsay
2025.04 - 2025.06
- Conducted livestock welfare checks of Scottish Blackface and Hebridean sheep, assisted with lambing and treatments.
- Supported management of Luing cattle during calving including feeding and tagging calves.
- Conducted breeding bird surveys including lapwing and redshank.
- Operated tractors & telehandlers and implements including muck spreaders and bale unrollers.
- Maintained fencing, trailers and general estate infrastructure.
Apprentice Ranger
National Trust
Calke Abbey
2023.09 - 2025.03
- Completed Ranger apprenticeship delivering management across meadows, wetlands, heathland and woodland.
- Operated machinery including ATVs, tractors, lumber forwarders, chippers and brushcutters.
- Constructed and maintained infrastructure including dry stone walls, boardwalks, gates and benches.
- Managed Portland and Hebridean sheep including welfare checks and lambing support.
- Undertook forestry work including tree planting, coppicing, felling, tree safety and ash dieback monitoring.
- Delivered wetland restoration work including leaky dams, bunds and dipwell monitoring systems.
- Led volunteers, students and corporate groups undertaking conservation tasks.
- Produced and communicated risk assessments and safe working procedures.
Mail Carrier
Royal Mail
Peckham
2014.01 - 2023.08
- Delivered mail independently across urban routes while maintaining schedules and providing customer service to members of the public.
Education
Level 2 Countryside Worker -
Bridgwater & Taunton College
Highers - English, History, Computing, Maths
Dingwall Academy
Skills
- Habitat management: woodland, heathland, wetland and wildflower meadows
- Machinery operation: tractor, ATV, flail mower, brushcutter and chainsaw
- Forestry operations: felling, coppicing, planting and safety management
- Estate infrastructure: paths, drainage, signs, benches, fencing, hedgelaying, dry stone walling
- Livestock management including sheep and cattle
- Ecological monitoring and species surveys
- Volunteer leadership and coordination of work parties
- Health & safety compliance, risk assessments and safe systems of work
Certification
City & Guilds / LANTRA
- Chainsaw Maintenance & Cross Cutting
- Felling Trees up to 380mm
- Brushcutters & Trimmers
- Sit Astride ATV
- Tractor & Loader
- Tractor Mounted Post Knocker
- Post & Wire Fencing
National Trust
- Tree Safety Management Level 1
- Valuing and Managing Veteran Trees
- Introduction to Regenerative Forestry
UK Rural Skills
- First Aid +F
British Trust for Ornithology
- Bird Ringing T Permit
Richmond upon Thames College
- Fabrication & Welding Level 1
DVLA
- Full Clean UK Driving Licence: AM, A, B1, B, B+E
Timeline
Estate Worker
RSPB
2025.07 - 2026.03
Residential Volunteer
RSPB
2025.04 - 2025.06
Apprentice Ranger
National Trust
2023.09 - 2025.03
Mail Carrier
Royal Mail
2014.01 - 2023.08
Level 2 Countryside Worker -
Bridgwater & Taunton College
Highers - English, History, Computing, Maths
Dingwall Academy