Animals, Plants and Nature Jobs
Farm Worker
Farm workers carry out the general duties involved in running a farm.
Workers employed on livestock farms specialise in the rearing and care of animals. They have duties such as watering and feeding animals, cleaning out pens, herding animals to different fields or into milking parlours, and keeping careful records.
Some farms mix arable and livestock farming. Duties include driving tractors, using machinery and farm equipment, and repairing farm buildings.
Farm workers need to be physically fit. They work long hours that vary according to the season.
Amenity Horticultural Worker
Amenity horticultural workers are responsible for the planting and care of flower beds, trees, shrubs and lawns, in places like public parks, roadside verges and green areas around public buildings.
They measure and mark out the area for planting, prepare the soil and spread compost. Then, they plant flowers, shrubs and trees according to a design.
Amenity horticultural workers also lay turf, cut grass, trim hedges, put up fencing, lay pathways and keep areas free of weeds.
They need a good knowledge of plants, including identification and care, and when and how to prune.
Some amenity horticultural workers need to drive tractors and use light machinery, such as hedge trimmers and mowers. They may also need to clean, maintain and repair these machines.
Groundsman/woman
Groundsmen/women prepare and look after sports playing surfaces, eg, football pitches, tennis courts, athletics tracks and race courses.
To prepare a surface, they could be making sure that it is level, sowing turf and then marking out the pitch ready for the sport. Keeping the surface in the best possible condition involves trimming, mowing, watering, and spraying pesticides.
They have other tasks like trimming hedges, and repairing nets, seats and artificial surfaces.
Groundsmen/women use hand tools like spades and forks, as well as equipment like powered hedge cutters and motorised mowers and sprayers.
Forest Worker
Forest workers carry out a range of practical tasks to plant, care for and harvest timber from forested areas.
The work involves clearing sites, planting young trees, pruning and other tree maintenance, felling trees, spraying insecticides, drainage work and putting up fences. Duties also include helping to fight forest fires, and conservation work.
Forest workers use a range of sophisticated equipment and machinery, including chainsaws, tractors, harvesters and lorries.
Gamekeeper
Gamekeepers look after game such as pheasants, grouse, ducks, deer and, sometimes, fish. The work involves managing and maintaining the wildlife habitat, organising shoots and feeding animals.
Gamekeepers must be prepared to work alone for most of the time. They also need to be physically fit, able to carry out a variety of practical tasks and prepared to work in all types of weather.
Countryside Ranger/Warden
Countryside rangers/wardens manage and look after areas of the countryside for use by the public, while also protecting plant and animal life.
They are responsible for places such as nature reserves, country parks, coastal areas, heath and moor land, forests, National Parks and sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs).
Their duties include:
- Talking to visitors and taking them on guided walks.
- Practical conservation work, eg, mending fences and clearing vegetation.
- Making sure people obey by-laws to protect the environment.
- Creating and maintaining habitats to encourage plants and animals.