Becca joined GiGL in December 2021 as our Habitats Officer and she is already well underway with her project updating and refining GiGL’s Habitats dataset. Read on to find out more about GiGL’s newest addition to the team.
- Town or countryside?
Town for living, countryside for relaxing.
- Summer or winter?
Summer, even though I burn like a crisp.
- Early bird or night owl?
Definitely night owl, although I do love a sunrise when I manage to wake up for one.
- Outdoor or indoors?
Outdoors.
- Plants or animals?
Animals (don’t tell my house-plants).
- What species is closest to your heart and why?
I have a real soft spot for nuthatches. They started nesting in the bird box next to my childhood bedroom in Derbyshire a few years ago, and I just think they’re so beautiful! Their black winged eyeliner look makes them easy to spot on the birdfeeders, and it was so lovely to hear their chicks through my bedroom wall every spring. I’ve yet to spot one in London, but I’m keeping an eye out!
- What is your favourite Greater London open space and why?
Victoria Park was the first green open space I became familiar with when I moved to London, and the first place I started learning to finally ride a bike properly! It has so many peaceful places to sit in the sunshine (when there is any) and watch the water birds – the food stalls every Sunday don’t hurt either.
- What has been your most formative experience working with the natural environment? And what did you learn then that you keep with you today?
My Master’s dissertation involved investigating Nottingham’s habitats and how they sequester carbon. I was really struck by the diversity of the habitats and sub-habitats that can be found in just one city, and how they all impact each other and the species that rely on them. It also solidified for me how important it is for people to be able to enjoy these spaces, as this work was completed largely during lockdown, when one of the only things people could really enjoy was their daily walk in their nearest open space. I learned a lot about habitat classifications and how carbon sequestration links with biodiversity, with the habitat classifications element being particularly relevant to my new role!
- What is your role at GiGL?
I started my role as Habitats Officer in December 2021, where I’ll be going through the processes of updating GiGL’s Habitats dataset and maintaining it, while keeping an eye on the ongoing discussions around Biodiversity Net Gain and how our Habitats data might be used to support it.
- What is your most enjoyable GiGL task so far?
Being able to use GIS as a core part of my role is great. I used it throughout my undergraduate and Master’s degrees and I still feel like there is always another function to discover and a new way of doing things. I enjoy when I get to update a big chunk of the data in one go. It can take a while to prepare data and make sure it’s all ready, so it’s very satisfying to be able to click update and see all the changes I’ve been working on get solidified. I also really enjoy meetings both internally and externally; everybody has so much enthusiasm for London’s habitats, species and open spaces, and it’s great to be around like-minded people.
- What made you want to work for a Local Environmental Records Centre?
Environmental data is the foundation of making good decisions about how we use our spaces, especially in a city like London, so it’s vital that this data is high-quality and reliably-sourced. It feels good to know that I’m contributing to this process while also learning more about the different habitats and spaces in London as I go.
- London has a lot to offer someone looking to learn more about wildlife and open spaces. What one thing would you advise people to explore?
It sounds obvious, but stopping to actually read the information boards in parks and open spaces is a great idea, even if you’re just passing through. There is a graveyard that I walk through every time I go to the gym, and I only recently took notice of its information boards and learned that it is actually a Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, and has a whole host of interesting plant species. So don’t forget to learn about the spaces that might just blend into your day-to day.