Mike's Story

What do you love most about working outdoors and supporting Rochdale’s natural spaces?

It’s the little things that make a big difference,hearing a skylark singing or watching a dragonfly skimming over water in a meadow. Some days, it’s seeing the difference we’ve made, a newly planted woodland starting to thrive, or a meadow we’ve allowed to bloom.

How do projects like tree planting or habitat restoration make a difference?

For wildlife, it creates new opportunities to flourish and helps make local populations more resilient. For residents, it makes green spaces more exciting, whether that’s spotting new species or even foraging things like sloes for gin or apples for pies and jam.

What makes this type of work rewarding?

It’s often the unexpected things. Sometimes, after restoration work, species appear that you wouldn’t expect. We’ve even found a species of fern in a restored pond that hadn’t been recorded in the region for over 100 years.

What motivates you when you see the long-term impact of your work?

It’s nice to think that what we do now will have an impact beyond our lifetime. Woodland creation is especially satisfying, I’ve worked on sites that now feel like fully functioning woodland ecosystems, with thriving ground flora and new trees naturally seeding themselves. It feels like you’ve set the scene and nature can just do its thing.

Can you share a moment when you felt proud of a project?

We created a wetland area using water that was previously flowing through a narrow channel around a field. By introducing scrapes and bunds, we created a mix of ponds, streams, and waterlogged habitats. Now, the water flowing through is noticeably cleaner, and the site supports at least nine species of dragonfly, along with frogs and a wide range of wetland plants, each supporting even more wildlife.

How does your work help create a greener future for Rochdale?

I hope it does! We’re lucky to have some fantastic green spaces, many shaped by people before us. Hopefully, the work we’re doing now will continue to benefit residents for many years to come.

What surprises people most about your job?

The amount of collaboration involved. We work with local groups, landowners, NGOs and farmers to access funding and deliver projects, whether that’s planting trees, creating ponds, or restoring hedgerows.

What skills or opportunities have helped you grow in your role?

I’ve been able to gain a wide range of training, including invasive species surveying, ecological survey work, mapping, and river condition assessments. There are also lots of practical skills involved, like arboriculture and managing invasive plant species.

What would you say to someone thinking about a career in environmental work?

Don’t overlook the small wins. Planting a few trees or creating a strip of wildflower meadow might seem small, but it can make a real difference and often becomes the foundation for something much bigger.