Wilder Blean Project seeks new Bison and Conservation Grazing Rangers

The successful candidates will join Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust Bison Rangers Tom Gibbs and Donovan Wright as they track the free-roaming herd across the landscape, carry out fence repairs, check the welfare of the animals and engage with the public. Other activities will include community engagement, leading walks and working with stakeholders.

The new team members will also keep a watchful eye over the Exmoor ponies, Iron-Age pugs and Long-Horn cattle who were released into West Blean and Thornden Woods earlier this month.

Applications are now open, and the ideal candidates will have experience of handling cattle, be confident in livestock husbandry and hold a good understanding of natural animal behaviours.

Tom Gibbs, Wilder Blean Bison Ranger: “This role is so much more than being the face of the Wilder Blean project. A typical week involves tracking the bison, monitoring the environment, body condition scoring and engaging with the public.”

Training will involve spending time in the Netherlands to learn from similar projects involving free ranging bison and the closing date for applications is 23 April 2023.

The bison must be kept in as wild a state as possible for them to display their natural behaviour and have the greatest positive impact on the site therefore careful and sympathetic management will be essential to the fulfilment of this role.

The Wilder Blean Project aims to restore biodiversity and tackle the climate crisis using bison-powered woodland management. Bison are “ecosystem engineers” which means that their natural activities shape the environment around them and increase biodiversity. By simply allowing bison to be wild in this area, the Wilder Blean project will pave the way for similar wilding projects and usher in a new era of conservation.

The trust has been at the forefront of developing innovative grazing programmes for decades with wilder grazing programmes in place at over 70% of their nature reserves. Water buffalo and highland cattle and amongst over 800 animals grazing the areas to achieve environmental benefits.