In episode 6, our host Joe Murphy, Head of Nature Reserves, welcomes CEO Stephen Trotter, and Head of Fundraising, Hazel Jones, to talk about the ups and downs of the 2024 year for Cumbria Wildife Trust - with significantly more ups!

Hazel gives us insight into the raising the money to purchase Skiddaw Forest, the major event to mark our year. The conversation reflects on bog restoration, birds including osprey, hobby and bittern, beavers and red squirrels, welcoming people at Gosling Sike and growing rare plants.

Mammals are amoungst our most-loved wildlife. They are usually cute and we'll go to quite a lot of effort to see them as they give so much joy.

In this podcast we talk to Elizabeth Ogilvie, Ecologist for the Lowther Farming Partnership, about the enclosed beaver trial on their estate, and with Joshua Adams, Cumbria Wildlife Trust's Red Squirrel Ranger.

You'll learn about these secretive animals' behaviour and what's being done to help these species thrive in Cumbria into the future.

In this episode we hear about life on the edge. In the far south west of Cumbria, on the southern tip of Walney Island is a very special nature reserve providing a haven to grey seals and many resident and migratory birds.

Beth Churn, Marine Conservation Officer, takes us to a hide overlooking the seal colony and talks about their behaviour, what we're doing to protect them and the joy in seeing this colony thrive and grow over the last ten years.

South Walney Nature Reserve is better known locally for it's colony of gulls. Bekka Watts, Shorebird Warden, talks to us about these and all the other birds that call it home, or that rely on the protection the reserve gives to birds on migration.