1Good morning, and a very warm welcome to Marston Fen; I am Graham, the senior warden here.
2Over the next hour I want to give you a clear picture of the reserve and the work you will be doing.
3The fen covers roughly four hundred hectares, making it one of the largest wetlands in the region.
4First of all, a little history: the land was drained for farming in the nineteenth century and restored in the nineteen nineties.
5Since restoration, the reserve has become a vital breeding ground for bitterns, otters and several rare dragonflies.
6Your induction was originally scheduled to take place in the visitor centre, but we have moved it to the education barn.
7That is the long timber building you passed on the way in, just beyond the second footbridge.
8Right, moving on to your duties: most mornings will involve surveying reed beds and recording any species you encounter.
9Wellington boots are absolutely essential here, as the boardwalks can flood very quickly after even moderate rainfall.
10One thing I must emphasise is that certain areas are closed to everyone, staff included, during the nesting season.
11Disturbing a nesting bittern, however accidentally, could cause the birds to abandon the site altogether.
12Finally, we gather for a debrief every afternoon at four thirty, which is half an hour later than last year.