Trudy has joined pupils of her former school for a conservation event at Muncaster Castle.
Pupils from St Bega’s School enjoyed planting oak and spruce trees, as well as making duck nesting tubes and bird boxes, in the activity session organised by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).
Trudy was invited to the event to meet the pupils and representatives of BASC, and to try her hand at the activities.
The elevated duck nesting tubes that were made are used to encourage mallards to nest thereby increasing their numbers; eggs have a 90 per cent chance of hatching in a nesting tube compared to a 15 to 45 per cent chance in the wild.
Additionally, 12 bird boxes were made altogether, which will be used both in the castle grounds and at St Bega’s School as part of the long-term monitoring of the bird population.
Trudy said: “I’d like to thank BASC and Muncaster for the invitation for a very enjoyable morning spent seeing and taking part in the numerous conservation activities.
“I am always impressed by the passion young people show for the environment and protecting our wildlife and their habitats, and it’s clear that pupils at St Bega’s share this commitment.”
Gavin Howe, BASC’s Northwest Regional Officer, said: “The children did a fantastic job of building nest tubes and bird boxes and this gave us a great opportunity to discuss with them why we provide these nesting alternatives, and how they work. We also looked at tree planting and why we need to protect young trees as they grow.
“All the duck nest tubes built on the day were donated to Muncaster, along with a kestrel nest box and a dozen small bird boxes.
“These will be placed and monitored around the Muncaster gardens with records fed back into us.”
A spokesperson for St Bega’s School said: “We spend as much time as we can participating in outdoor learning and making the most of our beautiful location, so when we got the opportunity to work with BASC, we were delighted and moved around our last week of term's plans so we could come along.
“The children had a fantastic time and enjoyed every moment, with the only downfall being the time we spent there wasn't long enough.
“The children finished their last morning of term on a high, full of what they had learnt and made.”
A spokesperson for Muncaster Castle, said: “Muncaster Hawk and Owl Centre, along with the Muncaster Estate Team are committed to nature conservation and strive to preserve our rich and very diverse wildlife across the Muncaster estate.
"We embraced the opportunity to work with BASC, St Bega's School and Trudy Harrison to build nest boxes, duck nest tubes and plant trees to emphasise the importance of conserving native species and protecting fragile habitats.
"The activities were a valuable educational platform for all involved, and showcased the importance of us all playing our part in looking after the nature around us.”
