As part of our mission to support and celebrate Birmingham’s parks & open spaces volunteer groups, we’re sharing stories of projects that have made a real difference to local communities. This case study highlights the Friends of Balaam’s Wood, who turned a long-held idea into reality thanks to the help of a University student placement.

For over five years the Friends of Balaam’s Wood had been talking about creating a Tree Trail in their local woodland. As a small volunteer group, time and capacity were always in short supply, and the project kept getting pushed back. Everything changed after the BOSF Conference in September 2024. During the event, Dr. Lesley Batty (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham), encouraged our member groups to think about offering a student placement. Inspired by this, the Friends of Balaam’s Wood decided to submit the Tree Trail idea as a placement project – never expecting it would actually be chosen. To their surprise Lesley soon confirmed that a student, Beatrice Cross, was interested in working with them. After meeting to discuss the project, Beatrice’s placement began in January 2025.

The early weeks were spent building a shared understanding of the project and exploring the best approach. Beatrice reguarly attended on Mondays, and her energy quickly helped to move things forward. Together they agreed on a low-tech, eco-friendly solution: wooden discs fixed to the trees, each with a QR code linking to information on the group’s website.

Beatrice played a major role in creating the website pages, joining the group’s regular “woodland workout” sessions to help decide which trees to feature, and even helping cut the wooden discs herself. By the end of her placement almost all the markers were in place, allowing her to see the great results of her work.

The group of volunteers also worked with another placement student, Aimee, who carried out water testing on the River Rea.

When asked whether they would recommend student placements to other Friends groups, Penny from the Friends of Balaam’s Wood was enthusiastic:

“A wholehearted yes, for the following reasons. You get a set amount of time which gives a project impetus, you also get a fresh viewpoint, and lastly it’s really nice to think in some small way you’ve helped someone at the beginning of their career.”

Beatrice, the student placement, reflected warmly on her experience:

“Working with Penny and the volunteers was fantastic – they are all lovely people and it was a pleasure working with them. My highlights would be having tea and cake after the Monday sessions, learning how to use a saw, and seeing the tree trail come together over the last weeks of the placement.”

She also shared how the project influenced her future plans:

“It taught me that I would like to work with other people as I really enjoyed the teamwork that went into the placement. It pushed me further into wanting to pursue conservation as a career. I also got to develop my Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) skills and learn new woodland management skills.”

When asked if she’d recommend a placement with a BOSF member group to other students, Beatrice’s answer was clear:

“Yes, definitely!”

Looking ahead, the Friends of Balaam’s Wood found the placement experience overwhelmingly positive. Their initial concerns about workload, paperwork, and providing student support were soon eased, and they now encourage other BOSF member groups to consider offering placements.

Thanks to Beatrice’s contribution, the Friends finally have a Tree Trail in their local open space, with plans to expand it in the future. The project has brought fresh energy and new ways for local people to explore and learn about the woodland. This success story shows just how much a fresh pair of hands can help bring ideas to life. If your group has a project that’s been on the back burner, consider taking the leap and inviting a student placement to get involved. It’s a rewarding way to build capacity, share your knowledge, and support the next generation of conservationists – all while making a positive impact in your local park or open space!

Posted on 8th August 2025