We've Created a New Countryside Ranger Role
We are creating a new Countryside Ranger role to help look after and raise awareness of our Estate’s public green spaces.
As well as the practical task of caring for and developing our Estate’s publicly accessible areas and protecting its plant and animal life, the Ranger will act as an ambassador for Blenheim and raise awareness of environmental issues.
Our Estate covers more than 12,000 acres in total and, as part of its wider land strategy, recognises it has a social, environmental, and economic responsibility to its local communities.
As part of that commitment, we have pledged to open up more areas to the public and connect local communities with a series of new permissive foot and cycle paths.
Last year our Estate also joined forces with Morgan Sindall Group plc to plant more than 250,000 trees and create nine new woodlands on our land.
As well as sequestering 22,000 tonnes of carbon across a quarter of a century, the project includes the creation of a forest school, wildflower meadows, open spaces and more than 15km of linked public footpaths.
“As we continue to open up more areas of the estate to the public and progress our goal to become the first estate to demonstrate carbon positive land management, it became clear we needed to create a new full-time role to help oversee our ambitious plans and communicate them to a wider audience,” said Blenheim’s Head of Estates, Rachel Furness-Smith.
“While primarily a practical role caring for our existing green spaces and helping to develop and manage new ones, as well as look after the estate’s precious plants and wildlife, this is also a great opportunity to engage with local communities and raise awareness of all the exciting opportunities Blenheim has to offer. The successful candidate will act as an ambassador sharing their passion and engaging with the public on why it is important to look after our environment,” she added.
In addition to our World Heritage Site, and farmland, our Estate includes several rivers and Europe’s most important ancient oak woodlands, which first took root more than 900 years ago. It’s a source of natural spring water, and home to hundreds of wildlife species.
You can find out more about the Countryside Ranger role and to apply here.