Meet Maddie!

Meet Maddie!

Maddie is a student at the University of Exeter, and she’s taking on a new research project with Moretonhampstead Development Trust- focusing on focusing on exploring how Moretonhampstead and the Wray Valley area can become more resilient to flooding through community-led and nature-based solutions, with the aim to inform future partnerships and potential funding applications!

Here’s a little bit more about her, and why she wanted to get involved:

“I’m about to enter my final year studying Marine Biology at the University of Exeter. I grew up in a small town in Norfolk, which while it’s far from Morehamptonstead, is incredibly similar in how heavily it relies on close cooperation with local farmers and the community. For my degree, I focus on ecology and data analysis which I hope will be useful for this flood resilience project. 

When I’m not studying I love being active and outside with nature, whether that’s kitesurfing, diving, or just running. Because of that, I really understand the value of making outdoors areas accessible for everyone and the importance of green health for the community, which is exactly what MDT is achieving.

I love being involved in making a real difference through hands-on work. I have practical experience working with environmental NGOs and charities, and I am really interested in how we can apply scientific data to real-world conservation. 

I wanted to do this placement because I’m eager to take what I’ve learnt through my degree and apply it to make a genuine impact in a community that feels so similar to where I grew up. I love that this project focuses on taking a proactive approach, using nature-based solutions to protect vulnerable areas rather than just being reactionary. What really drew me in is MDT’s focus on community. A lot of environmental work can be overwhelmed with pure data, but I love that MDT actually works alongside local people, keeping them at the very heart of the project.”