At the age of 19, Luke Taylor believes he has found his dream job as a countryside ranger, combining his passions of history, archaeology and working with people. The role looks to be perfect for a young man with aspirations to help protect and enhance green spaces, as well as educate the public on the rich history of some of our most iconic areas.
At the end of last year, Luke finished his first full contract as a ranger, working with Historic Environment Scotland at Holyrood Park and Linlithgow Palace.
Luke said: “Working at Holyrood was a fantastic experience and a real eye opener for me. The role is varied and each day presents a different challenge. We get over two million visitors every year, so there’s a lot of public engagement work, guiding people around the estate, explaining the history of the area and wildlife species that live nearby.
Conserving natural habitats and historical landmarks is also central to what we do, and part of the protection work involves educating people. Being able to engage and work effectively with visitors is a big part of being a good ranger.
I also do a lot of work with schools, youth groups and partner organisations who run special events at the park, and with blue light services providing security and medical support.”
Holyrood Park is host to some major events, including political and protest marches and the annual Ridings of the Marches, where 300 horse riders travel from East Lothian to Edinburgh. More recently, Historic Environment Scotland ran an event called Parkology where families could learn more about archaeology in the park, through guided walks and a mock archaeology dig. As Luke explains, the role of a ranger really comes into its own during these public engagements.
“Archaeology is one of my passions so learning more about the park’s ancient history during Parkology was great. From a ranger’s perspective, these kind of events also present challenges of park security and the public’s health and safety. We work closely with blue light services to protect the public and deal with any incidents, but there are still minor injuries and occasionally people go missing. Only two weeks into the job, I had to work with a group of 20 police officers to find a missing person on Arthur’s Seat. Luckily we found him, but it was quite an experience for a young ranger just starting out, and I hope I don’t have to do that too often.”
Luke started his career volunteering locally, before doing a Modern Apprenticeship in Environmental Conservation through West Lothian Council and SRUC for three years. The apprenticeship combined hands-on experience with college work, and Luke earned a wage while he learned, studying subjects like pathworks, health and safety, teamwork and communication.
Luke said: “The Modern Apprenticeship is a fantastic platform for people wishing to gain experience, while achieving their qualifications. It was a great stepping stone for me, giving me the confidence and skills I need to succeed as a ranger. I was also lucky enough to receive funding from West Lothian Council to study higher level modules in interpretation signage, history and archaeology and ecology and ecosystems. I need three more to compete the HNC which I’ll look to do in the near future.”
In addition to his role as a ranger, Luke has become an ambassador for his industry. After winning the Environmental Conservation category at Lantra Scotland’s learner of the year awards in 2019, he was chosen to represent the rural sector as an Industry Champion, travelling the country to talk to young people about career opportunities and his own experiences. Luke is also a Junior Ranger Award Ambassador for the Scottish Countryside Ranger Association, a scheme which gives young rangers experience and skills.
He said: “It’s been a real honour to represent the rural sector as an Industry Champion and Junior Ranger Award Ambassador. Rangers don’t have much of a voice, so this gives me the platform to share my passion and experiences. There’s also a shortage of rangers, so this has been a great way to raise our profile and get people interested in what we do. I’ve been lucky enough to speak at careers events at the Royal Highland Show, visit schools and meet some interesting people along the way. I’ve also learnt a lot about other rural industries and how they all interconnect. I think it’s important to consider the bigger picture and how our work affects other sectors and vice versa.”
The job of a Ranger is by its nature a seasonal role, with short-term contracts common. Luke is currently doing volunteer work as he seeks fresh opportunities.
“Employers tend to look for rangers to cover the busy summer period. In the meantime, I’m happy to volunteer locally for West Lothian Council, working in parks and public spaces near my home town. An unexpected benefit of working as a ranger in West Lothian is that I’ve learnt a lot about the history of my home town.
I would thoroughly recommend working as a Ranger to anyone who enjoys the outdoors and has a passion for conservation and history. It’s also an ideal job if you like engaging with people. I get to meet visitors from all round the world and all walks of life. There’s nothing better than sharing your passion with other people and see their eyes light up. I’m definitely someone who lives to work — my passion is my career, and I couldn’t be happier."
