The MOD’s estate is home to some of the most unique and nature-rich landscapes in the UK, and the regions of Scotland and Northern Ireland I oversee as an ecologist for DIO are no exception. My role is an incredibly …
Hi, I’m John Abbott, DIO Apprenticeship Lead. I've recently taken on the role and I'm really enjoying the challenge. I'd like to think I practice what I preach having undertaken a Human Resources (HR) apprenticeship when I first joined the …
Out in Kenya DIO staff are responsible for the physical safety of the training areas, keeping both the public and the military safe. The team work on a variety of tasks together with the British Army, the Kenyan Defence Forces …
Woodland at Sennybridge [Copyright Finn Beales] Did you know we're right in the middle of Forest Week, and that the UK Defence Training Estate is made up of 20,000 hectares of woodland? To help celebrate Forest Week, Judith Peachey, Forestry …
After the sad news of the death of HM The Queen, the eyes of the nation and the world turned to the ceremonial elements that follow the death of a monarch, culminating in a state funeral. The Armed Forces were …
I’m Samuel Ibbotson, an Estate Facility Manager for DIO. My role is an interesting and varied one, and this summer at RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall has been no exception, following a station-wide “No Mow May” initiative. First launched in …
A team of archaeologists and volunteers has just finished excavating part of a 2,500-year-old Iron Age hillfort on Lulworth Training Area. The impressively sited Flower’s Barrow hillfort is sadly being lost to the sea due to coastal erosion due to its …
I'm Kate Harrison, Finance Director at the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and I recently had the pleasure of visiting the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Canada. The UK Armed Forces have trained here since 1972, so my visit with …
Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting Saunton Sands beach, near Braunton Burrows Training Area to launch the 2022 ‘Respect the Range’ Campaign. The launch saw the creation of a 100m Chinook helicopter sand artwork that generated national media …
I’ve been running Operation Nightingale archaeological digs now for more than ten years. It’s an initiative to assist the recovery of wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans by getting them involved in archaeological investigations. It’s always a real …
As an ecologist in DIO’s Environmental Support and Compliance Team, I work in the Wales and West region of the UK Defence estate, which is home not only to numerous military training areas but also a diverse range of wildlife, …