Residential on Reserve (More than 4 weeks) (Islands and Highlands Reserves Trainee)

Voluntary role 12 months starting June 2022- finishing May 2023

Why we want you

We are looking for an enthusiastic volunteer to join us on our reserves teams in Orkney and Caithness/ Sutherland . As the Islands and Highlands Reserves Trainee you will be joining our dedicated reserves teams to help us deliver a wide range of monitoring, practical and public engagement activities.

This is an excellent opportunity to make a genuine contribution to wildlife conservation while gaining valuable insight and experience that would support those wishing to pursue a career in nature reserve management, field biology, ecology or conservation science.

Our reserves

Hoy June – September 2022

A wild moorland landscape where hen harriers and eagles soar over a tapestry of heathery hills. Summer is a busy time for monitoring birds of prey, wading birds and the seabirds that nest on the magnificent red sandstone cliffs around the western boundary of the nature reserve. The island population of around 440 residents are joined by around 10,000 visitors over the spring and summer, giving us opportunities to encourage people to enjoy connecting with this incredible environment. RSPB staff and volunteers in Hoy embrace the opportunity to integrate with the vibrant island community life and are enthusiastic contributors to all sorts of activities. As long summer days turn to autumn, there are infrastructure maintenance tasks to be done and opportunities to learn about how data are managed and used at the RSPB.

Forsinard October 2022- January 2023

An internationally important precious expanse of blanket bog and mountain country supporting a diverse community of wildlife including hen harriers, black-throated divers, greenshanks, otters and sundews. It is also important for the role it can play in carbon storage and the attempts to tackle climate change. Autumn and winter are the time when we can really get on with management and monitoring tasks, as these star species leave the peatlands for their wintering grounds. However you are guaranteed to see plenty of red deer, as well as the odd raven and barn owl. Habitat management happens on a landscape scale at Forsinard, and the reserves trainee will assist the Forsinard team with tasks such as monitoring of the peatland restoration, as well as practical tasks such as removal of non native pines saplings from the peatland.

Onziebust February- May 2023

An atmospheric farmed landscape where our sheep and Shetland/Angus-cross cattle manage the mosaic of wet and flower-rich fields to create perfect conditions for wading birds and rare great-yellow bumblebees to thrive. The sounds of spring are glorious with the calls of the breeding ducks on our two small lochs blending with redshanks, curlews and lapwings and skylarks from the surrounding fields. Based on the island of Egilsay where, as in Hoy, RSPB staff and volunteers are part of the small community. There is always a variety of tasks that need to be done here from fence maintenance to survey work. The reserves trainee will assist our Onziebust warden who also looks after our Trumland nature reserve on the neighbouring island of Rousay where short-eared owls and hen harriers hunt low over the moorland slopes so this adds to the range of tasks required to manage these varied reserves.

What’s in it for you?

The work programmes over twelve months on the varied reserves will provide an exciting range of opportunities for you to develop your knowledge and skills in conservation. You will become a member of the reserve teams working alongside our wardens in some incredibly scenic landscapes in Orkney and Caithness/ Sutherland. You will contribute to the gathering of reserve data to help understand and focus our future management. You will gain experience of working on a range of habitats that may include moorland, bog, lochans, grassland, sea cliff, Arctic-alpine, dunes, wetland and woodland habitats. The work is very varied and will allow you to gain a wealth of experience necessary for pursuing a career in nature conservation, this may include:

• Collecting and collating biological records for our key species including hen harriers, lowland waders and seabirds.

• Practical management of a range of habitats and learning how to improve habitats for key species

• Habitat condition monitoring

• Removing scrub from moorland to improve the habitat for key wildlife

• People engagement/ events/ leading guided walks

• Experience of working in a team

• Experience of living and working within a remote island community

• Training in and use of GIS software to produce maps and input biological data

• Experience of infrastructure maintenance including fencing, footpaths, benches and signs

• Developing knowledge of using livestock as a tool for managing habitats

• Attending formal accredited training as required by the role

• Experience of RSPB reports and the management planning process

• Knowledge of RSPB culture

• Navigation skills

• Assisting with infrastructure and visitor safety checks to maintain quality visitor experience

• There will also be opportunities for self-learning or to pursue personal natural history projects. Depending on trainees’ interests there may be opportunities to meet with other RSPB staff including farming, conservation and events.

We will support your career development by helping you with application writing and career coaching through regular one to one meetings. These will be conducted by RSPB staff with knowledge of what you need to do to get a career in conservation.

Skills required

Essential

• Enthusiasm for the role

• This role requires a reasonable amount of physical activity, outdoors in varied weather conditions in wild remote locations so applicants must be physically and mental prepared to meet those challenges

• An interest in conservation and natural history

• Enthusiasm to embrace remote community life

• Self-motivation

• Communication skills

• Team Player

Desirable

• Specialist knowledge is not necessary, but experience of species monitoring, and bird ID would be an advantage

• A driving licence is an advantage

• Previous experience of practical estate / maintenance work

• Experience of Volunteering

• Relevant studies

Location and accommodation

Accommodation is provided free of charge on the reserves. Due to the Covid pandemic you will live alone at the Hoy and Onziebust properties whilst government restrictions apply. At Forsinard, you will share a fairly modern purpose built flat in the field centre with up to four other volunteers, with shared social space and bathrooms, but your own bedroom. The reserves are quite isolated so your own car would be useful. A bicycle is also available to use. For each location local facilities are available including a variety of shops, post office, bakers, butchers and doctors some of which involve ferry travel in Orkney and a drive to 45 minutes to an hour from Forsinard. The nearest supermarkets are located about 5 miles away from the Hoy accommodation, 29 miles from the Forsinard accommodation and 12 miles from the Onziebust accommodation.

Your time

Commitment 12 months June 2022- May 2023.

Health and safety

The Covid pandemic will affect some work activities on the reserve due to social distancing measures put in place to safeguard you, however this will be minimal due to the nature of the site and the work. The successful candidate will be expected to comply with the RSPB’s Covid risk assessment and will be fully briefed on this prior to starting the role.

You will be given a full induction into all essential aspects of working safely and legally within the role including risk assessments, tool use, safeguarding, data handling and storage, handling urgent/ emergency situations and insurance.

For further information contact Lee Shields

lee.shields@rspb.org.uk

01856 791298