Residential on Reserve (More than 4 weeks) (Volunteer Warden - Long term placement - Forsinard)

Opportunity image

When: November - February

Commitment: 4 months

Why We Want You:

At Forsinard we manage the largest (and still expanding) RSPB reserve in the UK. We undertake a variety of survey and monitoring programmes all year round, some of which even extend into the neighbouring areas of the Flow country. We are looking for an enthusiastic residential volunteer warden (from the start of November until the end of February) to assist with our busy habitat restoration and monitoring programme, wildlife surveys and practical management works. There may also be the opportunity to get involved in community and outreach work and visits.

What’s In It For You:

This is a top opportunity to get experience in managing a nature reserve on a landscape scale. We manage nearly 20,000 ha of ground at Forsinard, where we undertake large scale habitat restoration.

Unlike many other reserve volunteering positions, you will mainly do survey work, which includes habitat restoration monitoring, pre-felling forestry survey work, conifer re-generation monitoring, drain blocking survey and monitoring and more.

You will also be involved in practical estate management, such as native tree planting and non native conifer tree re-generation control.

You will learn about bog ecology, plants and hydrology, as well as the bird life. The longer you stay here the more opportunity you will have to get involved with a variety of surveys, data management and analysis. An interest in computers and GIS is desirable.

You will also get the opportunity to learn and develop people engagement skills and assist with community and schools activities.

This is a good opportunity to learn about a variety of aspects of reserve management as we are only a small team of staff. We will provide relevant training in different ecological survey and monitoring techniques, navigation and hill skills and 4x4 off-road driving.

Requirements:

You will need to be at least 18 yrs old, preferably with a clean driving licence and have a keen interest in conservation. You will feel equally comfortable whether you are roaming around the reserve on your own all day or working in a small busy office on data entry and management.

You need to have plenty of enthusiasm and flexibility and be able to walk long distances over bogs and moorland, working outdoors in all weathers. The ability to work on your own in a remote area and as part of a small, flexible team is essential as you may occasionally be asked to work extra hours. Some map and compass navigation skills are desirable. You will be living in our purpose built field centre opened in autumn 2016, in a flat shared with other volunteers and may be working different hours, so consideration and cooperation are important, as well as previous experience and enjoyment of communal living.

Notes:

Accommodation (including bills) is provided.

Appropriate training will be provided and expenses will be re-imbursed where necessary.

Closing date 29th September

For more information please contact: Claire Foot-Turner (Warden) claire.foot@rspb.org.uk