Avon Wildlife Trust Biodiversity Team

Volunteer Placement: Avonmouth Water Vole Project

A volunteer is needed to work at least 2 days per week (preferably 3) on the Avonmouth Water Vole Project. The placement is weekdays only and could start immediately. A commitment of three months minimum is required.

Work is primarily office-based in Bristol but there will also be the opportunity to carry out fieldwork and assist with other Biodiversity Team projects. Tasks will include liasing with businesses, other environmental organisations and the public, as well as written tasks and possibly presentations.

Avonmouth is an alluvial floodplain adjacent to the Severn estuary comprising residential and industrial areas. It is interlaced by rhines which are home to a regionally important population of water voles. The initiative aims to engage businesses, landowners, site managers and the local community to help ensure the long-term survival of the water vole population alongside development.

The project is a partnership between Avon Wildlife Trust, Bristol Zoo Gardens and Wessex Water with delivery by the Trust.

Person specification:

• A confident telephone manner and excellent written English

• Competent with MS Word and Excel

• An interest in/ideally some knowledge of water voles

• An awareness of Biodiversity Action Plans

• Must be able to work on own initiative and pay attention to detail

Please email the Freshwater Projects Officer ASAP with an up-to-date CV: lydiarobbins@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk  Tel: (0117) 917 7270

Avon Wildlife Trust Charity Number: 280422

Avon Wildlife Trust Biodiversity Team

Volunteer Placement: White-clawed crayfish project

Volunteers are needed to work 3 days per week on a white-clawed crayfish project in Avon. The placements are weekdays only and could start immediately. A commitment until the end of March 2008 (10 weeks) is required initially but there may well be the opportunity to stay continue volunteering and work on other Biodiversity Team projects afterwards.

The main task will be to survey various watercourses in Avon for white-clawed crayfish as part of a small team. Previous experience in this area is desirable although there will be training. There may also be some office-based work in Bristol on days when surveys are not possible, and the opportunity to assist with other Biodiversity Team projects.

The white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes is the UK’s only native crayfish species. It has suffered extensive decline throughout its European range and is included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The surveys in Avon will add to knowledge about their status and distribution plus inform strategic conservation.

The project is a partnership between Avon Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency with delivery by the Trust.

Person specification:

• Ideally some experience of white-clawed crayfish surveys

• An interest in freshwater conservation

• An enjoyment of working outdoors in variable weather conditions

• Able to work as part of a team and follow instructions

• Good timekeeping

• Preferably experience of map reading though this is not essential

• Note surveys require physical work such as walking and bending over

Please email the Freshwater Projects Officer ASAP with an up-to-date CV: lydiarobbins@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk  Tel: (0117) 917 7270

Avon Wildlife Trust Charity Number: 280422

Avon Wildlife Trust Biodiversity Team

Volunteer Placement: Avon Pondways Project

A volunteer is needed 3 days per week to work on the Avon-wide Pondways Project and also other freshwater projects, including water voles and white-clawed crayfish. Placements would be required to commit to a minimum of six months and could start immediately - weekdays only.

Work is primarily office-based in Bristol, but there will also be the opportunity to carry out fieldwork, assist with other Biodiversity Team projects and possibly gain Protected Species licences. Office responsibilities will include database and written tasks, as well as admin with the possibility of using MapInfo. Communication with other organisations, the public and Pondways volunteers will also be required.

Pondways trains volunteers from the local community in the necessary field techniques to survey Avon’s ponds for biological condition and the presence of the Specially Protected great crested newt, which has declined over recent decades and is afforded strict legal protection. Focus is also on raising awareness of the heritage value of ponds in the landscape and the importance of pond networks for wildlife.

Pondways is a Heritage Lottery-funded two-year community conservation initiative, with further funding from Natural England, Bristol Water and Wessex Water. Avon Wildlife Trust is lead partner in delivery with Avon Biodiversity Partnership’s Water and Wetland Focus Group steering the project.

Person specification:

• Excellent written English and a confident telephone manner

• Competent with MS Excel/databases and MS Word. There may be need to use MapInfo but skills are not essential.

• Familiarity with conservation/environmental organisations

• An interest in/some knowledge of ponds and amphibians, particularly great crested newt

• An awareness of Biodiversity Action Plans

• Must be able to work on own initiative and pay attention to detail

Please email the Freshwater Projects Officer ASAP with an up-to-date CV: lydiarobbins@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk  Tel: (0117) 917 7270

Avon Wildlife Trust Charity Number: 280422

New Volunteer Group at Willsbridge Mill

Ruth Clarricoates has been volunteering at Willsbridge Mill nature reserve for some time and has recently taken on the job of volunteer coordinator for the New Weekend Volunteer Group at the Mill.

We will be working on various activities throughout the Nature Reserve, such as  putting up new nesting boxes, clearing pathways, thinning pond vegetation and other very beneficial tasks.

As a volunteer you are guaranteed job satisfaction and a sense of achievement at 'doing your bit for nature' at the end of every session!

Please bring along friends and family too, the more the merrier! For further details email ruthworsley@avonwildlfietrust.org.uk

Nature reserves

Wildlife Action Groups (WAG)
Join in when you can on any Wednesday or Sunday and be part of the volunteer teams that do practical conservation work on our nature reserves. Transport, tools, training and tea are all provided. Click here for this quarter's WAG Programme.

Part-time Placements
Working closely with Avon Wildlife Trust staff voluntary placements are for people who wish to get involved for 2 or more days a week. Taking a part time placement is also the best way to gain training and experience in conservation. See below for current placement opportunities:

Volunteer Conservation Officer

Do you enjoy being outdoors? Do you have a passion for conservation? Are you responsible, reliable and enthusiastic? Are you looking for practical conservation experience?

We have two voluntary Conservation Officers vacancies. The posts involves:

• Leading the volunteer conservation group

• Being compliant with Health & Safety legislation

• Gaining natural history identification skills and heritage skills

• Assisting with reserve management projects

• Assisting with surveys and monitoring projects across the Trusts nature reserves

The position is suitable for people who want to gain practical conservation and wildlife surveying experience or people wishing to change their career direction. Candidates should be able to commit two days per week plus one in four Sundays for a year or more. You must have a full clean driver’s licence that you have held for a minimum of two years. For an informal chat please contact Sarah van der Meer (Volunteering Officer) on 0117 9177277 or send your CV and contact details to sarahvandermeer@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk or Avon Wildlife Trust, 32 Jacobs Wells Road, Bristol, BS8 1DR.

Estates Team Volunteers – 2 posts available now
Volunteers are needed on any weekdays to be part of our Estates Team. Previous experience is not required although the work is of a physical nature. The team is an integral part of The Avon Wildlife Trusts nature reserves section. They work throughout the former county of Avon, undertaking essential management work for nature conservation on all 38 of our nature reserves. The team is site based although transport is provided from our main office on Jacob’s Wells Road. Activities include:

• Woodland management. E.g. coppicing, tree felling & deer fencing.
  

• Grassland management and restoration. E.g. hay making, scrub control, fencing to enable grazing.
  

• Access improvements. E.g. step construction, erecting gates and kissing gates, building boardwalks and bridges.
  

• Developing wildlife areas in school grounds. E.g. pond creation, constructing dipping platforms, path creation.

All equipment and necessary training is provided. Travel and lunch expenses are available. For more information please contact Sarah Van der Meer on 0117 9177277 or e-mail: sarahvandermeer@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

Wildlife Survey
If you have existing skills as a naturalist we need help to monitor species and habitats on our nature reserves. The information gathered helps to advise future management decisions and assess the benefit of completed conservation work. For more information please contact Sarah Van der Meer on 0117 9177277 or e-mail: sarahvandermeer@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

Voluntary Reserve Wardens
Are you interested in your local environment? Would you like to help wildlife flourish in your local area? Volunteer Wardens have a unique role within the Trust, helping to manage AWT nature reserves. Ideally we are looking for people who can give a long-term commitment to their local reserve. The exact nature of wardening is flexible depending on the interests and the amount of free time an individual warden has. Activities may include one, some or all of the following. Survey and monitoring of important species, communicating any issues that arise to nature reserves staff, meeting volunteer work parties, taking part in some practical management tasks and/or maintenance of facilities, liasing with individuals or groups associated with the reserve. We offer a range of free training in wildlife identification and practical skills. Please contact Sarah Van der Meer on 0117 917 7277 or e-mail: sarahvandermeer@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk if you would like to discuss the opportunities for wardening in your local area.

Folly Farm Volunteers
Volunteers needed to help with the management of the nature reserve and the renovation and maintenance of its associated buildings. This is a group of retired / semi-retired volunteers that visit the reserve every Thursday. Folly Farm is near Chew Valley Lake. For further information please contact Sarah Van der Meer on 0117 917 7277 or e-mail: sarahvandermeer@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

Education

Education Assistant

Do you like working with young people? Do you have an affinity for the natural environment? Are you enthusiastic, responsible and willing to learn? Then please read on…

The Volunteer Education Assistant post(s) involves working closely with AWT’s School Grounds Officer and Community Outreach Officer to provide exciting and creative environmental education experiences for young people of all ages. You will gain experience in:

• planning, creating and managing wildlife habitats in school grounds (such as ponds, hedges, butterfly gardens and living willow structures) involving children, teachers and parents.
• planning and leading environmental activity days for children (such as environmental art, minibeast studies, bird box making etc) in school grounds, on nature reserves, at local green spaces or at family wildlife events
• Assisting with office admin and making/preparing educational resources

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Our education projects are held throughout Avon (Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire); our head office is in Bristol. Candidates should be able to commit for 1 - 2 days per week for 6 months (or longer) and will be CRB checked prior to working with children. In house training and travel expenses are available.

For an informal chat, please contact Sarah Van der Meer on 0117 917 7277 or send your CV to sarahvandermeer@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk or 32 Jacobs Wells Road, Bristol, BS8 1DR.

Part-time Placements:
Working closely with Avon Wildlife Trust staff, voluntary placements are for people who wish to get involved for 2 or more days a week. Taking a part time placement is also the best way to gain training and experience in environmental education. Current posts include:

School Grounds Project Assistants - available now.
These posts involve working mainly with schools and also with other communities and organisations in supporting them to develop their grounds for wildlife and encouraging them to use their grounds and other green spaces in exciting and creative ways. Placements will gain experience in planning practical projects (for example, creating and managing wildlife habitats such as ponds, hedges, butterfly gardens and willow structures) and leading practical projects working with children and other members of the school community. Placements also help with planning and assisting environmental activity days for children in school grounds and on nature reserves and in the planning and leading of Environmental Arts projects on nature reserves which link nature reserves with the community.

Willsbridge Mill Education Assistants - available now.
These posts involve working with visiting schools to Willsbridge Mill nature reserve and education centre. Placements will help to prepare equipment, resources and make new props. They will be trained to lead school groups through their planned programme of activities and encouraged to take an active role in the running of the centre. There will also be opportunities to help with outdoor conservation tasks around the nature reserve, give support in the office and to help in running a monthly Watch club for Junior members. Placements will also be able to help in special events and holiday activities - from planning and publicity, to running children's activity sessions.

Placements are for 2-3 days a week and ideally you should be able to commit for a minimum of four months. For further information please contact Sarah Van der Meer on 0117 917 7270 or e-mail: sarahvandermeer@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

Willsbridge Mill Warden
Opportunity to gain a wide range of skills at Willsbridge Mill, our main visitor and education centre based just outside Bristol. This will involve a specific project to manage and develop our practical conservation team based at the reserve. Opportunities to gain valuable experience in assisting with schools and events. Interest in wildlife and experience in working with children preferable but not essential. Contact Sarah Van der Meer on 0117 917 7277 or e-mail: sarahvandermeer@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

Watch Leaders
We are looking for volunteers to lead our Brandon Hill and Yeo Valley Watch clubs for younger members. Contact John Nickerson on 0117 917 7270.

Willsbridge Mill - volunteers needed
There are lots of volunteer opportunities on offer at Willsbridge Mill. We need more volunteers to carry out all kinds of activities - from helping with school visits to serving teas in the cafe. Whether you have a particular skill or interest you would like to develop, or are just looking for something interesting to do, we'd love to hear from you. Contact Ruth Worsley on 0117 932 6885.

Events

Volunteer Speakers
If you have an interest in wildlife, are confident about making presentations and like meeting new people, you could join our team of speakers who travel to a variety of groups, including special interest groups, clubs and community associations. For further information please ring Judy Copeland on Wednesday at the Trust Office on 0117 917 7270.