Outdoors
We have over 60 nature reserves in Kent which protect some of the rarest species and most fragile habitats in the country.
These are outdoor volunteering opportunities available with the Reserves Department…
Reserves Volunteers
We are looking for volunteers who enjoy being outdoors in all weathers, like doing practical work, have an interest in wildlife and are happy working within a team of people who are from diverse backgrounds.
In winter, we need outdoor volunteers to carry out maintenance work on the reserves such as scrub management, coppicing, felling, hedgelaying, tree planting and fencing. In summer (the breeding season), work is more focused on monitoring plants and wildlife. These roles – where you can literally get down to grassroots, are all the fresh air-filled, getting active ones!
Click here to find out about our 60 nature reserves.
Tasks tend to run on set days of the week across Kent and are led by Trust Wardens or experienced and fully trained volunteers. Current dates, tasks and locations, as well as Warden contact details can be found on the following PDF downloads:
East Kent Weekdays May to August 2010
West Kent Weekdays May to August 2010
Livestock Checkers
Assist as a Livestock Checker, monitoring and checking the animals that graze our reserves. These are breeds of cattle, goats, ponies and sheep. You can choose the reserve and the wardens will provide the training, but we do require volunteers to commit to a particular day of the week in order to produce a rota. Ideally, we like volunteers to commit to a minimum of six months, checking stock for an hour or two a week. Volunteers need to have the confidence to visit remote sites on their own.
If you would like to get involved contact our Volunteer Development Officer Sue Morris
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or call 01622 662012.
Help Needed: Gorse Hill, a chalk grassland site near Dover, is slowly being taken over by scrub. Kent Wildlife Trust, Natural England and a local farmer are working together to re-establish this ancient grassland. The Trust have introduced a herd of Highland cattle to the site to restore it back to open chalk grassland.
To complement regular visits by staff and to ensure a high standard of welfare, we are looking for people who can visit the site on a regular basis and help watch over our livestock. You do not need to have any previous experience just an interest in our conservation project and our livestock.
If you are interested in giving your time please contact Wendy Saunders on 07889 274535 / 01622 662012, or email
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Volunteer Wardens
Occasionally, Trainee Volunteer Warden positions become available. These will be advertised on the Careers page. Leaders and Advisors
Task Leaders and Conservation Advisors are specially trained to enable them to lead groups of volunteers undertaking conservation projects and assist the Conservation Policy Team.
Roadside Verge Warden
You may not have thought that a roadside verge could be a Nature reserve, but they often provide habitats for a range of small mammals and home to any number of rare plants, fungi and insects. The Kent Road Verge Project was set up in 1994 to identify, protect and manage roadside verges which contain these threatened habitats or wildlife. Volunteers can help by keeping an eye on the roadside verge, checking when maintenance cuts are carried out according to the management plan. They will report back to the Project Officer, If there is damage to the site such as flytipping, severe overriding or utility works. In addition, they may need to monitor and count some of the less common species. Occasionally, they may be asked to replace missing signs or litter pick the site.
Wildlife Survey Volunteer
To undertake wildlife surveys for target species in the Medway Valley area. Volunteers are needed to assist surveyors undertaking monitoring surveys of target farmland birds and uncommon arable plant species on farmland in agri-environment schemes.
