Sedgemoor volunteers in Great Breach Wood, Somerset - Paul Harris/2020VISION
Practical and Outdoors
From coppicing to path maintenance
Our practical conservation volunteer groups carry out essential habitat management tasks for the benefit of local wildlife, and we couldn’t manage our reserves in the way we do without them.
Tasks are dependent on the season, but include coppicing, fencing, drystone walling, grassland management, invasive species management and path maintenance.
You don’t need any experience to join in, as training will be given. You do need suitable outdoor clothing (waterproofs and sturdy shoes), be reasonably physically fit and most importantly enjoy being outside in all weathers!
Somerset Wildlife Trust have practical volunteering groups in several locations across the county, see below to find out more.
Volunteer Reserve Warden
We are currently recruiting for this role.
We are looking for volunteers to support across some of our south Somerset reserves as reserve wardens. Wardens are our eyes and ears, regularly visiting the nature reserves and letting the Reserve Manager know of any problems that need our attention. Depending on the nature reserve, Warden's may also assist with practical tasks, engagement and species surveying, in line with the management plan for the site.
This role is great for someone who lives locally to the reserve and already visits regularly. We ask that you are able to walk your designated nature reserve at least once a month, and this can be at a time and date that suits you.
The reserves that are currently without a reserve warden are as follows:
Near Compton Dundon/Somerton/Street:
Gilling Down, New Hill and Tannager and Great Breach Wood are contiguous and could be combined if you desire.
Near Lydford on Fodd/Babcary:
Near Wearne/Langport
Near North Perrot/Crewkerne:
- Horsehill Coppice (this reserve is a small, permit only woodland)
If you are interested, please email volunteering@somersetwildlife.org and we can give you some more information and put you in touch with Mark Green, the Reserves Manager for the sites.
Brue Valley Conservation Volunteers
We are not currently recruiting for this role.
The Brue Valley group meet on Thursdays at 9am at the Avalon marshes Centre. Tasks vary weekly (and in relation to the season) and we send out an email every week with a rough plan for the day. Tasks often include: scrub clearance, coppicing, path maintenance and infrastructure maintenance. These are wetland sites so you can't be afraid to get muddy!
East Mendips Conservation Volunteers
We are not currently recruiting for this role. If you are interested in volunteering elsewhere on the Mendips, please check out the West Mendip or Magnificent Meadows Conservation Volunteers below.
The East Mendip Conservation Volunteers meet at Harridge Woods and other East Mendip SWT reserves to take part in practical habitat management such as coppicing and invasive species control.
They meet 10am – 1pm on the first Sunday of the month. The group is led by Adel, Volunteer Reserves Warden of Harridge Wood with the support of staff.
If you would like to join the group, please get in touch to register. Please email volunteering@somersetwildlife.org.
East Poldens Conservation Volunteers
Currently recruiting!
This small, friendly group works with the Reserves Manager, Mark green, on a variety of practical habitat management tasks at nature reserves in South Somerset, such as Green Down and Great Breach Wood. The group meets at 10:20am every Tuesday.
Tasks vary throughout the year; you can see a task programme here. If you would like to join the group, please get in touch to register. Please email volunteering@somersetwildlife.org.
Magnificent Meadows Conservation Volunteers
Currently recruiting!
The Magnificent Meadows group meet at 10:30am on the first Thursday of the month on SWT Mendip reserves. They carry out tasks such as dry-stone walling and ragwort pulling to benefit grassland habitats.
Tasks vary throughout the year; you can see a task programme here. If you would like to join the group, please get in touch to register. Please email volunteering@somersetwildlife.org.
West Mendip Wanderers
The West Mendip Wanderes meet on a Monday twice a month, at various SWT reserves across the West Mendip area. We are not currently recruiting volunteers for this group.
If you are interested in joining a practical conservation group in the Mendip area, please take a look at the West Mendip Conservation Volunteers, East Mendip Conservation Volunteers or the Magnificent Meadows Conservation Volunteers.
If you have any questions, please email volunteering@somersetwildlife.org.
West Mendip Conservation Volunteers
Currently recruiting!
The West Mendip Conservation Volunteers are a large, friendly group which meet at 10:30am every other Wednesday to carry out tasks such as dry-stone walling, coppicing and ragwort pulling.
Tasks vary throughout the year; you can see a task programme here. If you would like to join the group, please get in touch to register. Please email volunteering@somersetwildlife.org.
Pine Martens Bounce Back
Somerset Wildlife Trust is a partner to the Pine Martens Bounce Back project, led by Devon Wildlife Trust. There are a variety of opportunities available, including practical conservation, monitoring, community engagement and desk-based tasks. Opportunities will change as the project progresses so if you don’t see anything that appeals to you now, do keep checking back. For details on what is currently available and to sign-up, please visit https://twomoorspinemartens.org/volunteering-opportunities/
Community-led groups
There are also numerous community-led groups which work on reserves and also support local organisations such as the RSPB and Natural England. Wherever possible, we encourage you to volunteer locally to minimise the impact of travel on the environment.
To see volunteering opportunities and community groups in your local area, check out or Team Wilder map.
If you have any questions about any of our practical conservation groups, please email volunteering@somersetwildlife.org.
