Task Description for volunteer.
Opportunity: Volunteer County Wildlife Site Trainees (X2)
Devon Biodiversity Record Centre (DBRC) will be hosting two long-term volunteer trainee
placements in 2015. These placements will provide motivated individuals with an
opportunity to gain experience in habitat survey, botanical ID, landowner liaison, ecological
report writing, data management and GIS (MapInfo). There will also be a two week mid
year placement with EAD ecological consultants, shadowing staff and experiencing a
number of protected species surveys and associated elements.
The trainee placements will be centred around DBRC’s County Wildlife Site (CWS)
monitoring project, which will be entering its seventh year in 2015. There are
approximately 2,200 County Wildlife Sites (CWS) in Devon supporting an array of habitats
and species. The trainees will therefore have the opportunity to become familiar with
many of Devon’s most significant wildlife habitats.
This role is highly suitable to individuals who wish to work in the ecology and conservation
sector, and want to increase their expertise and field experience.
DBRC is the central repository for species, habitat and geological data within the county. It
values and supports the recording community whilst working closely with stakeholders,
clients and the wider public. DBRC is run on a 'not for profit' basis with income from Key
Partners, Projects and Commercial Services. Our mission is to ensure biodiversity can be
measured, recorded and therefore protected for everyone’s future benefit.
DBRC is hosted by Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT).
For information about County Wildlife Sites and their purpose, go to
http://www.dbrc.org.uk/county-wildlife-site-project-photos/ or request a leaflet.
County Wildlife Sites are important habitats at the county scale, providing vital stepping
stone sites for a wide range of species. With over 22 years of survey data at our
fingertips, DBRC can now target our efforts on monitoring, assessing condition, detecting
loss and ensuring the availability of sound data to enable protection of these sites through
the statutory planning system. We believe that CWS form a key part of Devon’s
biodiversity value and that the owners of such sites should have access to good
conservation management knowledge. CWS are located across the county and are often
privately owned. Whilst advice to landowners is available within protected landscapes,
(i.e. National Parks and some AONB’s), or within areas targeted by specific projects, i.e.
DWT’s Working Wetlands Project in North Devon, DWT and DBRC feel strongly that this
kind of support should be widely available to landowners across the county. The trainee
volunteers will therefore help increase the capacity of survey work directly delivered by
DBRC.
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Task Description for volunteer.
What the task involves:
The post is a 6-12 month unpaid structured training placement.
The volunteers will be based at the DBRC office, though will spend much of their time in
the field. Initially, volunteers will shadow DBRC staff and then gradually take on more
responsibility until ready to conduct independent site visits, first as a two-person team and
then potentially as individuals.
The volunteers will mainly be condition-checking existing County Wildlife Sites (CWS),
though there may be some survey of new sites. In addition a two week placement with
EAD ecological consultancy during September will provide wider experience of protected
species survey methodologies, and practical experience in the workplace.
Tasks will include:
 Identifying sites using aerial photos & OS maps
 Finding and contacting landowners
 Preparing for surveys
 Surveying CWS (using various habitat classification criteria including Phase 1,
National Vegetation Classification (NVC), Integrated Habitat System (IHS) and
Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority habitats
 Managing the survey data (using software such as Recorder database and MapInfo
GIS system)
 Evaluating the survey sites against County Wildlife Site Criteria
 Providing both written and verbal advice to landowners
 Help organise training days and attend training days
 Public engagement involvement e.g. assisting at Bioblitz events
Application is by CV and covering letter showing why you have the aptitude for this role to
Fiona Freshney either by email ffreshney@devonwildlifetrust.org or by post to Devon
Wildlife Trust (DWT), Cricklepit Mill, Commercial Road, Exeter. EX2 4AB. Please state
how you heard about the opportunity. Closing date Monday 16th February 2015.
For an informal chat about the posts please contact Fiona on 01392 274128 or
ffreshney@devonwildlifetrust.org.
Interviews will take place at the Devon Wildlife Trust head office in Exeter on 4 March
2015.
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Task Description for volunteer.
Skills and abilities:
We ask that applicants feel confident that they will be able to commit to this role for at least
6 months and be available for interview in early March. The greatest benefit to each
volunteer will be gained by seeing the role through an entire calendar year.
We are looking more for aptitude and potential rather than current ability, and envisage
this would be an excellent opportunity for recent graduates wanting to enter the job market
or for more experienced people looking for a change in direction.
“The CWS trainee placement was an invaluable opportunity to gain
experience in a competitive sector. I have learned a huge amount and
really enjoyed participating as a valued member of the DBRC team”
Sam Davies (CWS Trainee 2011)
Essential skills:
 Good interpersonal skills – the ability to engage and enthuse farmers, landowners
and the general public
 Some prior knowledge of habitats, habitat management and species ID
 Good organisational skills
 Good written and spoken communication skills
 A full driving licence or access to a car and driver
 Able to use computer facilities with confidence and to acquire new skills quickly.
Familiar with word processing and spreadsheets
 Able to follow and interpret protocols
 Happy to work alone, sometime in remote areas, following Health and Safety
guidelines for lone working
 Self-motivated, able to work effectively within a team structure and on own initiative
Useful:
 Educated to degree level or equivalent, preferably in a conservation or ecological
related subject
 Experience of survey and reporting in Britain including Phase 1 and Phase 2 and
NVC. Demonstrable ability to assess habitat quality
 An understanding of conservation issues in Devon and knowledge of the natural
history and geology of Devon
 Map-reading skills
 Use of a car
Where:
DBRC, 27 Commercial Road, Exeter, EX2 4AE and County Wildlife Sites throughout
Devon.
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Task Description for volunteer.
When and how often:
4 days per week, with approximately half the time in the field, and half the time in the office
arranging visits, writing reports and managing data. Option to increase to 5 days a week
once able to do independent visits.
Times as arranged with DBRC, but be prepared for some early starts and long survey
days.
Who is the supervisor:
Fiona Freshney, DBRC Specialist Officer
Dawn Lenn, DWT Volunteers Officer, is also available to consult on any issues affecting
the volunteer.
Expenses/equipment available:
All equipment needed for the role will be provided, including where possible the use of a
DWT pool car for surveys (some use of own car may be required)
Some corporate clothing will be available for the duration of the placement including
waterproofs. Volunteers will need to provide appropriate footwear.
Travel expenses will be paid in line with DBRC mileage rates/policy.
(Please note that no accommodation is offered or available).
What’s in it for the volunteer?
This is a fantastic opportunity to learn from highly experienced staff and to develop your
own abilities. The experience gained by volunteering will provide excellent skills for your
CV, and substance for a reference that we will be happy to provide. A structured
programme including practical survey/ID skills and in-house desk top training will be
provided.
You will gain excellent hands-on experience in habitat survey and botanical identification.
There will also be opportunities to learn about habitat management and to gain experience
of providing management advice to landowners.
This placement offers an exciting opportunity to learn about the wildlife of Devon (including
a focus on plant identification) and will give the successful candidate skills desirable to
employers in the environmental, conservation and consultancy sectors. This includes a
structured placement with one of the counties largest consultancies.
You will be part of a leading wildlife conservation organisation, and see from the inside
how it operates, with some opportunities to join in with staff development days.
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Task Description for volunteer.
Interview date: 4 March 2015
Task start date: Beginning - Mid April 2015 (this date is flexible)
Task review date: May/June 2015
Task end date: Feb/March 2016
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