Conservation volunteering in Scotland
| country: | Scotland |
| location: | Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands, Skye |
| departures: | 2010: 27 Feb, 6 Mar, 13 Mar, 20 Mar, 27 Mar, 3 Apr, 10 Apr, 17 Apr, 24 Apr, 1 May, 8 May, 15 May, 22 May, 28 Aug, 4 Sep, 11 Sep, 18 Sep, 25 Sep, 2 Oct, 9 Oct, 16 Oct, 23 Oct, 30 Oct, 6 Nov |
| price: | From £70 - £300 (8 days) excluding flights. Price range depends on personal employment circumstances. Optional price of £300 is the full unsubsidised rate, including gift pack. Minimum age 18 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Our Work Weeks provide an opportunity for people from all around the world, of all ages and backgrounds, to help restore Scotland's natural environment. The Caledonian forest currently covers just 1% of its former extent and many species associated with it have already disappeared. It's Scotland equivalent of the Rainforest and it needs YOUR help!
Come on a Conservation Work Week and spend some time in beautiful surroundings with old and new friends, doing something incredibly satisfying and worthwhile. Our Work Weeks are based in a variety of beautiful locations, all within our 900 sq mile target area, which includes Glen Affric, the Isle of Skye and our own 4000 ha estate.
Work takes place over 5 days and varies depending on the location, but all has a direct bearing on forest conservation. There's a particular emphasis on tree planting in 2009, as we have pledged to plant 250,000 trees as part of the United Nations Environment Programme's 7 Billion Trees Campaign. Other work includes seed collection, removing redundant fencing and removing non-native plant species. We also run weeks based in our tree nursery, which are focused on slightly gentler, although equally as rewarding and important, work.
With over 50 Work Weeks running in 2009 and a variety of dates and locations, there's something to suit everyone. Each group has a maximum of 10 volunteers, and our two fully trained leaders will guide you through the week, ensuring you (and the forest) get as much out of it as you can. No previous conservation experience is necessary, but a reasonable level of fitness is required.
Speciality weeks
As part of our commitment to volunteers we are introducing a new range of Work Weeks this year. These new and unique weeks will provide the volunteers with more time to explore the forest and discuss the educational aspects of the week as well as having the opportunity to carry out practical conservation work. In 2010 we'll be running a Buddhist week, a Women Only week and a Forest Discovery week. There will be an additional £100 surcharge for the Buddhist and Forest Discovery weeks. Contact us for more details.
Come on a Conservation Work Week and spend some time in beautiful surroundings with old and new friends, doing something incredibly satisfying and worthwhile. Our Work Weeks are based in a variety of beautiful locations, all within our 900 sq mile target area, which includes Glen Affric, the Isle of Skye and our own 4000 ha estate.
Work takes place over 5 days and varies depending on the location, but all has a direct bearing on forest conservation. There's a particular emphasis on tree planting in 2009, as we have pledged to plant 250,000 trees as part of the United Nations Environment Programme's 7 Billion Trees Campaign. Other work includes seed collection, removing redundant fencing and removing non-native plant species. We also run weeks based in our tree nursery, which are focused on slightly gentler, although equally as rewarding and important, work.
With over 50 Work Weeks running in 2009 and a variety of dates and locations, there's something to suit everyone. Each group has a maximum of 10 volunteers, and our two fully trained leaders will guide you through the week, ensuring you (and the forest) get as much out of it as you can. No previous conservation experience is necessary, but a reasonable level of fitness is required.
Speciality weeks
As part of our commitment to volunteers we are introducing a new range of Work Weeks this year. These new and unique weeks will provide the volunteers with more time to explore the forest and discuss the educational aspects of the week as well as having the opportunity to carry out practical conservation work. In 2010 we'll be running a Buddhist week, a Women Only week and a Forest Discovery week. There will be an additional £100 surcharge for the Buddhist and Forest Discovery weeks. Contact us for more details.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive. All volunteers are picked up at Inverness train station at 12pm. The minibus takes the group for a forest walk and picnic before heading to the accommodation for the chance to settle in and have an evening meal. |
| Day 2-4: | Work days. Work normally runs from 9 am to 5pm, with stops for tea breaks and a picnic lunch. The work varies, depending on the location, but is all directly related to forest conservation – i.e, tree planting, seed collecting, removing non native plants, removing old fences and tree nursery work. All tools and equipment are provided and each day starts with a comprehensive safety talk by the leaders. |
| Day 5: | Day off. A chance to explore the local area – walking, sight seeing or just relaxing. |
| Day 6-7: | Work days. See days 2-4 above. Day 7 (Friday) is usually a shorter work day. |
| Day 8: | Depart. Leave the accommodation and head back to Inverness train station for around 10.30am. |
lower carbon travel
We actively encourage all volunteers to travel by public transport. The pick up and drop off points for all the Work Weeks are at Inverness train station. For those who insist on bringing their own transport, we direct them towards our volunteers' website where there is a lift sharing forum so they can connect with other volunteers who will be travelling up at the same time. All the weeks are focussed on practical forest conservation and to date over 750,000 trees have been planted on them. a taste of volunteering trip - what's it all about?
This type of trip is ideal for people who are unable to take very long periods off work but who are interested in volunteering to work with communities in need, or in wildlife conservation. These shorter trips combine volunteering with an opportunity to see the main sights in destinations. Find out more about 'taste of volunteering'how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment:
As a conservation charity, the sole purpose of our Work Weeks is to carry out practical forest conservation. We have been working for 20 years to actively restore the Caledonian Forest, and protect it's many associated flora and fauna species. To date we have planted over 750,000 trees, fostered the growth of many thousand more by erecting stock fencing and removed 100s of kilometres of redundant fencing. Every volunteer who books a place on one of our Work Weeks can be safe in the knowledge that the work they are doing now will have a lasting impact on the environment for many years to come. We have pledged to plant 250,000 trees as part of the United Nations Environment Programme's 7 Billion Trees campaign. We work in conjunction with other conservation bodies such as the RSPB, National Trust for Scotland and Forestry Commission Scotland to carry out work on their land, in line with their management plans. We provide largely organic food, recycle as much of our office and Work Week waste as possible and all the fruit and vegetable scraps are composted for use in our own tree nursery. Our office is powered by wind-generated electricity and uses energy efficient lighting. We recycle paper, use double -sided printing techniques and reuse envelopes. Environmentally friendly inks are used for our printed materials and we compost our teabags. Our van runs on LPG. Volunteers are encouraged to travel by public transport, with the pick up and drop off point for all Work Weeks being Inverness train station. All volunteers receive travel information when they make their booking, to ensure they are travelling in the most environmentally friendly and cost effective way. If volunteers do bring their own transport, they are encouraged to lift share where possible. A website has been set up to allow people travelling on the same dates to make contact with each other in order to do this. Groups contain no more than ten volunteers, in order to ensure that the positive impact of the work undertaken is maximised, whilst the group's impact on the environment is minimised. Wednesday is a ‘day-off’ for Work Week volunteers, which they can spend doing as they choose. The leaders provide suggestions of locations and amenities to visit, which often have direct or indirect benefits to the environment. The leaders also ensure that all volunteers are aware of how to minimise their impact on wildlife and the environment, whilst on a workday or a day off. Community: All of our Work Weeks take place within our 900 sq. mile target area and are based at a variety of work locations. Every year, a significant amount of money goes directly back in to local communities as a result of our Work Weeks. We rent local accommodation for the groups, where applicable, buy supplies from local shops and encourage volunteers to visit local amenities of their day off. In 2008, just over £34,500 was spent in this way. Because of the practical aspect of the weeks, we are actively improving the local countryside. For an area which relies heavily on it's scenery to bring in the tourist trade, our Work Weeks are also bringing long term benefits. Accommodation is largely based in Youth Hostels and holiday chalets, which predominantly employ local people. |
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