Volunteering roles

Working groups

From peat bund and tree maintenance to planting sphagnum plugs and learning how to identify dragonfly species, our practical working groups get you out into some beautiful spaces and contributing to the future health of peatlands across Exmoor, Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor and West Penwith. 

Upcoming dates:

Tuesday 2nd December - Tree planting, Dartmoor

Wednesday 3rd December - Tree planting, Dartmoor

Wednesday 10th December - Tree maintenance & wooden dam creation, Exmoor

Read volunteer role profile here

Dragonfly Survey Dates
Join us in helping to survey dragonflies this summer! Dragonflies are highly sensitive to environmental changes, and so are great indicators of habitat quality on our restoration sites.

You don’t need to have any previous experience, just come along and learn! Some of the sites are quite remote, so a fair degree of fitness is required.

It is important to note that these surveys are highly weather dependent (we need warm, sunny, still conditions), therefore these dates may change last minute. We will keep you updated on any changes, but we understand that this means that you may not be able to make it should things change. We will confirm the meeting locations and times closer to the dates (surveys generally run from around 11am – 3pm)

These are now finished for the summer season - thank you all!

Citizen Science

Water is key in our work to restore peatlands. Knowing where it's found and how much there is, and monitoring changes in this, is crucial in understanding the effect on the water table at restoration sites. We need enthusiasts to support our monitoring team to study and report on their findings using rust rods to monitor the water table, and surface levels rods to monitor the changes in the depth of the peat. Roles will mainly involve checking on surface level and rust rods and helping us to install further monitoring rods at different sites.

Frequency of volunteering: Roughly 1-4 times per year.

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Ecology Monitoring

Do you have a keen interest in surveying moorland birds, invertebrates, or plants? We need you! We believe our restoration works across Dartmoor, Exmoor and Cornwall are having a really positive impact on the wildlife, flora and fauna of the areas, but we need enthusiasts to support our monitoring team to study and report on their findings to help us find out more. This role involves undertaking species surveys (dragonflies, other invertebrates, birds, butterflies, sphagnum mosses or other vegetation) out on peatland restoration sites, often in remote locations.

Frequency of volunteering: Mostly Summer surveying, regular opportunities if interested.

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Fixed Point Photography - currently full. Please check back for more opportunities on this in the future.

Do you enjoy walking, hiking, running or cycling across Dartmoor, Exmoor, Bodmin Moor or West Penwith? We are looking for volunteers to help us to monitor our restoration sites by taking photographs from specific locations to build a bigger picture of the changes that are happening as a result of restoration work. Summer or winter, sunny or snowing, we want to see the changes that are taking place to the peatlands. This role involves taking photographs of the landscape from specific locations once every 4-6 months. This could be for one, or several restoration sites. We’d also welcome the taking photographs of any interesting wildlife, flora and fauna you see while you are there!

Frequency of volunteering: Roughly 1-4 times per year.

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Photographic Research

If you enjoy searching through photographic archives and would like to help in championing the future of peatlands from the comfort of your home, then this role could be perfect for you. We are particularly interested in showing changes that have occurred across peatland restoration sites from before and after restoration works.

This role could involve the carrying out of internet and paper-based research from a variety of photographic archives, researching to find photographs that show change on peatlands, and discovering any photographs that show the history of people and events at restoration sites.

·Frequency of volunteering: Based at home, frequency to suit you.

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Vegetation Monitoring

Do you know your myrtle from your mosses, a bogbean from a bilberry? We need you! We believe our restoration works across Dartmoor, Exmoor and Cornwall are having a really positive impact on the wildlife, flora and fauna of the areas and we need enthusiasts to support our monitoring team to study and report on their findings to help us find out more. This role involves carrying out vegetation surveys out on peatland restoration sites.

Frequency of volunteering: Mostly Summer surveying, regular opportunities if interested.

Read volunteer role profile here

Get in touch with Rachael Land on rland@southwestwater.co.uk to find out more about these volunteering roles or register your interest.