Volunteering in the Regional Park

Volunteering in the Regional Park is a great way to get involved with your local environment and support the work we do protecting biodiversity and our built heritage. We support volunteering in four roles in the Regional Park:

  • Saturday Conservation Volunteers

  • Volunteer Rangers

  • Volunteer Heritage Guides

  • Wildlife Surveying and Recording Volunteers

Saturday Conservation Volunteers

VolunteersWhat is a Conservation Volunteer?
We are a Saturday morning conservation group which meets on a fortnightly basis to carry out a wide range of practical projects throughout the Lagan Valley Regional Park. These projects include:

  • Tree planting
  • Woodland management
  • Scrub brashing
  • Living willow sculptures
  • Wildlife surveys
  • Growing trees from seed
  • Habitat creation
  • Invasive species removal

Do you need any experience?
No experience is necessary as our Volunteer Coordinator and Ranger Team will provide full training for each project. We welcome volunteers from all walks of life.

How much time do I need to commit?
You can decide how much time to spend volunteering. Our projects run fortnightly and everyone's welcome.

What to bring
We ask everyone to dress for the weather, wearing layers is the best way to prepare for the good old Northern Irish climate. Waterproofs are essential as well as good boots or wellies. It's also a good idea to bring a cold drink or a snack. In hot weather sunscreen and sun hats are advisable.

We provide
The task leader will give you training in work techniques and safety. We provide tools, gloves, materials, and most importantly - the tea and biscuits!

Volunteer Rangers

What is a Volunteer Ranger?
Volunteer Rangers work closely with our Ranger Service carrying out patrols, surveys and helping with events and practical conservation.

Specific tasks include:

  • Patrols
  • Wildlife monitoring
  • Assisting with guided walks
  • Pollution reporting
  • Litter patrols
  • Cycle patrols

Do you need any experience?
No experience is necessary and guidance will be given by the ranger service.

How much time do I need to commit?
We would hope you could commit to one morning or afternoon session per week.

Volunteer Heritage Guides

What is a Heritage Guide?
Lagan Valley Regional Park is steeped in history. You can be trained to volunteer in the Lock Keeper's Cottage, showing the public around and helping to deliver information on the cottage, the Kirkpatrick family and the Lagan Navigation. Heritage Guides assist the LVRP team deliver some of our events.

Do you need any experience?
No experience is necessary as full training will be provided.

How much time do I need to commit?
This is entirely up to you although we would be delighted if you could volunteer at least once a month.

How do I get involved?

For any of the above opportunities, contact our Volunteer Coordinator on 028 90491 922.

Wildlife Surveying and Recording Volunteers

What is wildlife surveying?
We like to monitor as much of our wildlife as possible and currently run transects for butterflies, bats, squirrels and badgers. Essentially a transect is simply a walk along a set route along which, with a little training, someone can record what they see. The information we receive will help us to gain a better understanding of our local wildlife and will help us to direct management of the Regional Park to maximise its value for biodiversity. We are hoping to set up further surveys for birds along the river, monitor our bird and bat boxes and bee transects in the near future.

How can you help?
Surveying is a great way to learn more about your local patch, it's really fun and easy to do. You can decide how much time you spend watching wildlife and pick a route or wildlife that suits you.

Do you need any experience?
No experience is necessary as our Rangers will give you the information you need to survey wildlife. Our team is always happy to help!

Training
Volunteers who regularly monitor wildlife for us will be eligible for training e.g. bat surveying, butterfly surveying, small mammal and bird identification.

Experienced Surveyors
If you already have survey experience we would like to hear from you for some of our other species monitoring projects.

We are especially keen to hear from anyone who would have an interest in invasive species surveys in the Regional Park.