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Working in conservation

Holly Hoar, BTCV National Forest Volunteer Officer tells it like it is

I had been trying to get a job that involved nature conservation for months. Being turned down was getting me down. The truth was I had no experience and I really needed it. Then I came across BTCV, the UK's largest practical conservation charity. I found they had posts for Volunteer Officers or rather VO's; all they wanted was someone over 21 with a clean driving licence. The title sounded smart, so I decided to go for it.

In the following months the 'weird and wonderfuls' have certainly been coming my way. I get to work alongside the Project Officer; we take out volunteers and run practical conservation work throughout The National Forest. Some weeks I lay hedges or build dry stonewalls. Others I may replant ponds.

It's a responsible job so BTCV have trained me to make sure I keep all our volunteers safe: I now know first aid, how to drive a minibus, and the importance of site safety. I have taken on the planning for some big events as well: I had to recruit and organise enough volunteers to plant 1700 trees in three days.

Alongside practical work I have also been helping with publicity. I'm getting to know all about press releases, deadlines and making photos small enough to e-mail.

I primarily took on the voluntary position to improve my CV and get work, but have had so much fun and met so many lovely people that it's become more than that. The best thing is I can introduce other people to it so they can have these opportunities too.

If you fancy becoming a VO or a midweek volunteer you can find out more information by calling BTCV:

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British Trust for Conservation Volunteers


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01283 229 096


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Gallery

  • Barton-Under-Needwood Village sign
  • Children singing in Calke Abbey
  • Sculptors Philip Eames and Trevor Cooper with their sculpture of a wooden horse and handler
  • A close up of the new Newborough gateway sculpture
  • The stone and metal Village Sculpture at Revenstone
  • One of six new bird totems installed at Thornton
  • The creation of living willow sculptures by children at Stanton School
  • Children playing in an indoor activity centre at Conkers
  • Kids planting a tree
  • Kids 'ponding'
  • Sweet Chestnut emerging from shell
  • Guests on a woodland break
  • Children helping The National Forest by plant trees
  • Children being nature detectives and listening and looking for wildlife
  • People walking past trail signs
  • Line of people walking along forest path
  • Runners completing race through The National Forest
  • Birthday Walk logo
  • John Moore (61) - Retired after a career with Severn Trent
  • acorn amongst leaves on the branch of a tree
  • Andrew Brown- Jackson working with BTCV expert volunteers to build a dry stone wall
  • Johnson Controls Gold Medal for international Corporation Achievement in Sustainable Development
  • BTCV volunteers on a BTCV conservation holiday
  • BTCV volunteers planting a new woodland at Tinknall

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