What can I do?
Make new friends, help a great cause and work in the amazing surroundings of the National Pinetum and Forest… all great reasons for volunteering at Bedgebury.
Opportunities to volunteer vary from assisting with events to practical work in the pinetum; the following key groups are currently open to new volunteers:
Visitor experience volunteers
‘VEVs’ play a key role in meeting visitors to Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest, helping with queries, giving directions and advice and providing a warm welcome to the site. This is a great opportunity to meet lots of people whist helping to give visitors all the information they need for a memorable visit to Bedgebury.
Practical conservation and habitat monitoring volunteers
There are several groups who work under the guidance of the tree team at Bedgebury National Pinetum, helping to maintain our internationally renowned conifer collection. Typical tasks for practical groups (Wednesdays and Sundays) include invasive weed clearance around specimen trees, mending tree cages and autumn raking. This volunteer role provides an opportunity to learn new skills and put them into practice within the collection. The ‘Tuesday Group’ have recently been established as part of the legacy of the Big Forest Find - England's largest survey of forest and woodland wildlife. Working with Bedgebury’s volunteer coordinator, ecology experts and the pinetum tree team, volunteers will help monitor flora, fauna and native habitats as well as undertake essential practical conservation tasks across the pinetum. This is an opportunity to support the valuable work that is undertaken by the Bedgebury team through recording and submission of data.
The practical conservation and the conservation and habitat monitoring groups are popular, so please enquire for current availability.
Training and support for all of the above roles is provided. Your time as a volunteer is much appreciated by Forestry England and is rewarded with thank you events, training opportunities and a parking pass for Bedgebury after 35 hours of volunteering.
If you are interested in volunteering for any of these roles you can contact bedgebury@forestryengland.uk for more information. Please include the name of the volunteer role that you'd like to do.
Volunteer at Forest Live
Forest Live volunteer opportunities will be promoted here in 2021.