Avon Heath Country Park and Eastern Area Sites - Volunteers

Are you looking for a great day out in the countryside, a way to get active and take more exercise, or a first step into a career in the countryside?

Our volunteers contribution makes such an amazing difference to the Country Park and wider countryside – from practical conservation tasks to helping out in the Visitor Centre, building pond dipping platforms, updating office records, counting orchids on South Park and butterflies around our transect route.

Benefits of volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, give something back to your community and enhance or gain new skills in conservation, rights of way maintenance and more. 

How to get involved

New volunteers and family groups are always welcome and will receive a basic induction to volunteering with Dorset Council before they begin any work. New volunteers are asked to complete a short form; they are then added to the contact list. A volunteer programme is produced every few months with details of all tasks or surveys, allowing volunteers to pick and choose which ones they’d like to attend. The programme may be subject to change, but volunteers will be contacted should any changes arise.

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Practical Conservation

The rangers at Avon Heath and the Greenspace Team East run regular volunteering tasks throughout the year. The work is predominately outside and practical, and all groups are very welcoming and sociable, attracting a range of people and ages.

• Tuesday (weekly) group with the Greenspace East Team
• Thursday (weekly) group with the Avon Heath Country Park Team
• Sunday (monthly) group with the Avon Heath Country Park Team (during Autumn and Winter only)

Visitor Centre Engagement

We also have opportunities in the Visitor Centre at Avon Heath Country Park. We have a small group of volunteers who help us run the shop and carry out admin tasks.

Wildlife Surveying

Our monitoring scheme at Avon Heath involves regular weekly and monthly surveys on a variety of wildlife, including birds, butterflies and reptiles. We are looking for volunteers with some identification knowledge, but all methodology training will be given.

Slop Bog Local Nature Reserve

Our Eastern Area Ranger co-ordinates a practical work party at Slop Bog in Ferndown. These generally take place every month on a Tuesday.