Our latest blog comes from short-term volunteers Paul and Tripta Schur...
Volunteering for the RSPB is an enjoyable, fulfilling and educational experience.
We started volunteering because we feel that man, being a part of nature, should learn to live with nature rather than attempt to control it. Hence our support for conservation projects and organisations.
The RSPB is a particularly good example that demonstrates that one cannot conserve part of nature, ie birds, without conserving all, ie plants, fungi and insects, in one part of the globe, ie Britain, because of migration (see Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis).
We have discovered that volunteer activity (we don’t like the word work) with the RSPB varied greatly, ranging from driving a truck to deliver stock fencing, to knocking holes in concrete with a crowbar, via looking at birds legs and pulling pine trees down by hand.
Paul & Tripta carrying out hydrological monitoring on the bog
Forsinard has presented the most bizarre and eccentric occupations yet – poking holes and blowing bubbles in the bog – aka measuring and recording water levels. What better way to spend the dreich days of Autumn now the midges are fewer.
Blowing bubbles has never been so much fun...
All told it has been interesting and educational and above all great fun with a lovely bunch of people, physically demanding at times but well worthwhile.
Paul and Tripta Schur
(Aging juveniles)
--Paul Turner (Warden)--
While they were with us at Forsinard, Paul and Tripta were presented with their Silver Swift pin-badges, which go to volunteers who have undertaken five years of volunteering with the RSPB. As an organisation we rely heavily on the dedication and hard work of our volunteers. Never has this been as true as on a reserve the size of Forsinard. So it was our honour to thank Paul and Tripta for their help and to wish them well on their next set of adventures as RSPB Volunteers!
Claire Foot (Forsinard Assistant Warden / Volunteer Manager) presenting Tripta and Paul with their Silver Swifts and certificates.
It's not all hard work at Forsinard!