Over the summer we have asked our long-term residential volunteers (Paul, Will and Sergio) to write several blogs about their experiences. However we also take short term volunteers at Forsinard and so we have asked two of our short term volunteers, Jodie and Molly, to write a bit about their volunteering experience on the reserve. The girls have been amazing and settled into the team really well, helping with both practical and monitoring work. Here is what they had to say about volunteering at Forsinard:
I thought that volunteering would be a brilliant way to enhance my field skills before starting a Masters in environmental management in September. And as a keen birdwatcher, who better to volunteer for than the RSPB?
As I have discovered though, conservation volunteering is about more than just learning new practical skills for your CV. You learn more about yourself, too - the kinds of tasks you enjoy doing, the kinds of environments that motivate and inspire you – and whether you are really cut out for an outdoorsy job in a country where the weather is anything but predictable! It’s also a great way to meet like-minded people and to escape from the distractions of day to day life such as the constant presence of the internet and the media. Just a few days at a remote reserve like Forsinard works wonders for clearing the mind and regaining a fresh sense of perspective. Getting out into the great outdoors is my therapy, and it’s free! There is also a lot to be said for having something to show for the end of a day’s work – and the tiredness you feel in the evenings is a gentle, satisfying kind – brought about by physical work and fresh air, rather than by stress or sitting at a computer screen all day.
Forsinard itself is a special place and I feel incredibly lucky to have been placed here by the RSPB team. It’s a part of the world that not many people know about, or get to see – and yet it’s so enormous. Who knew that in the UK the sky could be so big, or that the horizon could stretch for miles upon miles without interruption by a town or village? I could spend hours just watching the clouds pass over and listening to the silence. It has a raw, primeval kind of beauty, and it’s a privilege to come here and play a part in keeping it that way.
- Jodie Southgate, August 2012
I’m a student at the moment and have just finished my first year at University where I’m studying Conservation Biology. I’ve never really done any volunteering before so I thought I’d undertake a short-term placement of 2 weeks to ease me into the world of volunteering without scaring myself too much! In my first meeting with my tutor at University he drummed it into us how vital experience of conservation in the field is when applying for jobs later in life. It is also useful as it makes sure that this is in fact the right career for you and this is why I decided to contact the RSPB about volunteering in the summer. I couldn’t be happier with the choice of location as Forsinard is an incredibly beautiful area and so rich in wildlife which I’ve already learnt so much about. I’ve sat for hours and hours in lectures and not learnt half the amount that I have in just two weeks here, mainly due to the expert knowledge of everyone here that I have just soaked up. The team here are also so supportive and friendly and from the beginning I felt welcome and this has really added to my enjoyment of this trip. I believe that this kind of experience would suit anyone who has an interest in conservation from those with years of experience to complete novices like myself who hadn’t even picked up a GPS or drill before I came here and now I feel like I know them all too well!
- Molly Doubleday, August 2012
Short term volunteers Jodie & Molly at Forsinard
Not forgetting our other short-term volunteers so far this summer (Jan & Paul) seen here pulling ragwort with Claire and Will
Yes forsinard works its magic, just to visit for the day leaves you uplifted and stess free away from the hustle and bustle. Oh and the silence it really is golden.
Big Sky