Somerset Wildlife Trust is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts working across the UK. We are a science-led movement focused on restoring habitats to support a wide range of wildlife and restore natural ...
Dormouse Surveyor
Practical details
Volunteering • Organisation role
Contact person
Hannah Paddison
Provided
#124174
Scan me or visit www.sparkachange.org.uk/o/Somerset-Wildlife-Trust/opportunities/Dormouse-Surveyor/124174 to join
Our Mendip reserves team are looking for a team of volunteers to support with checking dormouse footprint tunnels, survey tubes or boxes
This role will allow the locations of previously unrecorded dormouse populations to be mapped, enabling a better understanding of their distribution across the Mendip reserves, and whether previously recorded populations remain in specific locations. This information will be used to inform reserves management and support conversations with partner organisations and neighbouring landowners about improving habitat connectivity for this species.
What tasks are involved in this role?
- Setting up survey tunnels, tubes or boxes
- Checking for presence of dormice footprints every two weeks over a period of roughly two months
- Recording presence/absence and weight of any dormice found (depending on whether you hold a dormouse handling licence)
- Clean-out of survey tunnels, tubes or boxes once the survey is over
- You may be asked to organise survey dates, coordinate with other volunteers and transport the survey kit. Experienced volunteers may also have the option to lead a small team, if they would like to
- Feeding results back to reserves staff contact, as well as any issues that may arise
You'd be suited to this role if..
- You have an interest or experience in wildlife surveying, reliability and good communication, as well as the ability to work easily with others
- Ideally, some knowledge or experience of dormouse identification, and nest box and tube survey techniques. You can learn more about survey techniques on the PTES website
- You are physically fit and able to walk on pathways that may be uneven and sloping, climb over stiles etc.,
- You will need to have your own means of transport to get to the survey site
- Access to email (at home) and a mobile phone (home and on site)
What is the time commitment?
To get the most out of this role and help us collect useful data, you would preferably be able to commit to one day a month for eight months (spring - autumn), or more frequently if you would like to. Footprint tunnel surveys are undertaken every two weeks on weekdays or weekends depending on your availability.
Nest box and nest tube surveys are conducted one day per month from May to October with an additional day to maintain the boxes during the winter months. If you can't make every month this is not a problem!
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About Somerset Wildlife Trust
Somerset Wildlife Trust is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts working across the UK. We are a science-led movement focused on restoring habitats to support a wide range of wildlife and restore natural processes that are essential for healthy landscapes, and provide vital services such as clean air and water, food, carbon absorption and flood alleviation.
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