The South East Pine Marten Restoration Project Practical Team

The South East Pine Marten Restoration Project are looking for new volunteers to get involved with our feasibility study until March 2025 in West Kent and East Sussex.

Location: Ashford, Tunbridge Wells, Weald of Kent

  • Location: Tuesday-Hemsted, Wednesday-Bedgebury, Thursday-Ashdown, 

  • Commitment: Any Day

  • Frequency: as much as you like

Overview of the Role: 

The feasibility study looks at the current set of circumstances surrounding the project, including habitat suitability and connectivity, ecological feasibility, and social feasibility. Whether that's local people's opinions or assessing the numbers of small mammals found within the potential release sites. This helps to build a picture of the acceptance level and helps to plan any necessary mitigations.  

There are opportunities to volunteer every week presently out in the field for the ecological feasibility research across Bedgebury, Hemsted, Rother Woods (near Battle) and Ashdown Forest. We are particularly looking for support at Hemsted and Rother Woods. The ecological feasibility involves walking through the forests and either administering or replenishing different pieces of equipment and recording information into an app.  

Location: 

  • Tuesday-Hemsted,  
  • Wednesday-Bedgebury,  
  • Thursday-Ashdown, 
  • Rother Woods one day a week but this does change according to our diaries (normally Tuesdays or Fridays), 

A day in your life might include…  

  • Trackplates 
  • Dormouse Tunnels 
  • Camera Traps 
  • Audio Moths  
  • Mostela Boxes 

Benefits to volunteering & training opportunities: 

  • You will learn practical ecology skills. 
  • Improve your fitness. 
  • Increase mental wellbeing through connecting with nature and like-minded people. 

Experience/Skills Required: 

  • No previous experience required. 
  • Full training is given, and you will only be asked to do work you are comfortable with. 
  • Willing to work as part of a team. 
  • Enthusiastic. 
  • Reasonable travel expenses covered. 
  • You should be happy to work outdoors in all weathers (although we do not blame anyone going home because of torrential rain)! 

Days & times we would like you to be available: 

We start at about 9am until 4-5pm but volunteers are welcome to join for as long as it suits them, sometimes this is all day and sometimes just a few hours in the morning or afternoon.  

You would need to bring suitable clothing, personal first aid kit, water, and lunch. Ideally this would be a weekly commitment to one of the locations.  

You can attend as frequently as you would like. This role is only open to applicants over the age of 18. 

Sound exciting? Get in touch today!