Volunteer on a green project
You can volunteer with us for any length of time. Some people give a morning or afternoon either in the week or the weekend, and others volunteer for a year or more. All help is useful and appreciated.
It is a great way to learn new skills, keep fit and socialise, while helping the environment at the same time.
Volunteer tasks
Each volunteering group has its own particular tasks. You might:
- coppice trees
- create species lists
- identify plants
- lay hedges
- learn about woodland management
- record fungi
- survey bats
- survey wildflowers
- update records
Alternatively, you could take people on walks or talks. See the expandable boxes below for further details from each project.
This group has a series of varied countryside management events throughout the county borough. Led by instructors, activities include hedge laying and coppicing. Also, we hold nature walks and talks.
We will provided all necessary equipment. Yet please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for the day’s weather conditions. All children under 16 must be accompanied.
Bryngarw Country Park is important because of its many of trees, flowers, birds, mammals and insects. Its habitats include deciduous woodlands, wetlands, wildflower meadows, the River Garw and formal gardens. These all need to be managed to ensure visitors can enjoy them all year round.
Our volunteers are vital to this work and their projects have included:
- restoring the orchard
- surveying our wild flowers
- coppicing the woodlands
- building an Iron Age roundhouse in our educational nature garden
At this site, volunteers meet one Saturday every month from 10am to 2pm. To join, please contact the group on the details below.
Contact
E: bryngarw.park@awen-wales.com
T: 01656 725155
This group visits the countryside. Trips have involved:
- investigating historic sites
- updating records for less common species
- exploring less-visited areas to see what is there
- creating species lists for input into national databases and flora projects
- recording further monitoring details like populations, precise locations and habitat notes
Also, the group is a friendly forum for learning about botanical recording. This includes developing skills in plant identification, swapping tips for difficult species and groups, and learning more about local habitats. Everyone with an interest in plant recording is welcome whether they are beginners or experts.
This group records Bridgend County Borough’s fungi. It encourages an interest in fungi, and a greater understanding of it through trips, talks, and workshops. These are open to both the public and members. Also the group raises awareness by fostering contact with professional and environmental groups. It promotes conserving fungi and threatened habitats of rare fungi.
For more information or to join, please contact them.
Contact:
You can volunteer at Kenfig National Nature Reserve. These are the contact details for more information:
Contact
E: biodiversity@bridgend.gov.uk
T: 01656 743386
The group regularly monitors roosts and surveys specific sites. As part of the Bat Conservation Trust’s National Bat Monitoring Programme, they do field surveys, waterway surveys, and sunset-sunrise surveys.
Also, the group advises homeowners who have roosts. They look after sick and injured bats as well. The bat group has regular walks for members.
Contact
Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend Bat Group
Mike Shewring
E: vogbridgendbatgroup@gmail.com
Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend Bat Group website
Volunteering takes place on Wednesdays and Fridays. The trust welcomes a suggested donation of £2 towards their conservation work at each event.
The headquarters of the trust’s volunteering work in Bridgend County Borough is at Parc Slip Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre. It has a coffee shop serving lunch and snacks, toilets, and a free car park.
Contact
E: t.jones@welshwildlife.org
T: 01656 724100
The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales
Tim Jones
Parc Slip Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre
Fountain Road
Tondu
Bridgend
CF32 0EH
Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm.
The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.
General enquiries
Contact
Bridgend County Borough Council
Email:
Biodiversity@bridgend.gov.uk
Member organisations in the countryside network
We coordinate volunteering work with other green organisations. Members of the ‘countryside network’ include The Wildlife Trust and Keep Wales Tidy, along with other charities and non-governmental organisations.
Add your organisation to the countryside network
If you have a volunteering group or green space project and would like to join our countryside network, please contact us.
Contact
Bridgend County Borough Council
Email:
Biodiversity@bridgend.gov.uk