My volunteering diary 12 August 2021

My volunteering diary 12 August 2021

Umbra Nature Reserve

Being a volunteer with Ulster Wildlife is a big adventure: you never know what’s going to happen, and you have to be ready for everything. Join the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) volunteers' weekly adventures, narrated by an ESC from the Natures Reserves team.

Our last month as ESC volunteers

This is the beginning of our last month at Ulster Wildlife as Nature Reserves volunteers. It has been almost a year since I arrived on this magical island. I cannot believe the number of things I have learnt from volunteering at the nature reserves every day. 

This last week was the Bog Meadows Summer Scheme and I have been lucky enough to spend a couple of days as a support person on different activities for children. 

Alexey Janes -the Project Coordinator for the Grassroots Challenge project- came to Bog Meadows to organise some nice activities. We walked around the nature reserve using all our senses, looking for leaves and smells and learning about nature and wildlife. He also tought us how to make our own bracelets and pencils!  

Shark Egg Case Hunting

We spent the last day of the Bog Meadows Summer Scheme at Groomsport.  

Erin McKeown, the Sea Deep Project Officer, explained to us a bit about the Shark Egg Case Hunt. We walked around the beach looking for shark egg cases with the support of an identification sheet. I was as excited as the kids to find some egg cases!  

Summer Scheme with the Living Seas

Summer Scheme with the Living Seas

Luisa, one of the ESC volunteers - who also collaborates with the Living Seas Team - led a Big Rockpool Ramble event around the rocky shore. We found a lot of wildlife around, lots of different species.

Fancy joining a Big Rockpool Ramble event? Join the Living Seas Team for a rockpool exploring adventure on Monday, 16 August 2021 at Portavogie Bay Beach! BOOK NOW

Keep an eye on our What's On page for more events!  

Big Rockpool Ramble

Big Rockpool Ramble

My favourite Nature Reserve

I went once again to my favourite nature reserve, Umbra. This time we didn't remove common ragwort, we did a condition survey instead. Thirteen landmarks and thirteen two-meter squares to record, looking for good and bad indicator species around the nature reserve.

Umbra Nature Reserve (c) Monica Abaurrea

Umbra Nature Reserve (c) Monica Abaurrea

Discovering fantastic landscapes

This last month I took some days off and spent time visiting the north coast of the island. I definitely can't have enough of nature; I am in love with the landscapes on this island. 

Thanks to my volunteering placement at Ulster Wildlife, I see nature in a completely different way: I see details that I was not paying attention to, species that I did not know, and also from time to time invasive species. 

Fantastic landscapes

Fantastic landscapes

About the programme

The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) scheme offers young volunteers from European countries the opportunity to work with Ulster Wildlife for 12 months, with placements within our Nature Reserves, Living Landscapes and Fundraising and Communications teams