Purpose of role: 
Ulster Wildlife are currently building a network of Peatland Restoration volunteers in the South Sperrins area to assist in a variety of Peatland Restoration projects. These include the restoration of Haughey’s Bog, the Black Bog SAC, the Murrins Nature Reserve and the development of a management and restoration plan for Mullaghcarn ASSI.

The south Sperrins is one of the most significant areas of peatland habitat in NI and as a result is an important landscape for many key species. Management and restoration of peatlands is also recognised as a key aspect in the global fight against climate change, as healthy active peatlands have a huge capacity for carbon capture and storage. 

As part of these restoration plans Ulster Wildlife are seeking volunteers to become involved in a widescale monitoring programme, aimed at gauging the health of our peatlands by surveying vegetation cover and peat depth sampling, at several hundred designated sample sites.

We are also seeking volunteers to actively partake in our ongoing restoration programmes, where the focus will be the removal of invasive species and encroaching scrub. 

Main responsibilities:

• Surveying priority vegetation species on key peatland sites
• Sampling and recording peat depths at designated sample sites
• Record key site features including drainage channels, bare peat, peat haggs etc
• Identification of invasive species 
• Removal of invasive species and scrub from restoration areas

Skills required:

• Basic knowledge of peatland ecology beneficial. 
• Motivated and able to work without supervision, well organised.
• Passionate about nature conservation.
• Willingness to learn. 
• Record keeping.
• Use of a car/driving licence. 
• Accessing some sites and certain tasks would require a reasonable level of physical fitness.

Desirable skills:

• Ability to identify sphagnum mosses and heathers.
• Experience in gardening/landscaping/tree surgery/forestry.
• Experience in environmental monitoring/surveying and/or GIS.