Work Experience Opportunities

At the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve, we’re very keen to provide an opportunity for young people to gain knowledge, build confidence and develop their practical skills linked with countryside management, conservation and ecological restoration. Outside of our schools’ environmental outreach programme, one of the main ways we support this in the local area is by hosting tailored work experience placements.

These placements are a way to help support young people to gain hands-on experience of a range of different activities, including practical conservation tasks, ecological surveys, and environmental education.

Here is an insight from one of our local work experience students, Pat Joe, who has been a great asset to the Langholm Initiative while he has been on work experience and volunteering placements with us:

My name is Pat Joe Hanley and I’m an undergraduate Ecological and Environmental Sciences student at the University of Edinburgh. I’ve always had an interest in the natural world and the plants and animals that inhabit it. This interest has not only lead to my choice of degree, but also to volunteering on the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve.

I started volunteering on the reserve during high school. Living locally, it was a great opportunity to get to grips with wildlife and help tackle in a small way some key environmental issues. Now that I’m looking to work in the environment industry, the TVNR was a perfect place to acquire practical experience.

Over the summer I’ve taken part in a number of volunteer sessions. These were usually focussed on a single objective, such as planting saplings or removing sitka spruce. On top of these, I was allowed to help with the children’s bushcraft sessions. I’ve had the most fun with these as it was an opportunity to help them learn new skills and pass on some of the knowledge I’ve gained. Of course, it’s fun to join in too!

Volunteering at the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve has given me a new insight into the practical side of environmental conservation and allowed me to grow and consolidate my own skills. I’ve become much more confident in my plant identification and gained a little more understanding of the industry I’m hoping to go into. All in all, it’s been a fantastic experience and one which I’m anxious to repeat!

We can offer work experience or volunteer placements for schools or universities, Duke of Edinburgh participants, or for individuals who simply want to get involved! Please note that we are a small team, so resources and availability may limit the number of individuals we are able to host or the experiences we are able to provide.

If you might be interested in undertaking a work experience or volunteering placement with us, please email kat@tarrasvalleynaturereserve.co.uk

All of this work is possible with the generous ongoing support from Holywood Trust and Crossdykes Community Benefit Fund.