The Wildlife Trust of South and West

Ymddiriedolaeth Natur De a Gorllewin Cymru

Skomer and Skokholm 2012 Long Term Volunteer Further information Seven volunteers will be needed to help with the smooth running of both Skokholm Island and .

The main benefit for the applicant will be the experience of practical wardening. They can expect to be involved in all aspects of island life – from visitor management to research. Particularly useful skills will be specific monitoring practices and taking responsibility for other volunteers.

You will be living and working alongside the current wardens, researchers and other volunteers.

Skomer Located just off the coast of the peninsula, Skomer is a small island holding roughly a third of the world’s population along with internationally important numbers of , Guillemots, Razorbills and Gulls. The island is open for up to 250 visitors a day, with up to 16 staying overnight. Skokholm Skokholm is a smaller, more remote island with rather basic accommodation. It was closed awaiting redevelopment at the end of 2007 and opened again in a limited capacity in 2011. In 2012 there will be up to 16 overnight guests staying a three or four days at a time. Day trips will bring more visitors. April and August / September will see volunteer work parties carrying out further restoration work on the buildings. Around 45,000 pairs of Manx Shearwater breed on Skokholm along with c.3,500 Puffins and 3,000 Guillemots and Razorbills. Visit www.welshwildlife.org for further information about the wildlife and archaeology history of the islands.

Placements available in 2012 Position Start End date First Aid Main aim of placement Skills gained date At Work Gained Skomer 1 1 April 30 June General warden duties including Monitoring Assisting with Seabird Monitoring Programme (Working alongside the Field Assistant). Skomer 2 1 May 30 June Helping run the boats, being Visitor Management, responsible for online activities Using People and various media type (videos and stills) communications Skomer 3 1 July 31 Aug. Opportunity for own interest projects General wardening, (dissertation, specialist taxa of interest, Visitor Management art projects) Skokholm 1 1 March 1 June YES Helping with restoration project (April). Building restoration General running of island including Visitor Management overnight guests and Seabird Seabird monitoring monitoring (June). Skokholm 2 31 March 29 June YES As above. Including guided walks for Building restoration day trippers. Visitor Management Seabird monitoring Skokholm 3 1 June 31 Aug. YES As above, restoration project in August. Building restoration Visitor Management Seabird monitoring Skokholm 4 29 June 30 Sept. YES Opportunity for own interest projects General wardening, (dissertation, specialist taxa of interest, Visitor Management art projects)

Protecting Wildlife for the Future Gwarchod Bywyd Gwyllt ar gyfer y Dyfodol

The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales

Ymddiriedolaeth Natur De a Gorllewin Cymru

Monitoring and Research Projects Some monitoring work will continue throughout the year – rabbit, seal and cetacean counts, weather recording, migrant bird, butterfly and moth monitoring (obviously vary seasonally) – and it is hoped that everyone will contribute to these.

Mid-May to the end of June is the peak time for counts of the seabird colonies. This can be a very busy, but interesting, time. By June and July most birds are rearing chicks and we can concentrate on recording their progress, monitoring productivity. Most of the have departed from August and attention turns to recording migrants and undertaking a variety of vegetation surveys.

You will be expected to take on responsibility for at least one project. This may be one designated by the warden or one based on any skills or ideas of your own. In the last year we had people updating the systematic lists of island flora and spiders.

Skokholm Restoration work on the buildings, carried out mainly by volunteer groups, will take place in April and then August – September. No prior building experience is necessary but much will be learned.

Accommodation Accommodation will be provided (free) on both islands, as will boat travel between them. Protective clothing will be supplied where required.

Applicants will be expected to provide their own food.

Required No qualifications or specific experience is required. Training will be given on the job. We are looking for people with enthusiasm for UK wildlife who are willing to learn and get involved in a range of tasks. Must be of a hardy nature as working days can be long in remote locations in a range of weather.

How to apply Please fill in the application form explaining why you are interested in the post, what you could bring to it and what you hope to achieve from the position.

Applications must reach the below address by email or post by 25 January 2012. Decisions will be made within the following two weeks.

For further information or to discuss potential projects please call me on 07971 114302 or email (below)

Please e-mail (or post) your application forms to: Chris Taylor Email [email protected] or Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales Welsh Wildlife Centre , Cardigan, SA43 2TB

Protecting Wildlife for the Future Gwarchod Bywyd Gwyllt ar gyfer y Dyfodol