Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Volunteer Handbook Saving Norfolk’s Wildlife for the Future Welcome to From the Chief Executive Norfolk Wildlife Trust Welcome to Norfolk Wildlife Trust, at stunning locations throughout I am delighted that you are joining Norfolk. Whatever your volunteer and our network our dedicated team of volunteers. role, you are making a valuable contribution to our work. of valued volunteers Our volunteers support us because they care passionately about I hope you will enjoy volunteering for This Handbook is for you to use as a reference protecting Norfolk’s wildlife and NWT as we continue to work together and tells you what you need to know as a environment. Volunteers play a towards our vision for Norfolk. volunteer for Norfolk Wildlife Trust. key role in our work and bring an array of experience, skills and Best wishes and welcome. If you need any help or advice with regard knowledge to the Trust which, in to your volunteering please contact the partnership with our staff, helps Volunteer Coordinator on 01603 625540 or us to achieve our objectives. [email protected] We have volunteers of all ages and backgrounds who undertake a Pamela Abbott range of tasks and activities, some Chief Executive Our vision for the future Norfolk Wildlife Trust seeks a sustainable Living Landscape for wildlife and people Where the future of wildlife is protected and enhanced through sympathetic management Where people are connected with, inspired by, value and care for Norfolk’s wildlife and wild spaces About Us Founded in 1926, Norfolk Wildlife Trust is the oldest of the UK’s 46 Wildlife Trusts. We work, on our nature reserves Promoting Education Responding to threats and with our partners across the and Awareness county, to make Norfolk healthy Our wildlife and wild landscapes are habitat for wildlife and for people. Our education and engagement under threat on many fronts. We monitor programme for schools, families planning and development throughout Our income comes from and adults offers hands-on outdoor the county to prevent loss of wildlife membership subscriptions, learning opportunities, aimed at and its habitats through unsympathetic legacies, fundraising, grants, fostering a positive and caring development. We also seek to influence business support and charitable relationship with Norfolk’s wildlife. the plans of other bodies by promoting trusts. With around 100 full and our policies on wildlife conservation. part time staff, nearly 36,000 Visitor Centres We work with other Wildlife Trusts members and the support nationally to campaign for stronger of around 1,300 volunteers We have a year-round visitor centre policies and better legal protection for annually, NWT achieves its aims at Cley and Salthouse Marshes, our environment and wildlife. through a variety of means: and seasonal visitor centres at Hickling Broad and Marshes, Trustees Holme Dunes, Ranworth Broad Owning and Managing and Marshes and Weeting Heath. NWT is managed by a Council of Nature Reserves They enable us to engage with the Trustees. The Trustees, who must be public, run events and promote members of NWT, are responsible, We own and manage more than our work and membership. under NWT’s Memorandum & Articles 4,000 hectares across 60 nature of Association, for the governance reserves throughout the county. Working in the Wider Countryside and administration of the Trust. These include internationally The Council meets ten times a year. important sites such as Cley and We work with many other Salthouse Marshes, Hickling organisations and with private The Chief Executive reports to Broad and Marshes, Weeting landowners across Norfolk to Council, with the Senior Management Heath, Roydon Common and promote nature conservation Team attending by invitation. Holme Dunes. We undertake in the wider countryside. This active management on all our work includes monitoring The Memorandum & Articles of nature reserves to ensure the County Wildlife Sites and Association are available to read at HQ. survival of the rare and special providing advice on how best A list of Council members is available on wildlife which inhabits them. to manage land for wildlife. our website and in our Annual Report. A Living Landscape Living Seas Our nature reserves are rich, The UK’s coasts and seas support more than 10,000 diverse, beautiful and full of life. species of marine plants and animals. However, we want wildlife to thrive all across Norfolk’s undersea landscapes undersea cables and pipelines the Norfolk landscape, not just on nature are priceless: sand and gravel flats and climate change all put marine reserves. Working in partnership with local which are vital spawning grounds wildlife under pressure. people, communities, landowners, businesses for fish, living reefs formed from the and statutory bodies we can improve habitat, hard tubes of ross worms, sunken Living Seas is The Wildlife Trusts’ help wildlife across Norfolk recover from past wrecks colonised by sponges and vision for the future of the UK’s declines and deliver our vision of anemones, and one of the longest seas, a future in which wildlife A Living Landscape. chalk reefs in the world, with and marine habitats can recover chalk arches and strangely shaped from past declines, in which people We have identified six Living Landscape flints, home to colourful sea slugs, cherish the sea and its wildlife. projects, in which our landscape-scale bee-sized cuttlefish and Norfolk’s conservation activity is focused. famous crabs and lobsters. At NWT we advocate better protection for special areas such as • The Brecks • Gaywood Valley However, our seas and their wildlife North Norfolk’s chalk reef and, at • Bure and Thurne • Claylands are in trouble: over-fishing, dredging events on our coastal reserves, we • North Norfolk • Wissey for marine aggregates, pressures raise awareness of the urgent need from coastal recreation, pollution, to manage our seas sustainably. Norfolk Wildlife Trust works to create A Living Landscape by: Making our nature reserves and other protected sites bigger, better and more connected; Inspiring local communities to take action for wildlife; Offering advice and encouragement to landowners, including those who manage the more than 1300 County Wildlife Sites in Norfolk; Commenting on planning applications to ensure that development does not threaten our wildlife. Our Nature Reserves Across Norfolk Alderfen Broad and Marshes 1 Honeypot Wood 17 Swangey Fen 32 Barton Broad and Marshes 2 Kay Cliffs Nature Reserve 18 Syderstone Common 33 Booton Common 3 Lolly Moor 19 Thetford Heath 34 Brett’s Wood 4 Lower Wood, Ashwellthorpe 20 Thompson Common 35 Buxton Heath 5 Martham Broad and Marshes 21 Thorpe Marshes 36 Cley and Salthouse Marshes 6 Narborough Railway Line 22 Thursford Wood 37 Cockshoot Broad 7 New Buckenham Common 23 Trinity Broads 38 Cranberry Rough 8 Pigneys Wood 24 Upton Broad and Marshes 39 East Winch Common 9 Ranworth Broad and Marshes 25 Wayland Wood 40 East Wretham Heath 10 Ringstead Downs 26 Weeting Heath 41 Foxley Wood 11 Roydon Common and Tony 27 Hethel Old Thorn 12 Hallett Memorial Reserve For more detailed location information and Hickling Broad and Marshes 13 Rushmeadows 28 visiting details please visit our website Hoe Rough 14 Scarning Fen 29 www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk. Holme Dunes 15 Southrepps Commons 30 Holt Lowes 16 Sparham Pools 31 NWT has eight active 18 Hunstanton A149 Wells Sheringham local groups: Cromer 26 Breckland Fakenham 37 16 30 33 4 Fakenham North Norfolk West Norfolk North 24 Broadland Mid Norfolk Walsham 27 Aylsham Norwich Wymondham 3 A17 Groups meet throughout the year for talks, King’s Lynn 5 2 walks and social events. Joining a Local 14 1 21 31 9 1717 28 38 Group is a great way to get involved in 7 22 Dereham wildlife issues and conservation in your 29 39 community. All are welcome at Local Group Swaffham 19 36 19 A47 events, including non-members of NWT. Downham Great Market Wymondham Yarmouth Watton Local Groups are run by NWT members 40 12 32 on a voluntary basis. They get involved in 35 20 Attleborough NWT events, habitat management, wildlife 8 surveys, visitor centres, membership 10 23 recruitment and fundraising. Local Group details are listed on the NWT website and Thetford 34 Harleston in the NWT events leaflets. Diss Why we need Volunteers Your volunteering experience Ever since the formation of What you will receive NWT in 1926, volunteers have • An induction to NWT, your role and role description. played an important part in our • A supervisor who is responsible for your volunteering activities development. Your contribution and who you can speak to if you are unclear about anything. is integral to our success and • An initial three month review for regular volunteers and an annual review. future development. • To be valued and thanked • Out of pocket expenses, to be agreed in advance Volunteers make a valuable • To be safe and secure whilst volunteering contribution to our work by: • To meet new people and have a rewarding experience. Bringing a valuable variety of experience, Your supervisor skills and knowledge The role of your supervisor is to: Showing commitment to NWT and • Provide an induction strengthening our voice • Plan and supervise your work Providing local representation • Ensure that you understand what you are being asked to do in communities, which helps • Explain how NWT’s policies affect you to raise our profile • Identify training needs • Carry out an initial three month review to Attracting match-funding