Species Protection (Volunteer Beach Warden)
Job Description
**Why we want you.**
The beach-nesting bird colonies of East Norfolk and North Suffolk have become some of the largest and most important in the UK for Little Terns, as well as hosting good numbers of Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers, and Avocets.
We have had lots of success protecting these birds in recent years, but they are still vulnerable to disturbance, high levels of predation, and habitat loss. With your help we want to continue this success and build sustainable populations of these species.
We are offering a range of volunteering opportunities which will help protect beach-nesting birds that can be done either remotely, on the beach, or in local communities. You will also be working closely with our existing team of experienced volunteers and RSPB staff.
The key colony sites are Winterton-On-Sea and Eccles-On-Sea in Norfolk and Kessingland in Suffolk; however, we need your help to provide the project with the flexibility to protect the birds wherever breeding activity occurs.
**What will you be doing?**
There are various activities available throughout the year to suit a wide range of applicants, either remotely, on the beach, or in local communities. Your role could involve:
- Monitoring and protecting important colonies of beach-nesting birds
- Engaging with beach users and residents in the local communities about the threats that the birds face and what everyone can do to protect them.
- Practical activities including fencing work parties and equipment maintenance.
You could also become part of our dedicated teams focusing on:
- Aerial predators
- Breeding waders in Norfolk and/or Suffolk
- Research and monitoring
- Community engagement
- Communications and media
If you think that the beach-warden role is not for you, but you are still interested in getting involved, or have other skills that you think might be useful to the project, please get in touch.
**The skills that you need for the Volunteer Beach Warden role.**
- We are ideally looking for a minimum commitment of one 4-hour shift per fortnight, but other arrangements can be discussed, including if you are on holiday and would like to help out whilst you are in the area.
- You will need to be able to visit a colony and undertake regular shifts which will be booked via a team rota. This may require walking long distances, often along a beach and possibly negotiating steps down to the beach. You should also be comfortable visiting the colonies in all weather conditions.
- An enthusiasm for coastal wildlife would be beneficial, however, full training will be given allowing you to talk knowledgably to beach users about the project and how to make space for nature so that everyone can enjoy the beach and the local wildlife whilst minimising the impact on the colony's success.
- Willingness to learn and assist with the various activities that the RSPB undertakes to protect beach-nesting birds.
- Flexibility to volunteer during weekdays, evenings and weekends, as required, to fit in with your availability and situation.
- Ability to work independently or as part of a small team.
- Locations are remote so access to own transport is essential.
**What's in it for you?**
- As a Volunteer Beach Warden, you will have a chance to work as part of a team and meet new, like-minded people whilst gaining hands on experience of specific species protection.
- If you enjoy being outdoors, then this role will be the perfect opportunity for you. The beach warden role will involve a reasonable amount of physical activity, so it will enable you to keep your fitness levels high, as well as helping your mental health and wellbeing.
- You will be making a genuine contribution to nature conservation, and you will find it rewarding to protect your local wildlife.
- We are a friendly and supportive team, so you can make new friends too. If you are volunteering to learn new skills and gain knowledge about wildlife conservation work, you will find that our team will be more than happy to help you on that journey. We make sure that our volunteers have the opportunity to learn new skills and always have a rewarding experience.
- Imagine spending time next summer on some of the most beautiful beaches on our coast, directly contributing to the conservation of these wonderful birds. If this sounds appealing, then we would love to hear from you!
*The RSPB will reimburse you for out-of-pocket expenses travel expenses, we will provide the equipment and any uniform needed for you to complete the role. Full induction, training and on-going support will also be provided. Thank you for reading this role description. Clicking on 'more about this role' and the downloadable pdf will give you just the generic role profile for this opportunity. A role profile is the family to which an opportunity belongs and informs vetting and training requirements and may not be an exact fit to the role described above*
