I HAVE been involved in lots of volunteering recently, including tree planting and shrub clearance work with the ‘Restore the Thaw Landscape project’.
Apart from providing monthly conservation sessions, they also offer training and recently provided a course on surveying for water voles, which are soon to be re-introduced in the project area. Soon, they will be offering training on surveying for otters – aiming to create a team of volunteers to feed into local and national citizen science schemes.
These schemes involve volunteers in research and are a great way to combine primary ecological research with environmental education. Other activities they have provided include a series of workshops in local schools, teaching children about the importance of trees in the landscape. Pupils from nine primary schools have been doing their bit by collecting and planting native tree seeds from their area. It’s all part of the project’s overall aim to plant over 30,000 trees.
The project also provides wider environmental benefits as research has shown that taking part in volunteering for environmental causes can change an individual’s behaviours. A study by the University of Essex in 2017 found that volunteering in nature for six weeks increased ‘pro-environment behaviour’ by over 50%.
At one of the sessions, I was interviewed about my views on volunteering by a representative from Value in the Vale, an organisation that encourages all types of volunteering by offering rewards to volunteers that can be redeemed throughout the county.
For every hour that an individual volunteers, Value in the Vale, gives them one reward. These rewards can be redeemed with several of their business partners across the Vale. What I find interesting is that volunteers can donate their rewards to others who could benefit from them if they don’t want to keep them themselves. Rewards can be anything from a cup of coffee and a slice of cake to a beauty treatment or a parcel of toiletries.
Volunteering, I believe, is about giving my time, knowledge, and skills to assist others and in my case, help protect the environment. As I explained in my interview, it provides me with an opportunity to meet like-minded people and have a positive impact on the community and environment. It also helps my mental and physical health by giving me a sense of achievement and exercise.
There is nothing like looking at a plot of land covered in trees which hours before was just barren. If you don’t volunteer, I recommend you give it a go, and if you sign up to Value in the Vale there’s the possibility of a bonus of a reward for yourself or someone else.
By Brian Mayne
- The views expressed by columnists of this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Glamorgan Star, its employees or its proprietors.
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