How You Can Help

 

Our environment needs looking after, whether it’s wildlife and their habitats, community spaces for people and children to enjoy, or whether it’s gathering data, as a citizen scientist, to inform the future and help to temper the impact of climate change and the changes in the way we live.

 

When you volunteer, you not only help the environment, but you get treated to being outside in nature you. Each time, you take home a sense of ownership of the habitat you’ve made and a closer relationship with the village and your fellow volunteers.

 

We offer regular activities as well as one-offs. Some are more energetic than others, so you choose what suits you. You don’t have to be a wildlife expert – enjoyment of nature is sufficient – and we provide training where appropriate.

 

We always welcome moral support too. Come and join us to see what we do, meet others taking part and enjoy occasional tea and cakes.

 

Below are the areas where we are working and where you can help.

 

Managing Our Community Environments

 

Watercourses – Manage our brooks, ditches, and ponds to create diverse habitats on land and in the water for animals, insects, plants and invertebrates.

 

Green space development – Plant hedgerows and trees and create wildflower patches. We are hoping to create a community orchard at Cuckoo Pen, Benson, but it’s early days and we are just beginning to plan it.

 

Green space maintenance – Maintain the meadows, hedgerows, and roadside verges and help restore habitats. We often use traditional techniques such as scything, hedge laying and coppicing hazel.

 

Wildlife-friendly gardening – Make your garden or allotment a more hospitable place for nature, with help from our monthly tips and hints. Work with your neighbours to create hedgehog and/or pollinator highways.

 

Citizen Science

 

Farmland & Wetland Birds – Take part in bird regular surveys throughout the year and contribute to vital data analysis to understand bird population trends.

 

Wildlife monitoring – Monitor river-flies to assess pollution levels and record wildlife sightings.

 

Ecosystem changes and biodiversity - Collect environmental data to track ecosystem changes and monitor the success of biodiversity measures in our new housing developments.

 

For more detailed information on specific recent and planned activities see our Volunteering in Action page.

 

Look out on our Facebook page for updates and for new activities. We’d love to hear from you if any of our current or planned activities interest you. Let us know by contacting us at bensonareanature@yahoo.com.