Come and be part of a global voice for wild plants and fungi
This year on National Meadows Day, we are campaigning for the protection of irreplaceable meadows – and we need your help!
Our wildflower meadows are a powerful ally in the fight against climate change – but they are in trouble!
“Will you help protect and restore irreplaceable habitats?”
Our corporate partners benefit from 35 years of experience in nature restoration so they can achieve real impact.
Become a Plantlife member today and together we will rebuild a world rich in plants and fungi
Welcome to the volunteering news page. Here you can read our latest volunteering news, updates, volunteer stories, and explore opportunities to get involved with us. Whether you’re already a volunteer, or you’re looking for opportunities to join in and make a difference for wild plants and fungi, read our news articles to discover more about what our volunteers get up to and the difference they make to the work we do.
Find out what it’s like to volunteer at one of our nature reserves. Jim is an Ecologist at the walking and cycling charity Sustrans. He decided to spend one of his annual allocated volunteering days helping at our Deep Dale reserve in Derbyshire. He describes his day working in nature.
As a Plantlife volunteer there’s always something you can get involved in. Here’s a roundup of upcoming talks, events, and training opportunities.
What’s natural or unnatural in nature might feel instinctive. But throughout history, societal biases have shaped our understanding of the natural world and sometimes warped our perceptions of nature. Queer ecology challenges this. Fluidity is everywhere in nature. From sex-changing plants, to gender-fluid woodlice and even fungi where some species have more than 23,000 sexes!
Connor Butler is one of the leading figures in the queer ecology movement and has worked to develop inclusive programmes with many of the UK’s conservation and cultural organisations. Join Connor for a fascinating evening exploring the real diversity in nature and exposing the biases that shape our understanding of it, hosted by Plantlife’s own Robbie Blackhall-Miles.
This talk is open to our volunteers and members.
Booking link will be sent by your volunteer manager.
Learn more about the subjects that spark your interest on Plantlife YouTube channel.
Plantlife – YouTube
Every year hundreds of volunteers take part in Waxcap Watch, a citizen science programme that helps us to find waxcaps and other grassland fungi which are indicators of rare, species-rich grassland.
Knowing where waxcaps and other grassland fungi are thriving helps us pinpoint where fragments of ancient meadows survive, so we can protect them for the future.
This year we are providing on and offline learning opportunities, to learn about the survey and about grassland fungi ID and habitat management. You will be able to choose from a self-led e-learning course, online webinar, or one of 10 in the field workshops in Scotland, Wales and England.
These opportunities will give you the confidence to get out there and take part in Waxcap Watch and will cover:
All opportunities are free, and you will be able to sign up from September.
Date for your diary – Online webinar Mon 6th October 7pm-8pm
Get familiar with ferns! Develop the skills you need to identify woodland ferns and learn more about the history of ferns and their cultural significance in this e-learning course.
Identifying Woodland Ferns e-learning course
Fungi form an important part of grasslands in the UK. With lyrical names like Ballerina waxcap, and Violet coral, these fungi are one of the most colourful and charismatic groups of fungi to learn to identify. On this course you will find out what these vibrant indicators can tell us about the health of a grassland, and how grasslands can be managed sympathetically to protect this globally important group of fungi.
This free self-guided, interactive course is aimed at anyone with an interest in learning about grassland fungi, how to identify them, and best management practices. The 4 units are:
The course supports you to get involved with Waxcap Watch, our grassland fungi citizen science project.
Here’s a roundup of some of our featured projects all of which involve volunteers, or will be involving volunteers in the future. This section will be added to over time as we shine the spotlight on our different projects. Be sure to check back in to keep an eye on the variety of different ways volunteers are working with us.
Dr Rachel Murphy, NPMS Volunteer Manager – ' The NPMS is a nationwide partnership project, supported by hundreds of volunteer citizen scientists, who do botanical surveys every year at their allocated sites. These long-term surveys are providing data that enables us to study the abundance and diversity of plants over time across 30 different semi-natural habitats. Our volunteers have access to an ongoing programme of training and events both online and in person.'
Ellie Baggett, Project Officer Natur am Byth! – 'Summer 2023 saw the launch of Natur am Byth, Wales’ largest natural heritage and outreach programme to save species from extinction and reconnect people to nature. Through our Welsh Marches project, we’re working in Powys, focussing on rare and fascinating lichens and bryophytes of veteran trees and dry rocky outcrops; communities which are increasingly at risk. Watch this space for upcoming events, training, and volunteering opportunities!'
Louise Senior, People Engagement Officer, Species on the Edge, North Coast – 'Species on the Edge is a collaborative approach to environmental action across Scotland’s coasts and islands. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the programme is overseen by NatureScot with partners from 7 conservation charities. On Scotland’s north coast, Plantlife is delivering work on behalf of Butterfly Conservation, Buglife and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Volunteers can help conserve the Great Yellow bumblebee, Small Blue butterfly and the Leaf beetle, as well as Scottish Primrose, Oysterplant and Purple Oxytropis.'
The website and the images on this Volunteer page is supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, CC BY 4.0.
The project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to recruit and develop our Digital Volunteers programme.
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