Volunteering
The Ribble Catchment Conservation Trust relies heavily on volunteers as well as its three staff. Volunteers are involved in various projects and work types from Electro Fishing to fence repairs. It is incredibly rewarding and helps immensely in the Trust’s goals in protecting our Rivers.
If you would like to get involved in volunteering for the trust the three main areas we need help are:
• Electro Fishing – The trust undertook 200 surveys in 2008 with the help of volunteers. We would like to expand this to over 300 but we can only do this with volunteers involvement. It is a great way to get involved in the long term monitoring of the catchment’s fish stocks from salmon to bullheads, and is a real eye opener to what is in those small streams people don’t give a second glance to. The surveys are done from Monday to Saturday from June till October, and full training and equipment is provided, you need to be physically fit and in good health. You can do 1 day or 30.
Volunteers helping with the electro fishing during 2008
• Invertebrate Monitoring – The most important thing to a river’s wildlife is the quality of its water. To monitor the water quality to help with the trust’s work and also identify polluters the trust have a volunteer Invertebrate monitoring scheme. Currently this is a small trust scheme but we hope to make it part of the Riverfly Partnership scheme. It is a little more committed, a days training needs to be undertaken and then monthly monitoring of a designated site is required (taking 1 hour a month), the results are then sent back to the trust for action and recording. This is important work, full training and equipment is provided.
• Work Parties – The trust undertake various projects such as Riparian Habitat schemes (fencing off the bankside from livestock), to litter picking. The trust is always looking for help for its work parties to plant trees, carry out fence repairs and litter pick. It is a great excuse for getting outside and meeting like minded people.
Trust volunteers
If you are interested in volunteering for any of the above please contact us by email: jack@ribbletrust.com or by phone: 01200 444452
If you haven’t got time to volunteer for the trust but would still like to contribute why not becoming a trust member, for details visit the support us page.