Butterfly Volunteer Surveyor

Do you love walking in the countryside on a sunny day? Can you identify the most common butterfly species that we have here in Yorkshire? If so, the role of butterfly surveyor could be perfect for you.

We are currently looking to recruit Volunteer Butterfly Transect Surveyors across our Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Reserves, particularly:

• Ashberry (North-east Yorkshire)
• Fen Bog (North-east Yorkshire)
• Askham Bog (North Yorkshire)
• Staveley (North Yorkshire)
• Wheldrake Ings (North Yorkshire)
• Brae Pasture (North-west Yorkshire)
• Spurn Point (East Yorkshire)
• Sprotbrough Flash (South Yorkshire)

With rapid life cycles and often high sensitivity to environmental conditions, butterflies are uniquely placed amongst terrestrial invertebrates to act as indicators to environmental changes. As a result, butterfly surveys are a key ecological monitoring program on Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserves. Collecting data on the species present, as well as the abundance of these species over time, allows us to identify trends. These trends help to inform us on how best to manage reserves, for example:

• If data shows a species is in decline; we can investigate what may have caused this and consider what actions might be needed to halt or even reverse it e.g., habitat creation, or changes in management practices.
• If data shows a species is thriving; this may prompt research into why that might be and if there are lessons we can take and apply at other reserves.

The data collected through the butterfly surveys is shared with Butterfly Conservation through entry into the United Kingdom Butterfly Monitoring Scheme database and thus it contributes to a national monitoring initiative. The result of which is a knowledge base that, amongst other things, informs government policies addressing environmental issues.

So, whether you’re a life-long butterfly enthusiast or someone who has only recently come to appreciate their beauty and importance, we would love to hear from you. You do not need to be an expert, as long as you know the most common species and are willing to learn then we’d love to have you volunteering with us. We are also holding a butterfly ID event online on 14th April, which you are very welcome to join.

Please note, butterfly surveys can only take place when the weather is warm and calm, so you will need to have a flexible approach about when you go out onto sites. You will also need to be comfortable with walking up to 2km on each visit, sometimes across uneven terrain.

How to Apply

For more information and to apply, please visit our website

Please mention ConservationJobs.co.uk when applying for this job!

Attachments

 Butterfly Volunteer Surveyor