Volunteering for 30 Days Wild

Every June the Wildlife Trusts in the UK encourage people to sign up for 30 Days Wild and engage with nature and wildlife in some way every day of the month. 

This week is also Volunteers Week in the UK. This week celebrates the contributions volunteers make to society and encourages people to consider getting involved in volunteering. 

Many conservation organisations rely on volunteers to help them. Volunteers may take part in habitat restoration, tree planting, litter picking, wildlife recording or a whole host of other activities that help the environment. 

I've been volunteering for many years for the Water of Leith Conservation Trust, the charity that looks after one of Edinburgh's rivers. Most weeks, I walk through the Dells, picking litter, recording wildlife, recording how people are using the area, noting down problems such as fly tipping, vandalism or pollution incidents and chatting to people (and their dogs). 

It's great to be involved in looking after such a beautiful place. 

I also enjoy watching the seasons change, the hawthorns are beautifully in bloom at the moment

and lots of birds are singing, recently I've heard whitethroats in a small open area off the main path, it's quite unusual to hear these warblers in the Dells, hopefully they will stay to breed this year. 

If you volunteer, feel free to share your stories in the comments!