A Day in the Life of Megan - Practical Reserve Volunteer
The trill of the alarm clock at 8am on a Sunday morning may not appeal to everyone, however not everyone gets to spend their free time volunteering at Steart Marshes (unless you decide to after reading this of course!). The excitement of the days challenges and the escape from everyday life are enough to get me out of bed, that’s for sure.
Each day is different on the reserve, but they always start with warm friendly hello’s and a catch up on any exiting news from the marsh that week. In summer this is usually which young have hatched on the marsh or new sightings, never failing to raise a stir of excitement within the team! Depending on the task at hand different modes of transport to carry the kit (and us!) are available. This includes the staff truck, an adventure in itself as you get a free off roading experience or the Gator which is another thing all together.
Once the jobs of the day get underway it is easy to get carried away, who ever knew de-strangling young trees could be so much fun?! Especially when you discover young newts tucked away in the grass, spot the startled deer leaping through the meadow and with so many interesting people to chat with and learn from. Cliché as it sounds, no two days are the same as there is always something new to do, from erecting fencing, withy bed management, pond clearance or maybe even assisting with the otter surveys.
And the best bit?! There is even a tea kit! After some satisfying work on the reserve, a flask of tea and coffee is passed around and they never skimp on the biscuits, even the chocolate ones...today there were Maltesers! So, this morning I spent my time laughing with a group of lovely ladies, working to enhance visitor enjoyment on the reserve and as we enjoyed our coffee, a Cormorant put on a show gallantly trying to control numerous eels he was attempting to feed on. How did you spend your Sunday?
To find out more about volunteering opportunities look at the ‘visiting’ section on our website https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/steart-marshes/visiting/ and follow the links to our volunteering pages.
