Maria Crastus is studying for an MSc in Conservation. She has volunteered with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV)
As a practical conservation volunteer with BTCV, I do a great variety of tasks in different sessions. I have planted trees and flowers, felled trees, cleared invasive vegetation, and built hedges and other winter hibernation habitats. I have also been part of a major new project at Waterlow Park Kitchen Garden to establish a new community food growing space by measuring up the new allotments and digging out the vegetable beds.
When I started volunteering, I got a good sense of achievement from knowing that I was making a tangible contribution to the improvement of the local environment, and I still feel the same way now, after 3 months and 8 different sessions. One of the best things about volunteering on different activities across London is that you get to know different neighbourhoods better, and it is always a good feeling when you start out working at some fairly neglected sites, and, after a 3 or 4 hour session, they look quite noticeably tidier and more attractive.
One of the challenges that comes with these kinds of outdoor activities is that there is never a roof over your head and so you are exposed to whatever weather the day decides to throw at you. This is a disadvantage when it is inclement – I have completed several sessions in the rain, and one when it was snowing fairly heavily. And when it comes to the summer, it will surely not be pleasant to complete some quite physically demanding tasks in the heat and with no shelter from the direct sunlight.
Nevertheless, I feel that volunteering has changed me for the better. For one thing, I get good exercise outdoors in the fresh air, and it will also help me to decide whether I would like the practical side of conservation as a career. In any case, I know I am helping to improve the local environment, and I would recommend BTCV to anyone interested in an environmental career to give them the practical experience that will be necessary when they come to apply for jobs in this field.