Put your GIS skills to practice to map local species and habitat diversity of Ham Lands Local Nature Reserve. You will be working with Habitats & Heritage, a local nature and heritage conservation charity, and Friends of Ham Lands.
About Ham Lands Local Nature Reserve
Location: Ham Lands, Riverside Drive, Richmond, TW10 7QA
Ham Lands spans an area of 180 acres (100 football pitches) comprising of grasslands, reed beds, scrub and woodland which supports an impressive variety of wildlife. Many of the plant and insect species found at Ham Lands are uncommon or rare for London. This was a fortunate result of the filling of old gravel pits after WWII. Rubble and soil was brought in from all corners of London and South East England, carrying with it samples of the local seeds.
In recognition of this rich biodiversity, Richmond Council has classified Ham Lands as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) and a Local Nature Reserve.
Climate change is having a significant impact on biodiversity and is influencing how the encroaching plants are managed. Thus, monitoring and engaging with the local community in a holistic, inclusive and empowering way is becoming more important in protecting Ham Lands. You will be working with Friends of Ham Lands to deliver some of these vital aspects. You will also have the opportunity to engage with both Richmond and Kingston Biodiversity partnerships to share knowledge and experience.
Friends of Ham Lands supports the rich variety of natural habitats through activities such as monitoring, habitat restoration, sharing of information and seasonal walks to educate the public.
How you could help us
As a mapping volunteer for Friends of Ham Lands, you will be working alongside the Community Engagement Officer at Habitats & Heritage and Sharon Mehta from Friends of Ham Lands, who has knowledge and experience of the nature reserve.
We would love it if you could use your skills to help us with the following:
- Create a layered map to record biodiversity, management work and the impacts of climate change on Ham Lands
- Work with the social media volunteer to consolidate and collate data on species and habitats
If you would like to apply for this role, please email sophia@habitatsandheritage.org.uk with a cover letter, no more than half a page, briefly describing why you are interested in this role. Please also include if there are any particular areas of nature conservation you would like to explore!
This is a perfect role for someone with GIS skills and an interest in a career in nature conservation. This role is flexible, allowing you to work remotely, in the office and on-site at Ham Lands. You will be able to explore your own interests, such as taking part in species monitoring, and Habitats & Heritage will be able to connect you with key partners to help you ahcieve this.
- Communication
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Working independently
- Develop GIS/ mapping skills
- Species monitoring and identification (if desired)
- Data analysis
No previous experience is necessary for this role, although an interest in nature conservation and proficiency in environmental mapping, such as GIS, is required.
This role has a duration of 6 months at 1 to 2 days per month. If you prefer, you could also complete this in a shorter time frame during 2 months over your holidays. You can choose what days to work.
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