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Volunteering opportunities

Volunteer contributions are essential to our project. You can get involved in many different ways - find out more about our volunteering opportunities below.

How can you help?

There are a variety of ways in which you can get involved with the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative. Use the drop down menu to find out what opportunities are available near you – these activities are described in further detail below.

We have a defined project area in northern Scotland – our project area is Highland/Eastern Perthshire, Angus, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Inverness-shire, Wester Ross and West Sutherland. You can view a map of our project area here.

We do not currently undertake any invasive species control work, nor can we support any volunteering, outside these areas. 

What’s going on in my area?

Working alongside our qualified staff you can assist with the control of giant hogweed using knapsack sprayers. Treatment takes place between late March and early July.

In the Tay catchment giant hogweed volunteering opportunities mostly take place in Aberfeldy, Stanley, Alyth and along the River Almond. These activities are part of wider control operations across the catchment.

Working alongside our qualified staff you can assist with the control of Japanese knotweed using knapsack sprayers or stem injectors. Treatment takes place between August and October.

In Tayside, Japanese knotweed volunteering opportunities take place throughout the catchment as the plant is widespread, with infestations present on many rivers and tributaries.

Work alongside our qualified staff to help control American skunk cabbage using backpack sprayers or by manual removal (digging). Treatment takes place in May and June.

In Tayside, American skunk cabbage control is mostly is carried out by land managers and our project team so volunteering opportunities are limited. If you would be keen to help please let your local Project Officer know and we can try to make arrangements to accommodate you.

Join us on one of our Himalayan Balsam volunteer days – a great opportunity for individual volunteers and for groups! Himalayan balsam is pulled out by hand or cut using weed slashers. Control work is carried out in July and August in targeted locations within our project area.

In Tayside we are currently working with communities groups in Pitlochry and Blairgowrie. Individual volunteers are welcome to join these control days as well.

Adopt a monitoring raft or live-capture trap in your local area and help us to protect vulnerable native wildlife from the invasive non-native American mink.

We have an extensive trapping network throughout the Tay catchment and currently have limited capacity to take on new locations. If you would be interested in getting involved please get in touch and, where possible, we will make arrangements for you.

How you can get involved

Find out more about our volunteering opportunities below - and please get in touch if you have any questions!

Adopt a mink raft or trap (year round)

Our project relies on the support of volunteers to adopt mink rafts and traps and help us monitor for, and catch, American mink across a wide area.

Volunteers adopt a monitoring raft or live-capture trap in their local area. In monitoring mode, a clay tracking pad will be checked every 1-2 weeks for signs of mink – once detected, a live capture trap is deployed. In trapping mode, volunteers either carry out daily checks or use a remote monitoring unit, which sends an alert when the trap is triggered. The trap must then be checked manually and the local Project Officer is alerted if a mink is captured. Once captured, mink are humanely dispatched by a trained and qualified dispatcher.

We now regularly use remote monitoring units and go straight to ‘trapping mode’ when a new raft is set up. 

We currently have over 350 volunteers helping to monitor over 600 rafts and traps in northern Scotland. Would you like to get involved and help protect vulnerable wildlife in your local area?

Find out more

Control American skunk cabbage (May-June)

American skunk cabbage can be treated by herbicide application (Glyphosate) or by digging the plant up by the roots. Both methods are used in our control programme, depending on what is most appropriate for the infested site. We treat in spring and early summer (usually between May and June) before the plant sets seed.

American skunk cabbage is (thankfully!) only present in a few river catchments so this opportunity is available in select areas within our project. Use the drop down menu above to see if this plant is being control in your area – and let your local Project Officer know if you would be keen to help with this plant.

This volunteering opportunity takes place along riverbanks where terrain can be rough underfoot – please get in touch with your local Project Officer if you have concerns about accessibility.

Read more about American skunk cabbage and why we are controlling it.

Sign up now

Spray giant hogweed (March-July)

The most effective control method for giant hogweed is to treat the emerging leaves with herbicide (Glyphosate) in the spring to early summer. We generally treat between late March and early July, before the plant sets seed.

Working alongside our qualified staff you can assist with the application of herbicide to giant hogweed, using knapsack sprayers. No prior experience is needed and all protective clothing, equipment and instruction is provided. Regular volunteers can go on to gain their Pesticide Application qualifications (PA1 & PA6).

This volunteering opportunity takes place along riverbanks where terrain can be rough underfoot – please get in touch with your local Project Officer if you have concerns about accessibility.

Read more about Giant hogweed and why we are controlling it.

Sign up now

Spray/stem inject Japanese knotweed (August-October)

The most effective way to control Japanese knotweed is by herbicide (Glyphosate) application, using either knapsack sprayers (to apply a foliar spray) or stem injectors (to inject herbicide directly into the stem). We treat plants from late summer to autumn, usually between August and October.

Working alongside our qualified staff you can assist with the application of herbicide to Japanese knotweed, using knapsack sprayers or stem injectors. No prior experience is needed and all protective clothing, equipment and instruction is provided. Regular volunteers can go on to gain their Pesticide Application qualifications (PA1 & PA6).

This volunteering opportunity takes place along riverbanks where terrain can be rough underfoot – please get in touch with your local Project Officer if you have concerns about accessibility.

Read more about Japanese knotweed and why we are controlling it.

Sign up now

Himalayan balsam pulling (July to August)

Himalayan balsam has a very shallow root system which means it can easily be pulled up by hand, or larger plants dug out with a spade. In monocultures (dense infestations) it can also be controlled using strimmers or weed slashers. 

Join us on one of our Himalayan Balsam volunteer days to help our staff and fellow volunteers control Himalayan balsam – a great way to meet new people, get out in the fresh air and do something positive for nature! As well as individual volunteers, this is a great opportunity for community groups, schools, and employee volunteer days.

This work is carried out in targeted locations within the project area where our efforts will make the most difference. Control work is carried out in July and August, before the plant sets seed.

This volunteering opportunity take place along riverbanks where terrain can be rough underfoot – please get in touch with your local Project Officer if you have concerns about accessibility.

Read more about Himalayan balsam and why we are controlling it

Sign up now

Want to volunteer?

If you are interested in any of the above opportunities please complete the on-line registration form. We will then match you with your local area contact and they will get in touch.

Sign Up Now

Student volunteering

We’d be delighted to hear from students who want to volunteer with us in their free time. Our volunteering opportunities are flexible so it’s a great way to get experience around your studies, both in term time and in summer breaks. 

Project seasonality means that opportunities are mostly available between April and October with volunteer days taking place during the week. American mink monitoring work has a longer season, but activity tends to drop off in mid-winter depending on both weather conditions and mink activities. 

If you would be interested in a student placement, please visit our Student Volunteering page for further information. As with volunteer days, project seasonality means that we would only be able to offer opportunities between April and October.

Student volunteering

Group volunteering

Are you part of a community group or angling association who would like to get involved?

Or would you like to organise a Conservation Volunteer day with us for a school, university, community, wildlife club, youth or corporate group?

Visit our group volunteering page to find out more!

Group volunteering

Report a sighting

You can also help by reporting sightings of key invasive species. Follow the link below to submit your report.

Report a Sighting

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