Land for Wildlife - opportunities for volunteer involvement
| What is Land for Wildlife? Land for Wildlife is a voluntary program delivered by the Department of Sustainability and Environment in partnership with the Bird Observer's Club of Australia. The program aims to encourage and assist landholders to provide habitats for wildlife on their properties even though the property may be managed primarily for other purposes. Land for Wildlife covers a wide range of activities. The scheme assists some 5, 900 properties involved throughout Victoria with advice and opportunities to share experiences. A range of other projects associated with conserving wildlife habitat on private land are also undertaken. Opportunities to volunteer There are many opportunities for volunteer involvement, depending on your interests, skills and time commitment. Registering your property Landholders can become voluntary members of the Land for Wildlife scheme. To apply for membership, simply fill out the application form and forward it to the Land for Wildlife extension officer nearest your property. These volunteers are actively involved with protecting habitat or restoring habitats on their own land. Office administration and field days Volunteers who would like to become further involved, or do not have a property, may wish to provide support to Land for Wildlife extension officers. Extension officers operate the scheme in their local area and undertake specific projects related to promoting the provision of wildlife habitat on private land such as running field days. There are many administrative tasks that are suited to volunteer involvement. By helping in this way, Land for Wildlife extension staff can spend more of their valuable time assisting landholders directly. Filing, computer data entry, newsletter and flyer production, organising field days and displays are the types of activities on offer. Property assessment Volunteers with appropriate natural resource management or native biodiversity skills or experience, or an aptitude to gain these skills, are currently assisting in Land for Wildlife property assessments. This role offers the opportunity to meet landholders and learn more about the needs of wildlife. The scheme provides training to volunteers who help in this way. The ability to offer encouragement, record property and habitat details and some knowledge of wildlife and its habitat requirements are desirable skills for this role. Alternatively, volunteers may wish to work directly with a landholder protecting or creating habitat. This may involve planting, fencing, weeding or other habitat works. Land for Wildlife can invite landholder members wishing to have volunteers help in this way to contact you. Regional planning Land for Wildlife makes direct contact with landholders who manage significant areas of wildlife habitat. If you can imagine yourself helping to identify areas important for wildlife, preparing plans for wildlife management, discussing these opportunities with landholders and working with landholders to improve habitats on their land then you may be interested in this voluntary role. Organisational skills, skills in mapping, design, planning and communicating would be beneficial to these tasks. How to get involved The first step to volunteer involvement is to contact the Land for Wildlife Extension Officer nearest to the area in which you would like to work. Alternatively, send a letter or email explaining your interests, skills and the role you wish to play to the Land for Wildlife Co-ordinator who will circulate it to Land for Wildlife extension officers and/or landholders (if appropriate). Return to Land for Wildlife's Home Page |  |