West Berkshire Seasonal Wardens

Hours of work: 25 hours per week including regular early mornings, evenings and weekends, worked on a rota system

Fixed term contract: Feb to Aug 2025 (28 weeks)

Based at: Estovers, Greenham Common, Newbury and covering Greenham and Snelsmore Commons

Background

The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is the only charity working to safeguard wildlife and natural landscapes across the three counties. Founded in 1959 by a small group of volunteers, we now have more than 27,000 memberships and 1,700 volunteers. We own or manage more than 80 nature reserves and work in partnership on conservation projects with local communities, businesses, landowners and local authorities. Each year around 12,000 schoolchildren visit our four education centres. We have strong finances, with an annual turnover of £6 million and we’re proud of our highly effective and dedicated team of 150 staff.

BBOWT is part of a national network of 46 Wildlife Trusts, which means our work has a bigger impact, making a difference for wildlife beyond our three counties.

Our ‘Wilder’ plan for 2021-2026 sets one simple overarching aim: to create more nature everywhere. To do this, we need to inspire people to take action and do all we can to restore wilder landscapes.

Our three main goals are to:

• Put nature into recovery

• Empower people to act for nature

• Secure our future

Job purpose

To reduce the disturbance, particularly from dogs off leads, to ground-nesting birds during the nesting season on Greenham & Crookham Commons and Snelsmore Common (managed by BBOWT on behalf of West Berkshire Council).

Reporting line

Reports directly to the West Berkshire Land Manager.

Employee management

None

Budgetary responsibilities

None

Key responsibilities

• The primary responsibility is to be a presence on Greenham & Crookham Commons and Snelsmore Common engaging with visitors, informing them about the commons, the heathland and its wildlife and encouraging them to keep to paths and to keep dogs under control during the bird-nesting season.

• To explain the zoning system to visitors and why they are asked to keep to main paths. To assist with the development, erection and maintenance of posts and signs.

• To help enforce the laws of the commons, reporting problems to BBOWT and when necessary to the police.

• To develop knowledge of the key wildlife, habitat, geology and history of the commons and to inform visitors about the importance of the commons.

• To provide regular wildlife information in print, on social media (Twitter, Facebook etc.) and in the local press.

• To record visitor numbers, their behaviour and their response to wardens

• To produce a summary report at the end of the season.

• To help with ecological recording on the commons and feed this data into the surveying/ recording of the sites.

• To assist with livestock checks.

• To communicate regularly with the Land Management team, key volunteers and surveyors; reporting on any other issues and problems with regard to the use of the common.

• To lead regular guided walks and other events on the commons for the general public.

• Any other duties as delegated by the line manager, Head of Department or Chief Executive.

Person specification

• A good knowledge of wildlife and conservation

• A friendly, self-assured, engaging personality

• Previous experience of dealing with the public

• Ability to manage conflict or difficult situations and ensure personal safety

• Excellent verbal communication skills

• Good written communication skills

• A willingness to work unsociable hours

• A willingness to work outside throughout the season

• Ability and willingness to demonstrate the BBOWT behaviours of Connect; Grow; Lead by Example; Positivity; and Conscious Inclusion

Measurements of success

• Increased insight into visitor behaviour and perceptions by BBOWT.

• Increased understanding of the importance of the commons for wildlife by visitors.

• Improved experience for visitors to the commons.

• Reduced number of negative incidents involving visitors at the commons.

This post will be Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked at basic level. A criminal conviction will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining the position. BBOWT will not unfairly discriminate on the basis of criminal convictions. BBOWT’s policy regarding this matter and the Disclosure and Barring Service Code of Practice are available on request.