Each year volunteers donate their time and skills to help conserve and enhance the special landscape. It’s a great way to make friends, learn new skills, get fit and make a real difference.
There are lots of ways you can volunteer on Cannock Chase, either through the National Landscape team or with our partners. There are roles to suit a range of interests including: helping at events, surveys, practical conservation tasks, welcoming visitors, photography and litter picking.
Volunteer roles with the National Landscapes team
We are currently recruiting for the following roles:
Great War Hut Volunteer
This role is to provide access and a warm welcome to everyone visiting the Great War hut at Cannock Chase Visitor Centre and telling the story about Cannock Chase during the Great War and what life was like for the recruit soldiers.
For more information on the role and about the Great War Hut, please see the interview we did with one of the volunteers Trevor Warburton here.
Milford Information Hut Volunteer
Providing access to the information hut at Milford Common and a welcome to everyone visiting this popular site and sharing information about Cannock Chase and the National Landscape. Giving out appropriate leaflets, walking maps and information and signposting visitors.
Fixed Point Photography Volunteers
Helping to monitor changes in the character and condition of the landscape of the National Landscape by taking photographs at specific viewpoints on the Chase, twice a year.
If you want to get involved and would like more information about any of these roles get in touch and leave a message with your contact details. Our email is cannockchase@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Volunteering with our partners
As well as supporting the work of the team, volunteering opportunities are also available with other organisations in and around the AONB. To find out who is currently recruiting follow the links below:
Shugborough Estate, National Trust Volunteer at Shugborough | National Trust
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Volunteering | Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (staffs-wildlife.org.uk)
Staffordshire County Council Rural Access – Staffordshire County Council
Forestry England Volunteering | Forestry England
Friends of Cannock Chase
Volunteering for recording and surveys on the Chase
Some of our partners require people who are prepared to do recording and surveying of species from time to time on the Chase.
For example we have adder surveys, recording for the Ancient Tree Inventory, butterflies, bats and birds surveys.
If you are interested in this kind of conservation volunteering please do get in touch and let us know so that we can point you to the right group.
Heathland birds survey
If you know your heathland birds, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) needs your help. The BTO are organising a Nationwide survey to understand the distribution of three key species, woodlark, Dartford warbler and nightjar with Cannock Chase a focus for the survey.
If you’re interested you can learn more and select a survey square through the
website here.
Recording ancient trees
We need your help to map the ancient or old trees on Cannock Chase. Ancient trees are an important part of the heritage on the Chase. They can live for hundreds of years and support a variety of wildlife including birds, bats, fungi, lichens and bryophytes.
Mapping where they are will help us to protect them and ensure they survive for future generations to enjoy. We already have records of 250 ancient trees on the Chase but suspect that there are many more to add.
If you come across an old tree when out and about on the Chase, you can help us by recording them on the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Inventory here. The website includes lots of useful information about ancient trees, including guidance on how you can recognise and record them on the Inventory.
A tree is defined as ancient if it is
• In the third or final stage of its life (this stage can go on for decades or centuries).
• Old relative to others of the same species.
• Interesting biologically, aesthetically, or culturally because of its great age.
Please remember the following when surveying
Much of Cannock Chase is open access land where the public has the right to roam on foot. On privately owned land please keep to designated footpaths and bridleways. During the bird breeding season many birds use trees to nest in and around them such as low down in vegetation or on the ground, or nest in low vegetation or on the ground away from trees, so please be mindful of this. If you suspect you may be close to a nest or have already disturbed nesting birds (for example, you see or hear agitated birds calling nearby), please don’t linger.
Please be mindful of Adders and Ticks and take the necessary precautions. Please keep dogs under control to avoid disturbing nesting birds or encountering Adders themselves.
If you want to get involved and would like more information about any of these roles get in touch and leave a message with your contact details. Our email is cannockchase@staffordshire.gov.uk.
