Environmental Volunteering

To address climate change and restore nature, we will need many more people with ecology skills. Ecologists are needed to create new woodlands, restore peatbogs, reduce flooding with nature-based approaches, and green our towns and cities. Currently, there is a skills crisis in the ecology profession, with employers struggling to fill vacant posts. Recruitment today relies on graduates and postgraduates in ecology and related subjects. One way to address the skills gap is to improve pathways into ecology jobs for young people with vocational qualifications and for mid-career changers. The Covid crisis prompted many people to re-evaluate their career, creating opportunities to bring in new talent from mid-career changers, supported with appropriate training.
We explored recruitment and the skills gap with a wide range of employers: local government; government regulators; private sector consultancies; and environmental NGOs. Our participants came from large, medium sized and smaller organisations, across the UK and Ireland. The workshops revealed a strong consensus on the seriousness and urgency of the skills gap and capacity crisis in the ecology sector. From the employers’ perspective, there was frustration that new graduates lacked key ecology and professional skills. There was strong interest from employers to investigate how they could open up ecology jobs to young people with vocational qualifications and mid-career changers.
We also engaged with new entrants into ecology and the barriers they faced starting out. Structural issues identified in
the profession included low pay, short-term contracts, irregular working hours, requirements for car ownership, unclear career progression, and insufficient professional development. Most were undertaking substantial unpaid voluntary work, to gain essential skills and experience needed to start their first ecology job. The heavy reliance on this kind of volunteering to develop essential skills is not found in related professions such as Landscape Architecture and Planning. Reliance on volunteering to develop these skills is making a challenging recruitment situation worse, and contributes to the lack of diversity in the sector

Autant le statut des animaux dans les systèmes productifs fait l'objet de débats, autant la définition de la durabilité alimentaire n'implique aucun égard particulier pour les plantes. Le projet PlantCoopLab trouve son inspiration dans ce constat et dans le « tournant végétal » qui appelle à revisiter le statut des plantes. Dans une logique de production économique, faire signifie en général produire des biens ou des services par le travail. Dans le cas des plantes, le « faire » est-il aussi un travail ? Sans pour autant impliquer une personnification, cette question permet de repenser les activités végétales au-delà d'une lecture seulement techniciste, ce qui conduit aussi à reconsidérer le travail effectué avec les plantes. Le projet interroge plus largement la reconnaissance du travail des plantes comme moyen d'infléchir les pratiques nécessaires à la fourniture de nourritures durables.

Las praderas de fanerógamas marinas sufren actualmente un declive global como consecuencia de la presión humana ejercida sobre las áreas costeras y estuáricas. Frente a esta situación, la comunidad científica ha respondido creando redes de seguimiento de las praderas basadas en la participación ciudadana a través del voluntariado. Mediante la cooperación entre la Oficina Verde y el área de Ecología de la Universidad de Cádiz (UCA) se ha creado el Voluntariado Ambiental de Fanerógamas Marinas (FAMAR) en el Parque Natural Bahía de Cádiz. Este programa pretende implicar activamente a la sociedad, transmitir la necesidad de conservación de estos valiosos ecosistemas e inculcar un sentimiento de responsabilidad sobre el entorno natural en general. Tras un año de funcionamiento y con 80 voluntarios registrados, FAMAR ha cubierto con creces las expectativas de participación y han podido plantearse futuras líneas de trabajo tanto a corto como a medio y largo plazo.Seagrass meadows are curre...

Her primary research interests include media reporting and public understandings of health and risk issues. Warwick Blood is Emeritus Professor at the University of Canberra. His primary research interests are risk communication, and he has published widely on the reporting of health issues such as suicide, mental illness, and influenza.

Distribution électronique Cairn.info pour EDP Sciences. © EDP Sciences. Tous droits réservés pour tous pays. La reproduction ou représentation de cet article, notamment par photocopie, n'est autorisée que dans les limites des conditions générales d'utilisation du site ou, le cas échéant, des conditions générales de la licence souscrite par votre établissement. Toute autre reproduction ou représentation, en tout ou partie, sous quelque forme et de quelque manière que ce soit, est interdite sauf accord préalable et écrit de l'éditeur, en dehors des cas prévus par la législation en vigueur en France. Il est précisé que son stockage dans une base de données est également interdit. N a t u r e s Sciences Sociétés Regards Les sols peuvent-ils devenir des biens communs ?

The grounding of the general cargo vessel MV Rena near Tauranga Harbor in October 2011 was New Zealand’s worst environmental disaster. The ship hit an offshore reef, creating hazardous salvage conditions,and the consequent spill of 350 tonnes of fuel oil affected 50 km of coastline and many islands. Many containers fell overboard, creating hazards for other shipping, requiring additional salvage resources, and introducing toxins to the marine environment that are still washing up six years later. The community responded to the disaster by flocking to the beaches and cleaning up the oil by hand, giving well over 20,000 hours of volunteer time. Short- and long-term environmental consequences for wildlife and the inshore marine environment are reviewed, along with the effects on the local economy, the political context and the management response. There were significant economic effects during the summer immediately following the event, but the clean-up appears to have been remarkably ...

This study interrogates the role of volunteers in society empowerment to enable students with a broad view of volunteerism as a first action. This study aims to encourage volunteer research, education, and social activities at the undergraduate and graduate students' levels. At first sight, significant workforce needs exist in educational research and studies, while only a small percentage of students volunteer their services. Consequently, many students miss the opportunity to give back to the community and excel in their academic and career assets in the long run. The analysis exposed that students are the first beneficially in unique ways if they volunteer in research and education. It is also observed that research immensely impacts learning, and knowledge positively influences society. Therefore, by implication, volunteer activities in research and education will benefit young volunteers and communities. Besides, volunteer opportunities are readily available to students. Also, conducting volunteer activities has been impactful on the overall performance rating. A volunteer should train and learn best practices and behavior. It will promote educational research, student success and improve livelihood in the community. In conclusion, this study reveals that volunteering in the field of education and research is critically important for students to participate in volunteer activities. Keywords − Volunteer, young volunteer − Volunteer role − Volunteering benefits − Volunteerism nature − Volunteerism − Volunteer types − Volunteer ethics − Volunteer traits

In recent years, citizen science programs have gained momentum and involved members of the public in active and ongoing science projects. •Citizen science is often defined as a form of research collaboration that engages members of the public in scientific research projects that involve data collection, analysis, and dissemination (Haklay, 2013; Dickinson et al., 2012; Conrad & Hilchey, 2011).

Motivation for volunteer participation is a key aspect that drives and sustains citizen science programs, yet few studies have attempted to evaluate motivation beyond trying to capture how to keep volunteers engaged. This study seeks to identify what common motivational drivers influence volunteer participation in water quality monitoring in Oklahoma.

In February 2011 a severe earthquake devastated Christchurch, New Zealand and the surrounding Canterbury region, killing 185 people, injuring hundreds, and severely damaging the city. One prominent disaster response, the Christchurch Recovery Map (CRM), modelled on the concept of a crisis commons, was populated by social network users drawing upon their immediate local knowledge of the disaster site. This paper draws on in-­‐‐depth interviews with government officials, an IT professional involved in advising government about crises, and a key organizer of the CRM. A key aim of the interviews was to understand how these actors perceived the CRM, the value they attached to it and the challenges it posed for government agencies. Our analysis identified the following interrelated themes: information and identity control; generalized versus localized information; transparency and trust; and blurring the lines of expertise. CRM provides an example of the important role volunteer, citizen-...

Her primary research interests include media reporting and public understandings of health and risk issues. Warwick Blood is Emeritus Professor at the University of Canberra. His primary research interests are risk communication, and he has published widely on the reporting of health issues such as suicide, mental illness, and influenza.

I n Te Ao Mãori, the Toroa (albatross) is sacred. Roimata Toroa, albatross tears, is a widely used tukutuku pattern. Derived from the Te Tairawhiti Ngati Porou story of Pourangahua, the pattern speaks of themisadventures of travelers who take shortcuts in haste to get to port. Pourangahua was an agriculturist who traveling a return journey to Aotearoa to grow kumara, gifted to him by Ruakapenga, a tohunga and learned scientist. Lent two pet albatrosses, Harongarangi and Tiungarangi, by Ruakapenga, Pourangahua is given strict instructions on which hazards to avoid, the care of the birds, and a karakia to give thanksgiving for their safe return. In his hurriedness to see his wife Kaniowai, Pourangahua takes a shortcut, runs into a taniwha (a denotation of hazards), and forgets the karakia and fails to care for the birds,leading to their grief and eventual demise. Realising he has dishonoured Ruakapenga, Pourangahua tries to cover his mistake, by belatedly doing the karakia, but it is ...

Her primary research interests include media reporting and public understandings of health and risk issues. Warwick Blood is Emeritus Professor at the University of Canberra. His primary research interests are risk communication, and he has published widely on the reporting of health issues such as suicide, mental illness, and influenza.

Her primary research interests include media reporting and public understandings of health and risk issues. Warwick Blood is Emeritus Professor at the University of Canberra. His primary research interests are risk communication, and he has published widely on the reporting of health issues such as suicide, mental illness, and influenza.

This study explores the communication and organising of youth volunteers during a crisis, focusing on how they conceived, framed, and executed self-organising efforts during the 2011 Rena oil spill in New Zealand. It offers insights into the intersections of self-organising, youth volunteering and crisis events which have not been researched before. The study addresses two core research questions: 1. how was 'volunteering' conceptualised by youth volunteers involved in the Rena crisis; and 2. how did these volunteers communicate and self-organise during this crisis? The findings indicate that self-organising emerged out of a resistance towards structured responses and as a reaction to the inability of the official volunteer response to meet the needs of the community. Self-organised efforts were particularly attractive among youth volunteers because they offered flexibility, required minimal administrative processes, and fostered an environment of innovation and creativity. The volunteers' youthful energy and technological aptitude additionally drove their self-organised responses. The study identifies the considerable challenges that crisis officials faced in utilising youth volunteers despite the significant advantages of self-organising.

This study explores the communication and organising of youth volunteers during a crisis, focusing on how they conceived, framed, and executed self-organising efforts during the 2011 Rena oil spill in New Zealand. It offers insights into the intersections of self-organising, youth volunteering and crisis events which have not been researched before. The study addresses two core research questions: 1. how was 'volunteering' conceptualised by youth volunteers involved in the Rena crisis; and 2. how did these volunteers communicate and self-organise during this crisis? The findings indicate that self-organising emerged out of a resistance towards structured responses and as a reaction to the inability of the official volunteer response to meet the needs of the community. Self-organised efforts were particularly attractive among youth volunteers because they offered flexibility, required minimal administrative processes, and fostered an environment of innovation and creativity. The volunteers' youthful energy and technological aptitude additionally drove their self-organised responses. The study identifies the considerable challenges that crisis officials faced in utilising youth volunteers despite the significant advantages of self-organising.

This study explores the communication and organising of youth volunteers during a crisis, focusing on how they conceived, framed, and executed self-organising efforts during the 2011 Rena oil spill in New Zealand. It offers insights into the intersections of self-organising, youth volunteering and crisis events which have not been researched before. The study addresses two core research questions: 1. how was 'volunteering' conceptualised by youth volunteers involved in the Rena crisis; and 2. how did these volunteers communicate and self-organise during this crisis? The findings indicate that self-organising emerged out of a resistance towards structured responses and as a reaction to the inability of the official volunteer response to meet the needs of the community. Self-organised efforts were particularly attractive among youth volunteers because they offered flexibility, required minimal administrative processes, and fostered an environment of innovation and creativity. The volunteers' youthful energy and technological aptitude additionally drove their self-organised responses. The study identifies the considerable challenges that crisis officials faced in utilising youth volunteers despite the significant advantages of self-organising.

In February 2011 a severe earthquake devastated Christchurch, New Zealand and surrounding Canterbury region, killing 185 people, injuring hundreds, and severely damaging the city. One prominent disaster response, the Christchurch Recovery Map (CRM), modelled on the concept of a crisis commons, was populated by social network users drawing upon their immediate local knowledge of the disaster site. This paper draws on in­depth interviews with government officials, an IT professional involved in advising government about crises, and a key organizer of the CRM. A key aim of the interviews was to understand how these actors perceived CRM, the value they attached to it and the challenges it posed for government agencies. Our analysis identified the following interrelated themes: Information and identity control; Generalized versus localized information; Transparency and trust; and Blurring the lines of expertise. CRM provides an example of the important role volunteer, citizen­led initiatives using new technologies can play in assisting official efforts to inform communities during and after a disaster. The government rebuffed CRM's key organizer, Tim McNamara, when he requested a meeting to discuss government concerns about the trustworthiness of CRM information. The paper explores what can be learned for future disaster preparedness from this clash by interviewing McNamara and key government officials.

This contribution is conceived as a critique of the focus of the (francophone) literature on urban “nature” on the hypothetical “social demand” towards it. In contrast, we approach city-dwellers as makers rather than “users”, and “nature” not as a generic object but as a heterogeneous assemblage of active non-humans. By doing so, we seek to shed light on the productive activity performed by these two categories of actors, at a time when neoliberal austere policies question the role of professionals in the making of urban green spaces. We analyse the political economy of urban nature, to show that the development of programmes that mobilise volunteer work and non-human labour testifies to a new division of environmental labour.
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Cet article se veut une prise de position à l’encontre des approches de la « nature » en ville par la présupposée « demande sociale » dont elle ferait l’objet. Abordant les citadins non comme des « demandeurs » mais des acteurs voire des faiseurs, et la « nature » non comme un objet générique mais comme un ensemble hétérogène et multiple de non-humains agissants, il vise à saisir l’activité de production mise en oeuvre par ces deux catégories d’acteurs à l’heure où les politiques néolibérales d’austérité remettent en cause la fabrique professionnelle des espaces verts. Nous penchant sur l’économie politique de la nature urbaine, nous montrons que les programmes de bénévolat et de mise au travail des non-humains dans les parcs sont des témoins d’une nouvelle division du travail environnemental.

We explore the experiences of people who volunteer to help remediate the effects of non-natural environmental disasters. Following the grounding of the Rena, volunteers were engaged to clean up the resulting oil spill on the beaches of Tauranga, New Zealand. Volunteers were later invited to respond to an online questionnaire about their experiences. More women than men responded, and respondents tended to be older, and engaged in the paid workforce or retired. Greater membership in community organizations was associated with a greater participation in clean-up events. Respondents were positive about the experience, and were more positive when they had actually participated in a clean-up event, with positivity remaining high even after multiple volunteer occasions. Recommendations are made for increasing volunteer participation.

Command Centre was established which, among other tasks, coordinated a volunteer clean-up effort.We interviewed volunteers and organisers to gain insight into the efficacy of the volunteer coordination effort. Volunteers praised the system of communication and the involvement of indigenous groups. They expressed a desire for better training, more flexibility and community autonomy, a quicker uptake of volunteer support, and the use of social media. Locating the Incident Command Centre in a single site aided interaction between experts, and the sharing of resources. Overall, the volunteer coordination was considered a success.

This study explores the communication and organising of youth volunteers during a crisis, focusing on how they conceived, framed, and executed self-organising efforts during the 2011 Rena oil spill in New Zealand. It offers insights into the intersections of self-organising, youth volunteering and crisis events which have not been researched before. The study addresses two core research questions: 1. how was ‘volunteering’ conceptualised by youth volunteers involved in the Rena crisis; and 2. how did these volunteers communicate and self-organise during this crisis? The findings indicate that self-organising emerged out of a resistance towards structured responses and as a reaction to the inability of the official volunteer response to meet the needs of the community. Self-organised efforts were particularly attractive among youth volunteers because they offered flexibility, required minimal administrative processes, and fostered an environment of innovation and creativity. The volunteers’ youthful energy and technological aptitude additionally drove their self-organised responses. The study identifies the considerable challenges that crisis officials faced in utilising youth volunteers despite the significant advantages of self-organising.