So, how am I contributing as a volunteer?

Kirk Mason joined the Trust as a volunteer in November 2020, after attending our session at the University of Derby online volunteers fair, where he is currently studying, in the October. Kirk explains why he wanted to help and how he is currently doing this . . .

As an aspiring entomologist, it’s the time of the year where I always get itchy feet. Soon, it will be time to find bumblebees and other amazing insects – Spring is drawing close! Though each year, chance encounters with some of these amazing animals feels increasingly rarer.

Through my Zoology degree, it became apparent that pollinators such as bumblebees are incredibly important to the wider landscape. The service they provide, supports life from the ground up, by helping many flowering plants reproduce. These plants provide food for lots of animals such as insects, birds and mammals – including us! When I learned that more than a third of bumblebee species have declined by 70% in Britain between 1900 and 1980, I was shocked. Shocked that creatures, so charismatic, industrious and important could cease to exist in the future because of our activities – not through ill intentions, but simply not knowing.

This led me to read into how we can reverse these declines and prevent bumblebee extinctions. It quickly became apparent that the Bumblebee Conservation Trust are leading the fight to conserve bumblebees in Britain. How? Through conservation projects, education, helping land managers, research and engaging with people. The Trust also trains members of the public to contribute to citizen science projects (BeeWalk), which are incredibly important in developing a greater understanding of the bigger picture in Britain. After learning this is what the Trust does, I thought “I want to be a part of that!”

So, how am I contributing? For now, I’m helping with public engagement online, by contributing to the Trust’s social media through writing and photography. When I started volunteering with the Trust, I immediately felt at home due to the community spirit amongst the staff and volunteers. The positive and supportive mentality of everyone involved makes for an excellent collaborative environment, where everybody shares a common goal – to conserve our bumblebees.

Once restrictions lift, I hope to help with face-to-face engagement and physical activities such as habitat management. Though there are many ways that we can help, some of which I hope to try! There are green-fingered activities such as bulb planting, growing seeds and cuttings. Surveying through walking outdoors, looking for bumblebees and documenting results is a crucial way of contributing to our scientific understanding of bumblebees. Talks, guided walks and fundraising are great ways of talking about bumblebees with people and helping at the same time. There are admin duties, preparing event resources and even data handling opportunities. Becoming a member of the Trust really helps and no matter your skill set, there are many ways to contribute in the fight to conserve British bumblebees!

See how you can get involved by visiting out volunteering page here.