Living Rivers Volunteer Opportunities
We need your help to protect our local rivers and maintain the best habitats for our river species such as Water Vole, Trout and Grayling. Depending on the time of year, there are opportunities available to volunteers on our rivers. This might involved helping to monitor Riverfly populations as a Riverfly monitor, joining us at work parties to clear out invasive species or building habitats as a Living Rivers Practical Volunteer or training as a Water Vole Surveyor.
Riverfly Monitor
*We are not currently offering training for new Riverfly Monitors. We will update this page when new opportunities are available.*
Help record chalk river invertebrates (Riverflies) on a monthly basis, through kick sampling at a site local to you. We monitor around 30 sites on rivers across Hertfordshire, recording numbers of 8 groups of Riverflies. This gives us information about water quality and weather related impacts to monitor the health of our rivers. Training is required.
Course currently costs £30 per person and is run by an accredited trainer. We aim to run two training courses per year, in spring and autumn, for new monitors. After completing the 1 day course, you will have the option to adopt a Riverfly site. A monitoring kit is supplied on a long term loan. Age 16+ (under 18s must be supervised by parent/guardian or give written consent to take part in a project). More info about the Riverfly scheme can be found here.
Citizen science river monitoring volunteer
*Please register your interest in volunteering*
We are currently holding a 1 year review of our citizen science methods and sampling locations. While this is happening new volunteer recruitment is on a temporary freeze but please do leave your details if you would like to be involved in this project.
The review the will help us work out additional locations for sampling and to understand if there is any other information we need to collect.
We really value the time our volunteers commit to our project and want to ensure their time is used in the best possible way to help make a positive impact on our precious chalk streams.
We will be in touch once we have our plans finalised and we are able to offer training. This is likely to be in early Spring 2025.
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Volunteers take part in one or more of a selection of monitoring methods, including monitoring sediment run off into rivers, pipes along the riverbank, and water quality testing. It is possible to complete the surveying at your own pace/ time. Although water testing requires a monthly commitment. Full training is given in the methods used and all equipment is provided. It is necessary to be able to use an app to upload the data collected and to remain in contact with the volunteer co-ordinator. The project is happening across the River Lea tributaries - this could be the Beane, Stort, Rib, Quin, Mimram or the Upper Lea.
Anticipated time commitment: Flexible, minimum is an hour a month
Water Vole Surveyor
*There are currently no Water Vole Surveyor opportunities. We will update this page when we start training new volunteers.*
To protect Water Vole habitats, volunteers survey the river for signs of Water Voles and report their findings to the Water Vole Recovery Project (WVCO). Volunteers can adopt any stretch of river or lake margin to survey and must dedicate half a day per year to surveying the site plus additional time to communicate findings to the WVCO. Initially, Water Vole ecology and training in surveying the signs (such as latrines and feeding signs) will be given. Refresher training can also be given if needed.