Volunteering Progress

Snowdonia Society

The Snowdonia Society would like to see a National Park in which the unique and irreplaceable qualities, on which the economy depends, are proudly protected by thriving and cohesive communities that have adapted to climate change.

The Snowdonia Society is a registered charity working to protect, enhance and celebrate Snowdonia, its wildlife and heritage. The Society works with local communities, organisations and businesses to achieve this vision.

http://www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/

Yesterday I e-mailed the Snowdonia Society to offer my services as a volunteer.  Today I received a very speedy and friendly reply from Bea.  Once you've volunteered they e-mail you with events, as and when they are arranged. 

In my e-mail I mentioned that I was an ML(Summer).  Anyway, it seems that they have some sort of walking event planned for Saturday 5th May, to coincide with the official opening of the All Wales Coastal Path, so wondered if I fancied helping with that - of course I said yes!  Not sure about the details as yet, but I'll keep you posted as and when details become available.

OPAL (Open Air Laboratories)

The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network is an exciting initiative that is open to anyone with an interest in nature.

We aim to create and inspire a new generation of nature-lovers by getting people to explore, study, enjoy and protect their local environment. In 2007 OPAL received a grant of £11.75million from the Big Lottery Fund

http://www.opalexplorenature.org/


I discovered the OPAL website last year when  I was looking for surveys that young people could take part in.  Currently there are 6 different surveys available for anyone to participate in.  These are:
Soil and Earthworm Survey
Air Survey
Climate Survey
Biodiversity Survey
Water Survey
Bugs Count Survey

The website contains detailed information about the need for surveys and what OPAL hopes to do with the results.  The best part is that there are step by step guides for each survey, with workbooks/sheets for collating results.  Any identification guides required are also included.

You are able to register online with OPAL and enter all your results electronically.  You can then see your own personal record for the results you have sent in.  These results are then added to the overall survey results, which can also be seen online.

This may sound very complicated, but the site is very friendly and tries to encourage children to participate.  There are even class resources for Teachers.

I recommend having a look at the website, especially if you have children and enjoy the outdoors.  It may inspire you to have a go at one of the surveys as a family activity or as part of a day out.  My eldest son has recently registered with OPAL and hopes to start taking part regularly in several of the surveys as part of his Bronze DofE award.

I too have registered with OPAL and will be sending in results for the Climate and Air Surveys whenever I can.

John Muir Award Proposal Accepted!!

I have just had my John Muir Conserver Award proposal accepted by Hugo at the Welsh Award Office. I am so pleased that they thought my ideas were suitable! Everything that I report on this blog will be going towards the award.

I have already completed the Discovery Level Award, which I did a couple of years ago with a group of Scouts where I was the leader.  Since then, as part of my job as Accreditation Development Worker for Conwy Youth Service I have tried to encourage Youth Workers to get their clubs involved in the scheme.  There has been some interest, but no completions as yet.  I hope to help boost interest with my personal involvement in the scheme.  I want to show everyone that with a bit of imagination and commitment any one can complete an award, at whatever level. 

For those not familiar with the scheme below is an extract from the Award web site:

 

 About the John Muir Award

The John Muir Award is an environmental award that encourages people of all backgrounds to connect, enjoy and care for wild places through a structured yet adaptable scheme. The Award is not competitive but should challenge each participant. Taking part will develop an understanding of, and responsibility for, a chosen wild place or places. For some this will offer an opportunity to explore values and spirituality. 

It was launched in 1997 by the John Muir Trust to:

Promote educational, social and personal development through exploration of wild places and involvement in conservation

• Encourage an environmental agenda within youth organisations
• Ensure that social circumstances don’t exclude people from opportunities to experience wild places.

John Muir Award Criteria

Four Challenges are at the heart of each John Muir Award, to achieve an Award each participant must:

Discover a wild place

Explore its wildness

Conserve - take personal responsibilty

Share experiences

  

Participants should show enthusiasm and commitment, and have an awareness about John Muir (pdf 105kb).

There are 3 levels of the Award, encouraging a progressive involvement (pdf 116 kb). The same 4 challenges above are repeated for each level, with increased involvement in time, activity and ownership.

• Discovery Award (introductory level) minimum 4 days (or equivalent)
• Explorer Award (intermediate level) minimum 8 days (or equivalent)
• Conserver Award (advanced level) minimum 20 days (or equivalent) over 6 months

Read more about the scheme at http://www.jmt.org/jmaward-home.asp  The scheme is open to all - individuals, families, groups, of any age.  So why not give it a go?? 

Welcome to my blog!!

Inspired by Alistair Humphries MicroAdventures I want to challenge myself and add to my knowledge and understanding of the wonderful area in which I live - Snowdonia - via a range of new experiences.  Alistair Humphries is one of the National Geographic's Adventurers of 2012, who advocates bitesize, local, cheap adventures on your door step.

I too want to spend this year having adventures on my doorstep, as well as giving something back and encouraging others to do the same.  I am also hoping to achieve the John Muir Conserver Award as a result of my endevours.

I have been mountaineering on and off, since I was 16 and joined a local Venture Scout Unit in my home town of Crewe, Cheshire.  I love the great outdoors and love to share it with others.  Whilst living in Conwy I have walked extensively in Northern Snowdonia, both on my own and with a variety of groups.  I have a good knowledge of the Carneddau, Glyders and Snowdon's tourist paths.  I have walked Cadair Idris via 2 different paths and some of the Berwyns, but that was over 15 years ago.

This year I want to push myself!  I want to do something worthwhile, different, challenging and above all, have FUN doing it.  I want to find out more about Snowdonia National Park, it's wildlife, it's flora and fauna, and it's past, present and future.  I want to explore areas of the Park into which I haven't yet ventured and take part in new experiences.  I will be using this blog to record my exploits.

So what adventures am I planning??

Adventures thinking of so far:

• Circumnavigate the following lakes in a kayak - Llyn Geiryonydd, Llyn Padarn, Llyn Tegid, Llyn Gwynant (I've never kayaked that far before)
• Bivi on top of a mountain, so that I can see the sun rise on the morning of the summer solstice
• Find a cave and sleep in it
• Find a mountain shelter and spend the night in it
• Start walking at dusk and walk till morning
• Find an easy fell running route and complete it (not a race that might be one step too far!)
• Complete some sort of cycle route within the park (I don't do cycling, so this will be a challenge in itself!)
• Blind fold selection!  Blind folded, point to a spot on the map within the Park and get there.

Where possible I want to use public transport to get around the Park.  My adventures will take place mainly at weekend, unless I can mange to take time off work, and I will do them on my own, or with my family and friends - although they don't know it yet!!!

So let the challenge begin!!!