Hunting for harvest mice

Since autumn last year, volunteers have been scouting nature reserves around Sheffield and Rotherham for everything from newt eggs, to skylarks, to harvest mouse nests, and much more in between. I am one of these eager volunteers, working under the Wildlife Trust’s ‘Data for Nature’ initiative, a Heritage Fund project. I want to share with you why getting involved with ‘Data for Nature’ was one of the best decisions I made during my time at university. Volunteering for your local Wildlife Trust is not only a vital way of helping protect wildlife in your local area, it’s also great fun to get involved with!

I initially signed up to volunteer with the Wildlife Trust because I wanted experience in ecological surveys. However, my volunteering has become mo