At the Scottish Wildlife Trust, we have a network of Wildlife Watch groups – our nature clubs for children. Wildlife Watch provides unparalleled opportunities for young people to connect with nature and foster curiosity outdoors. As we know, being outdoors brings a whole host of benefits to our mental and physical wellbeing, and our Watch groups help with just that – not only for children but for our Wildlife Watch Leaders too!

We currently have 25 Wildlife Watch groups across Scotland, all the way from the borders to the highlands and islands. You can find out more about our groups here.

The groups are run by local Wildlife Watch Leaders, who are enthusiastic volunteers with a passion for the natural world. Below, we give you a little insight into life as a Wildlife Watch Leader…

 

Forres Wildlife Watch Leaders © Jay Butler

 

Session Planning

Wildlife Watch Leaders work together to plan their group’s activities. This is where their creativity can run wild! Our Watch groups run on average once per month, for varying ages. Usually, Leaders will pick a theme for the month and come up with lots of fun activities around the topic. For example, this could be a session all about birds in April or butterflies in August.

 

Glasgow Wildlife Watch’s Brilliant Bugs session © Rachel Faichnie

 

Our Leaders work hard to come up with engaging content for their group every month, from outdoor games and nature crafts to pond dipping and minibeast hunting.

Most of our groups are low resource too – meaning they use things they find in nature for their crafts and games! Our Leaders are continually coming up with creative ways of using natural objects like sticks, leaves and pinecones for different activities.

 

Running the Sessions

Now that the session has been planned, it’s time to get outside! Our Leaders work together to run the group, ensuring everyone has a fun (but safe!) time.

 

Bird box painting at Perth Wildlife Watch © PKCT

 

Our groups meet in different types of outdoor spots, whether on a Trust reserve, public park or local woodland. Some even travel about, visiting a different location each month.

A number of our groups have an indoor shelter they can use, but others are super hardy and venture out in all types of Scottish weather!

 

Pond dipping at Bridge of Earn Wildlife Watch © Jo Latimer

 

Our Wildlife Watch groups are free for families to attend, but as they are very popular you need to book a space (and there is even a waiting list for some!). Each group’s contact information can be found on their web pages here.

 

Volunteer Training

Our Wildlife Watch Leaders have opportunities throughout the year to connect with each other and learn some new skills. The Trust organises training days for our Leaders to help them build their confidence when it comes to outdoor education. The training days are also the perfect time for Leaders to share and swap activity ideas!

 

Learning new games at a training day at Montrose Basin Visitor Centre © Rachel Faichnie

 

Our most recent training day was in February at Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve. Leaders got hands-on, learning all about fire safety outdoors with Operation Play Outdoors. We successfully started our own fires, boiled water for teas and coffees, and of course we had to roast some marshmallows too!

 

Fire safety training at Falls of Clyde © Rachel Faichnie

 

There are many benefits to being a Wildlife Watch Leader, from learning new skills to meeting new people. It’s a great chance to be part of an outdoor education group and help inspire the next generation to care about the environment. Not only that but it’s a great way to get outside and connect with nature yourself! You definitely don’t need to be a wildlife expert to get involved – it’s a great opportunity to learn along with the kids!

 

Edinburgh Wildlife Watch Leader © Flora Duff

 

If you are interested in becoming a  Wildlife Watch Leader, you can find out more information here. For all enquiries or further questions, please contact Rachel Faichnie, Engagement Officer (rfaichnie@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk).

 

Rachel Faichnie, Engagement Officer and Wildlife Watch Leader