The Wildlife Team

Our Wildlife Team are able to offer several volunteering opportunities:

Wildlife Ranger Volunteers

A group of volunteers working across any of the wildlife areas across Ipswich’s parks. There is a range of interesting and varied tasks including coppicing, cutting meadows, management of heathland and scrub, even litter-picking and repairing fences.

We work on Wednesdays and/or Thursday generally starting at 10am (unless otherwise stated). We are unable to transport volunteers so you will need to make your own way to site on the day.

For more information please contact our Wildlife Ranger Team on: 01473 433998 or email wildlife.team@ipswich.gov.uk

Business Away Days

The wildlife team offer companies the opportunity to experience a day out of the office doing practical work in Ipswich's parks and open spaces. Activities can include path maintenance, bridge creation and maintenance, hibernacula creation, tree planting and installing benches etc.

If this is something your team would enjoy please contact our Wildlife Ranger Team on: 01473 433998

Holywells Park

Holywells Park is able to offer several volunteering opportunities:

The Gardening Club

Every Tuesday
10am to 4 pm
A group of volunteers that manage and maintain the horticultural areas of the park including flower beds, the sensory maze, the Victorian Dell Garden and all amenity areas of the park.

Christchurch Park

Christchurch Park offers a variety of ways to get involved. You might be able to give us a whole day, half a day, or even just a couple of hours.

Opportunities include:

• Gardening tasks;
• Practical work in the wildlife areas;
• Surveying for wildlife;
• Litter picking;
• Surveying park users, for example carrying out number counts and asking visitors to complete questionnaires.

For further information about getting involved please call in to the Reg Driver Visitor Centre near the Bolton Lane entrance of Christchurch Park or contact Park Manager Nigel Campbell.

Tel: 01473 432989
Email: nigel.campbell@ipswich.gov.uk

Greenways Countryside Project

The Greenways Countryside Project is a partnership supported by Ipswich Borough Council, Babergh District Council, Suffolk Coastal District Council and Suffolk County Council.

It exists to protect and enhance the countryside, landscape and open space across an area of about 100 square kilometres in and around the town of Ipswich. This area is home to around one quarter of the population of Suffolk and this work is to the benefit of the local wildlife and people.

The project relies on volunteers to complete much of its practical conservation work.

The Greenways Countryside Project website provides information on the background, aims and achievements of the project, together with news, events, details of how to get involved, and links to other related sites.

A giant stag beetle sculpture was completed by the Greenways Countryside Project in June 2023. This habitat for Stag Beetles can be found in the Belstead Brook area of Ipswich. Find out more about it here.

Ipswich Tree Warden Network

Ipswich Tree Warden Network is a group of volunteers passionate about supporting trees in Ipswich. This is a flexible volunteer led scheme, with no set volunteer hours and the tree warden co-ordinator facilitates volunteer led projects they are passionate about. This could be anything relating to trees, from organising tree themed events to planting trees, engaging schools with their local trees to growing trees at home!

Find out more about the Ipswich Tree Warden Network.