Volunteering at Murlough National Nature Reserve

Visitor walking across the sand dunes at Murlough National Nature Reserve, County Down, Northern Ireland — Volunteer at this special place | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Would you like to spend some of your spare time learning, meeting people, and being part of a team? Murlough National Nature Reserve has a wide variety of opportunities which you can get involved in, with something to suit everyone.

Get involved through volunteering

The volunteer roles here at Murlough are mostly practical conservation-based ones with opportunities to get involved in environmental education, flora and fauna surveys and guided walks.

Volunteering can be flexible around you. You will get to meet new people and learn new skills in a spectacular setting.

What you can expect

Habitat management
Wildflower surveys
Beach cleans
Tree surveys
Site patrols
Fencing repairs
Boardwalk maintenance
Events
Fixed point photography
Mapping of invasive species
Butterfly surveys (seasonal)

Why join us?

There are lots of reasons to join us; making the move to volunteer could be the best decision you ever make.

Become part of a friendly and dedicated team
Meet people from all walks of life and forge new friendships
Utilise your existing skills and learn new ones
Strengthen your CV and help to develop your career
Enjoy the great outdoors
Learn about the history of this special place.

Volunteering opportunities at Murlough

Murlough volunteer ranger

The volunteer ranger role at Murlough is ideal for anyone who is interested in gaining experience in the world of dune systems and the wildlife that depends on Murlough Nature Reserve. You’ll be mostly based outdoors, supporting the rangers with their day-to-day tasks, or sometimes involved in specific habitat monitoring. Perfect for someone who wants to learn new skills and spend more time in nature.

Mountain volunteer ranger

This role is ideal for anyone who is interested in gaining experience in path work tasks, which involves stone-pitching sections of path using granite boulders. It's an opportunity to learn a range of traditional techniques, join a dedicated team and help our fantastic habitats recover. Your place of work will be Slieve Donard – quite the office view!

Wildfire volunteer ranger

With over 200 hectares of damaged land that will take years to recover, we need your help to restore this fragile landscape and bring back vital habitats for wildlife, from ground-nesting birds like skylarks to the famous Irish hare. Opportunities will involve plenty of habitat surveys, working closely with the Wildfire Recovery Rangers.

Get in touch about volunteering

We’d love to hear from you if you’re keen to lend us a hand. You can contact us to find out more, or search volunteering opportunities by clicking the link below.

Please note that due to the high volume of enquiries about volunteering we may not be able to reply if you apply for a role that is no longer available.