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Volunteer groups carrying out conservation work aim to protect, improve and enrich their local environment. This may sound obvious but sometimes it can be forgotten. They have a duty to set high environmental standards and work to them. This should cover not just conservation work but all aspects of the group's affairs. Whether or not you choose to adopt a formal environ-mental policy, you should be thinking about how your group affects the environment through its work.

Transport

One aspect of this is the way the group travels to and from projects. You should look to minimise the use of cars by car sharing to help cut pollution. If possible, encourage people to cycle or walk as well. If public transport is available, make sure that your start time coincides with the timetables.

Resources

Look for products which come from sustainable sources, and try to use less of everything. Remember the slogan "Reduce, re-use, repair, recycle, replace". Groups frequently use timber for fencing and stiles. Look for locally-grown timber that will suit the job and recycled products where possible, including paper for newsletters and minutes.

Avoid using peat if you are gardening as it is taken from sites that can be rich in wildlife. Maybe your project should make compost if you need to improve the soil and consider getting other people to do so as well. If you want to know more about stopping using peat ask your local Wildlife Trust for information.

Shillington Conservation Volunteers have been working on a major project to restore local pathways in their village, many of which cross private land and need sensitive work. Material for stiles and kissing gates was provided by a supplier of locally grown timber.

Further use of timber can be encouraged by the establishment of 'timber stations'. The London Tree Officers Association is setting these up around London. They will accept both unwanted green wood and also timber beams etc. from demolished buildings. Some will be re-used and made available for project work and some will be burnt for energy, cutting down on the huge amount of timber that gets buried each year in land-fill sites.

Above all, look for constructive ways to save resources. Recycling materials is one way, and your group should encourage all members to support local schemes. You should also look to buy recycled materials, since recycling schemes depend on markets for what is produced. You might like to contact your Local Authority to see if there are any waste collection schemes in the area for aluminium cans, for example. 

Some Local Authorities have recycling networks that put producers of waste materials in touch with the people who need them.

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