Category: Volunteer Voice

“I started my Trees for Life journey in 2015 with a week of volunteering in Glen Affric, planting trees and learning about the Caledonian forest. I didn’t have a clue at the time that this experience would shift the direction of my life in the way that it has, in many wonderful ways.

I came away from that week buzzing with new ideas and with the certainty that I wanted to be a Guide too. I wanted to be part of creating the magic that everyone who has taken part in a Rewilding Week experiences.

Rewilding Weeks are about coming together to create a shared experience. We work, learn, cook, eat, and explore the forest as a group. Evenings are for talking, reading, playing games, and stargazing. Everything we do is collaborative, and it’s this spirit that makes the weeks so special, keeping people coming back again and again.

A part of my role at Trees for Life that I’m particularly proud of is my involvement in the Rewild and Recover programme. Rewild and Recover allows people to experience our volunteer residentials who would otherwise be unable to access them, due to mental health challenges and other socio-economic barriers.

We partner with charities supporting people from diverse backgrounds, including those in the asylum system, recovering from addiction, or living with long-term mental health challenges. They come to Dundreggan to experience the same magic as our Rewilding Week groups.

Rewild and Recover is different because it can be a “once in a lifetime” opportunity. Many people in Scotland face barriers to accessing nature, which makes projects like this more important than ever.

One group I had the pleasure of working with was Govan Community Project’s Women’s Group. A group of 15 impressive women from nine different countries came from Glasgow to Dundreggan for an experience filled with laughter, hard work and amazing food.

The Women’s Group was formed to foster community and solidarity amongst the women who are going through, or have gone through, the asylum or immigration system. It’s especially challenging for women in these communities to get away from home due to caring responsibilities, so it felt like an achievement just to make this trip happen.

Once we were all together, everything flowed. We spent time nurturing seedlings at the Tree Nursery and planted trees along the River Glass in Glen Cannich. None of the women had planted a tree before, and by the end of that day, each had planted many, leaving a legacy which will live on far beyond any of our lifetimes.

The true joy of the week for me was witnessing the bonds between the group members and sharing in the spirit of support and reciprocity they have built.”

“I grew up practically next door to Trees for Life’s rewilding estate, Dundreggan, and have many childhood memories of walking its beautiful paths long before the centre was built. I’ve always known how lucky I am to live in such a spectacular landscape and when rewilding has the potential to make it even better, I couldn’t not be involved.

Even starting part-time in the Rewilding Centre café, I learned so much about the culture and history embedded in the Glenmoriston landscape. It ignited my passion for a job that makes a difference.

One day, I hope to give back to another young woman beginning her career, just as my various line managers have done for me. They’ve taught me so much and have all been incredible, inspirational women. It’s so important that we support one another and surround ourselves with people who encourage us to be our best selves.

I didn’t take the conventional route after leaving school and quickly realised that working as part of a team I could learn from was the right decision for me. I’ve earned my place by working hard and proving myself, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of my colleagues.

I’ve always given 100% to whatever I am doing, and naturally took on more responsibilities by seeking it out. As a young woman starting her career, I’d encourage others to never hold themselves back and to remember they bring a unique perspective.

Working in the Visitor Experience team at Dundreggan has given me confidence I never imagined I’d have. Speaking in front of a crowd no longer fazes me. People are what make rewilding possible, and having meaningful conversations with visitors from all over the world has taught me the value of human connection and what we can achieve when we work together.

When I first joined Trees for Life, I was still at school, working weekends as a Hospitality Assistant. A few years and many amazing changes later, I’m about to begin a new role with the Marketing and Fundraising team.

I feel that my day to day work has an impact, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted from a career. To work in the Highland landscape I love, in a role that benefits it, truly feels like a dream.”

“I have the wonderful privilege of exploring ancient woodlands, collecting a range of native tree seeds, and doing it alongside wonderful volunteers who also love a day in the woods.

At the heart of my work at Trees for Life is protecting what we have now, so our future woodlands can be biodiverse and thriving. Knowing that each batch of seeds can help restore Scotland’s woodlands, and that each day in the woods is meaningful for our volunteers, sustains me in my role.

Through this project, we create space for connection: connection with nature and with each other. Alongside the scientific ecology and tree propagation, there is always something new to learn about trees.

One way I hope the project supports women is by showing that the forestry sector and tree nursery roles are spaces where women can thrive. Simply being a woman working in this sector, and signposting others to training and career opportunities, means seed collecting can be people’s inspiration for new beginnings.

Since it began, the Tree Seed Collection Project – through our partnership with Woodland Trust Scotland – has been a wonderful collaborative journey. We work across Scotland’s tree seed and nursery sector and, much like the mycorrhizal networks that connect tree roots underground, there is a strong sense of reciprocity and shared knowledge among the people involved.

Tree seeds seem to bring out our inner experimenter. Through volunteer gatherings, nursery visits, and conversations with woodland managers, we share what we’re learning. Because we work across so many locations, this knowledge becomes a mosaic – how climate affects one woodland differently from another, or how a sunny spring can cause seeds to ripen earlier. There is deep wisdom in observing trees and their yearly cycles.

Time in the woods is also calming and restorative. Being outdoors together benefits our wellbeing and our physical health. Knowing the seeds we collect will support native woodland recovery means future generations will enjoy these woods too, and that’s at the core of why both I and our volunteers take part.

International Women’s Day is an important opportunity to shine a light on women tirelessly fighting for their rights and representation around the world. It is also a time to celebrate and support women in our daily lives and across the planet. Many women carry out vital ecological work and activism to save precious trees, species and land from destruction. For me, International Women’s Day is about acknowledging their strength and courage, and thanking one another for being part of a movement towards a fairer future together.”