Midweek Muckers

The Midweek Muckers at Cooildarry

Tricia Sayle

Midweek Muckers

What we do

Our dedicated volunteers carry out conservation tasks on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the year.

The Muckers fulfil a very important role for us, their hard work and dedication helping to maintain our wonderful nature reserves.

Most tasks are completed without mechanical means, using traditional methods and hand tools.  On average this dedicated band of volunteers completes an amazing 3,000 hours of work a year - saving Manx Wildlife Trust money and positively contributing to the environment!

Muckers banner

The Midweek Muckers partaking in coppicing, wattle making and cutting and clearing the bog at Close Sartfield Nature Reserve.

Can you help?

If you are feeling energetic and hanker for the great outdoors, then why not get involved? We’d really appreciate your help.

Read on to find out what you can expect from volunteering with us, what we need from our volunteers, what we supply and what type of work we do throughout the year. Then, if you would like to get involved, get in touch with our Reserves Officer Tricia Sayle, by phone: (01624) 844432 or by email: tricia@mwt.im

 

What can I expect?

The work is very rewarding, a brilliant way to contribute to Manx Wildlife Trust, to get outdoors and exercise, meet like-minded people and to see the beauty of the reserves and how they change through the seasons.

There are plenty of tasks for everyone, you don’t need to have lots of experience or be an expert - we thrive on being a diverse group with a wide range of abilities, Everyone is appreciated for the time they are able to give and the work they complete. You will be given an extra warm welcome if you can bake!

The Tuesday tasks tend to be focused on our smaller reserves and it’s often when the more technical work is undertaken. This group is deliberately kept small. Our Thursday tasks are generally on the larger sites and this is a much bigger group.  

What’s required?

  • We meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings, from 9am to 1pm.
  • We come from all walks of life and cover all ages but you must be over 16 years to join us.
  • You should be physically fit but you don’t need to be a marathon runner! Everyone works at their own pace.
  • An up-to-date tetanus jab is a good idea.
  • You will need your own transport. Most of the sites are off the beaten track and not accessible by bus.  
  • We’ll make sure you receive training and are teamed up with experienced volunteers to learn the ropes.
  • If you have specific skills, let us know - we’ll be delighted to make the most of them!
  • You don’t need any tools, we’ll supply them.
  • We will also supply hot drinks and cake to keep your energy and spirits up!
  • You should wear old clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, and good stout boots or wellies. Long sleeves and long trousers are a must. A hat, in both summer and winter, is useful.
  • Suntan lotion and midge spray are always good to have on hand in the summer/autumn. We don’t mind a bit of wet weather, so come prepared!
  • We have reserves across the island, but most are situated in the north, and that’s where most of the tasks are held.

What’s the work like?

The work is year-round, which means you get to see the results of all your earlier hard work as the year progresses - it’s wonderful to see the seasons change on the reserves.

November to March: Clearing grasses and branches from around fences and gateways to make sure they don’t get damaged, keeping the ditches clear of leaves and branches to ensure water flows through, not across our, and others’, land; clearing fallen trees and branches to aid access and safety; removing scrub and brambles to let light reach the soil in time for spring.

April to June: This is our quietest time of year, when birds are nesting and plants in full flower and we’re careful not to disturb them. We take this opportunity to check each of our open reserves to ensure access is good, repairing bridges, handrails and steps, repainting hides and checking footpaths, ahead of our busiest time of year for visitors to our popular reserves. We also prepare Close Sartfield for visitors to the annual orchid walks when the hay meadows are covered in many thousands of marvellous, blooming orchids - the “eighth wonder of the world” according to one visitor!

July: We pull out any cushag that have flowered in our meadows, to ensure they’re not cut and brought in with the hay when the time comes to cut the meadows.

August to October: The raking season, when we go to sites that tractor and baling machinery cannot reach, to cut and then rake up the hay meadows by hand.

How do I get involved?

To find out how you can help, please contact our Reserves Officer Tricia Sayle, by phone: (01624) 844432 or by email: tricia@mwt.im