Park volunteers receive certificates for completing conservation training

Cathryn Cochrane from The Conservation Volunteers presents some of the trainees with certificates following Lagan Valley Regional Park's Christmas thank you lunch for volunteers.

As part of the organisation’s natural heritage skills training programme, funded through the Heritage Lottery Fund, TCV now offers bespoke courses through NCFE.

Over the past year TCV has been partnering Lagan Valley Regional Park in a number of training events including meadow management, pond ecology, managing invasive species and hedge laying.

A total of 12 learners who attended the recent one-day hedge laying training course at Lagan Meadows received accreditation certificates.

The TCV training courses allow skills, knowledge and understanding achieved by the learner to be recognised through NCFE accreditation.

Dan Clarke, Ranger at Lagan Valley Regional Park, said: “Volunteers not only get to enjoy time outdoors learning new natural heritage skills, but they also gain an accreditation - a wonderful benefit for those looking to add to their CV or gain employment.”