Lundy: Remote island seeks new volunteer wardens

The volunteer positions run from April through to October

A remote island is looking for volunteer wardens to help with conservation and land management.

Five positions are open on Lundy, a three-mile-long (5km) island off the north coast of Devon.

A job advert on Facebook said the posts would be suitable for candidates "of a hardy nature" as working days can be "long and in a range of weather conditions".

No qualifications are needed for the roles.

The advert suggested the roles would be suitable for someone wanting to "get away from the busy mainland and experience living on a small isolated island".

The island is known for its beautiful scenery and varied ecology

"Every day will be different," said Dean Jones, the head warden of Lundy.

"There are a wide range of tasks for those that volunteer to come to the island - for the assistant wardens it's mainly conservation, and the monitoring of the seal and sea bird colonies we have here.

"The positions are unpaid, but you get free accommodation - it's a nice post for someone willing to give up their time," he added.

The annual posts are often filled by students who are either on a gap year or have just finished university and are "looking gain experience and further their careers in conservation".

Assistant wardens also monitor the numbers of the species that the island hosts

The island lost significant revenue when it was closed for start of the season in 2020 and as a result had to cancel some of the earlier volunteer positions.

Mr Jones said Lundy has not yet experienced a case of Covid-19 and there are various measures in place to mitigate the risks, such as cleaning stations and a limit on the number of visitors.