A week-long placement is being offered for students who are passionate about peatland restoration and conservation to gain hands on practical experience on Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor.

Applications are now open for 14–18-year-olds to join the South West Peatland Partnership (SWPP) for a practical five-day work experience taking place between July 7 and 11 2025.

The week offers a chance for young people to learn how peatland restoration helps with natural flood management, wildlife diversity and helping to make landscapes more resilient to the impacts of the climate crisis.

It will be spent out and about with the SWPP team on the moorlands of Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor, giving students the opportunity to explore remote landscapes and gain hands-on skills in conservation planning and processes.

The South West Peatland Partnership is funded by Natural England’s Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, with additional funding from South West Water, Duchy of Cornwall, the National Trust, Cornwall Council and the Environment Agency, and is a collective of partner organisations, volunteers, contractors, farmers, interest groups, commoners and researchers.

Over five days of fieldwork roles may include supporting with restoration planning, wildlife and plant monitoring, historic environment surveys, joining working volunteer parties and helping with communications and research.

These roles will all help the SWPP team to assess areas for upcoming work, give an understanding of the long and short-term benefits of restoration and support the work of the partnership’s 100-strong group of regular volunteers.

Students will need to be willing to be outdoors in nearly all weathers in remote areas of the moor, with lots of walking over the week on tricky ground.

Individual must be able to make their own way to Okehampton each day, where transport to the sites will then be arranged with the SWPP team, and to bring appropriate outdoor clothing, waterproofs and wellington boots.

Spaces are limited, so SWPP particularly looking for students who are passionate about the environment, eager to learn and happy out being in the landscape.

Any young person interested, should email SWPP at [email protected] copying in a parent or guardian before Tuesday, April 8 to share a little about themselves and why they’re keen to take part.

The opportunity is open to 14–18-year-olds to join the South West Peatland Partnership (SWPP) for the practical placement, which will take place between 7 and 11 July 2025.