On almost every weekend of the year dozens of people volunteer their time to give Hobart's bushland parks or reserves a bit of tender loving care.
For two to three hours they are immersed in nature with fellow volunteers, people who want to give back to the mountain, forests, rivulets and woodlands that surround Hobart and which have given them places to walk, run, discover, or just take time out from their busy lives.
If you are out for a walk on the Hobart Rivulet you might see them down on the embankment weeding out forget-me-nots and hemlock.
If you are on the Queens Domain of a Sunday they could be removing she-oak seedlings as part of a project to restore the domain's native grassy woodlands.
It's even possible you could stumble across these nature lovers while bushwalking one of the many tracks on Kunanyi/Mt Wellington.
And what ties them together?
They are part of something bigger than themselves, the Bushcare community.
Being in the bush makes you happy
We've run our Bushcare program for more than three decades. Every week we are out in the field with hundreds of volunteers happy to give up some of their precious time to help protect nature. We know they love it and that it has huge benefits for everyone involved.
We can see it in their smiles and feel it in the warm camaraderie that is part of every Bushcare working bee. But, we've never had the data to back up our hunch, until now.
Researchers from the University of Tasmania are examining the connection to nature, benefits, motivations and enabling factors at play among people who volunteer for conservation organisations across Australia.
As part of that work they surveyed a number of our own Bushcare volunteers, and here's what they discovered.
If you volunteer with Bushcare you are more likely to have a deeper connection to the natural world.
You will also have significantly higher 'subjective wellbeing' than most Australians - subjective wellbeing measures standard of living, health, achievement in life, personal relationships, safety, feeling part of the community and future security.
Helping people get active for nature
The research team asked people what made it easy for them to volunteer with a conservation organisation, and what made it difficult for them to volunteer.
In a nutshell, if we make it easy for people to volunteer by providing training, making it easy to join an event, provide the tools and equipment needed to get the job done and create plenty of events and other opportunities, people will join our cause.
Barriers to getting involved as a conservation volunteer included a lack of time, volunteering opportunities, health, money and support from family.
Why do people volunteer with Bushcare?
This is scientific research, so it is anonymous, but we can share some of our favourite quotes from the survey about why people volunteer for nature.
Here's just some of our favourites.
"I'm proud of what I do, no matter how small or local, I'm making a positive impact that would not happen otherwise. It's not 'someone else's problem'!"
"I always feel so great after a working bee. The community vibes and feeling like you are all working together for a greater good is a great feeling."
"I feel physically and mentally better for it, because I am involving myself with something positive that has many benefits. Mostly including physical work, improving the local environment, social connectivity and engaging educational scenarios."
"Leaving the world better than I find it."
So what are you waiting for?
If you are reading this story and already volunteer with Bushcare, thank you! We love you and Hobart’s wild side loves you.
If you’ve been to one or two Bushcare working bees, had a great time, but forgot about us. Please come back!
And, if you’ve never been to a Bushcare working bee now’s your time.
- Check out all of the wonderful Bushcare events listed on our website.
- Pick the events that tickle your fancy, mark them on your calendar, and join a welcoming crew of volunteers.
- Follow Bushcare on Facebook and subscribe to receive our working bee programs by email as well as our email newsletter the Bandicoot Times.
Learn more