Out of office: Making an impact through conservation volunteering

In early June, we warmly welcomed a group of volunteers from Absolute Escapes, who have been supporting our conservation efforts at Glenlude for nearly a decade.

Many of the team return year after year - including one long-standing member who had built a fence ten years ago, which is still there today!

"The team loves coming back to Glenlude each year and seeing how much the land has flourished. Even after just 8 or 9 months, the difference can be incredible. You really feel a strong sense of accomplishment and gratitude. It just goes to show that with a bit of time, care, and teamwork, nature really can bounce back." - Nairne McGraw, Senior Travel Specialist at Absolute Escapes

As a walking and exploring holiday company, the team at Absolute Escapes are deeply connected to the beauty of nature - and equally aware of its fragility. Their commitment to conservation comes from a genuine desire to protect and enhance biodiversity.

"As a team, we find that getting out of the office and enjoying a day in nature has such a positive impact on our mental health. With a love for wild places, we all jump at the opportunity to visit Glenlude, and definitely feel excited when we see the volunteering days approach on our calendars. It makes such an exciting change from a day working at our desks." - Ella Gordon, Travel Specialist at Absolute Escapes 

The day began with coffee and a briefing from Glenlude Manager Karen Purvis and our new Conservation Officer Ellie Oakley, who introduced the work ahead: releasing young trees from their now-too-tight protective sleeves.

Under expert guidance from Karen and Ellie, we wandered through the forest to find trees of a certain width at sternum height. Equipped with gloves, knifes, and scissors, we began to remove the tree sleeves from a mixture of native trees, including young birch, rowan, hawthorn, and holly trees.

Bracken bashing is a vital task at this time of year: bracken spreads rapidly and outcompetes other species, reducing biodiversity and posing a fire risk due to the flammability. It was deeply satisfying to clear space and enable young trees and other species to breathe and grow.

Thankfully the weather held out and we paused for a hilltop lunch, taking in the view over Glenlude and feeling satisfied as we observed our efforts. In the afternoon, the focus turned to recycling: collecting used tree tubes and sorting them for local recycling - ready to be turned back into protective tree tubes.

The final task of the day involved carrying (or dragging!) bulky but light canvas bags back across the site to the hut, where we regrouped over well-earned coffee and biscuits. We reflected on the progress made and the impact of our work on biodiversity – and how wonderful it felt for the team at Absolute Escapes to revisit this site year on year, noting the trees that were once saplings are now fully grown.

For Absolute Escapes, being given the time by their employer to step away from the office and into nature - and to contribute meaningfully to conservation - clearly meant a lot to them. Being able to return to the site year after year to observe the difference their work has made to the area is an enriching experience every time. In spite of the rain, we finished the day with smiles on our faces. 

"Whether you’re looking for a meaningful team-building activity or exploring ways to strengthen your sustainability efforts, I’d highly recommend conservation volunteering. It's a wonderful chance to step away from the usual routine and connect with nature. Come rain or shine, every visit to Glenlude has been an uplifting, rewarding experience for me. These visits have allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the vital work that goes into protecting our wild places." - Melanie Grandidge, Creative Marketing Specialist at Absolute Escapes

• If you’d like to organise a corporate volunteering day with us, we’d love to hear from you. It’s a work day like no other: getting to spend time in the wild, supporting biodiversity first hand, and learning new skills. Your team will leave feeling recharged, reconnected, and inspired by the knowledge they've learned and conservation experience they've gained.