Forestry England’s Shadow Volunteer scheme puts successful applicants into the heart of the work we do by placing them into teams where they will learn from Forestry England colleagues as they carry out their day-to-day tasks.

Shadow volunteers are given training and will develop on-the-job skills and experience during their placements, which run one to three days a week for a period of six months.

The scheme runs twice a year in a selection of the nation’s forests. Watch this video to find out more.

Could you be a Shadow Volunteer?

Forestry England is looking for individuals who want to gain practical experience in the forestry sector and who are also interested in pursuing a career in conservation, community engagement, recreation, site management, or working with volunteers and the public. Shadow Volunteer role profiles can be found on this page.

Apply now for the September 2026 intake

Recruitment for September 2026 is now open. Applications close on midnight of Sunday 5 July. Interviews will take place 20 – 24 July and there will be an induction day on Wednesday 2 September.

The Shadow Volunteer roles for this recruitment round are listed below. The role profiles provide background information, a person specification, information on how to apply and a link to an online application form.

If you are interested in more than one role, you will need to complete a separate application for each. It’s fine to use the same information in each different application.