Dormouse referee??

[Holly Tree]

Hi all!

This may seem like a bit of a long shot but I don't know what else to do. I started working towards my dormouse licence in 2008 and have been volunteering with dormice ever since. I feel I have been ready to apply for a dormouse licence for well over a year now, but have struggled to find a 2nd referee. I have one reference and would really like to get a 2nd reference so that I can finally apply for a licence to enable me to carry out voluntary dormouse surveys.

So I am wondering if any dormouse workers on here could help me? Of course I woud be prepared to come and help you with surveys so that you would feel confident that I have enough experience. I live in an area full of dormouse sites which are not being monitored yet as there are not enough licensed people, so my situation seems a bit of a waste!

Please do get in touch if you may be interested in helping me and have any questions.

Many thanks

[Holly Tree]

So is anyone able to help, or offer any advice? I'm a bit fed up

[dampflippers]

Hi Holly, sorry I can't help.
Doesn't the person who trained you (and presumably will give you a reference) know another licence holder?

Is there a local mammal group you could join. There may be someone who could help you there. Or the Mammal Society may know someone near you.

Or ask at your local wildlife trust if they have any licence holders you could assist. Or look for ecologists or consultants who may be licence holders too.

I don't know which part of the country you are in, but that would help with a search.

You might find some help on the PTES website useful dormouse links | people's trust for endangered species | mammals trust uk | mtuk & ptes
Dormice Greenboot
Training Courses

[thunder]

What monitoring do you wish to do that requires having a licence?

henrya

[Holly Tree]

Thank you for your replies. I trained with a group for 2 years and then they introduced an official training programme that I could not join as I had re-located far away up north, so I was not able to get a reference from them. This has left me stuck as I did most of my training with them, so now I will probably have to do all the work again with a different licence holder so that they would feel happy to give me my 2nd reference.

I want a licence so that I can put up dormouse boxes in new sites that have not been surveyed yet. There are plenty of unmonitored sites around here, I live to the west of London.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Holly Tree

I want a licence so that I can put up dormouse boxes in new sites that have not been surveyed yet. There are plenty of unmonitored sites around here, I live to the west of London.

But you can certainly still look for Hazel Nuts. Do you need a licence for hair tubes?

henrya

[Ian White2000]

If you email Susan@ptes.org we may be able to put you in touch with a local monitor.

We'd also be interested in knowing about the unmonitored sites - are they areas where you think there are dormice or are they woods that have been monitored in the past?

[dampflippers]

There seem to be alot of training opportunities in Surrey and Kent.
Google your county or town + "dormouse training".

In the meantime, put your training records in order.
Track down the date of every training session or box making, monitoring, handling and photography you have done.

Make it into a chart so it looks professional:
headings would be:
date, location, operations carried out, supervised by, and other comments.
Include making, siting of and checking boxes, safe way of emptying them, and equipment used, safe handling, sexing, knowledge of dormouse ecology, feeding, breeding, etc. Say whether you observed or carried out activities, and how many dormice or nest boxes were involved.
This will be useful when applying for a licence, but also to let any new trainer know how knowledgeable you are. If you show any photos they need to say "taken under supervision of licence holder" or similar.
You also need to be familiar with the dormouse conservation handbook which is available online. IN29 - Dormouse Conservation Handbook

If you haven't looked at the licence application, you can do it online
http://naturalengland.etraderstores....glandShop/IN29

Regarding the references, I would have thought that as long as one referee has seen you do all operations you are applying for, then the other could give you a reference for the operations you have done with them.

The link to the PTES is probably your best bet, so email your experience to them too when you write.

There's nothing to stop you putting boxes up (I presume you have to get permission from the landowner though), but checking will need to wait until you are accompanied.

Dormouse Monitor Greenboot

[dampflippers]

Have you made any progress Holly Tree?