SAMMs Warden
Conservators of Ashdown Forest
SAMMs Warden
Hours per week: 22.5 flexible working
Salary: NJC Scale 3 SCP 5-6 – £25,583 to £25,989 subject to experience.
Are you a great communicator who loves the outdoors, conservation and people? Are you ready to play a key role in the safeguarding of one of the most crucial wildlife sites in the UK? The Board of the Conservators of Ashdown Forest presents an exciting opportunity to appoint a part-time Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Strategy (SAMMS) Warden to join our friendly and passionate team.
About the role:
As a warden, you will proactively engage with visitors to Ashdown Forest, working closely with stakeholders, neighbours, and partners to raise awareness of the importance and sensitivity of the Ashdown Forest. You will promote the appropriate use of the Forest, with a particular focus on responsible dog ownership. Your work will primarily be on the ground, assisting with the delivery of events such as outreach stalls, guided walks and workshops, as well as joint engagement events and surveys. You will act as an ambassador for Ashdown Forest in all interactions with members of the public and during media appearances.
About the Forest:
Ashdown Forest is internationally important for nature conservation. It is one of the largest areas of continuous heathland in southeast England, home to protected species such as Nightjars and Dartford Warblers. It is also a popular visitor destination, due to its beauty, wildlife, miles of walking trails and rich history. The Forest is famous as the home of A.A. Milne’s Winne-the- Pooh, which draws many visitors to the area each year.
The Ashdown Forest Special Protection Area (SPA) Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) strategy has been developed by a partnership of local authorities surrounding Ashdown Forest and conservation organisations. It sets out mitigation measures to address recreation impacts on Ashdown Forest associated with new housing growth in local authorities which neighbour the Forest.
The responsibility for managing Ashdown Forest on behalf of the Owner, who has been the Ashdown Forest Trust since 1988, rests with an independent body, the Board of Conservators of Ashdown Forest. Established in 1885, the Board has been governed by a series of Acts of Parliament, the latest being the Ashdown Forest Act 1974.
The Board has a strategic vision to protect, conserve, and enhance the nature and culture of Ashdown Forest, the most extensive biodiverse heathland and open space in Sussex, for the enjoyment, education, health, and recreation of all.
Working as part of the SAMMs Warden team, your role will be to support the Lead Warden in the delivery of the Ashdown Forest SPA SAMM Strategy work programme.
This role will require some out-of-hours, weekend and public holiday work with some seasonal variations. This role requires the ability to drive.
Closing date for applications: Sunday 8th March 2026 at 23:59
About Conservators of Ashdown Forest
Covering over 10 square miles, Ashdown Forest is one of the largest open access areas in Southeast England.
Ashdown Forest is owned by the Ashdown Forest Trust and managed by the Conservators of Ashdown Forest.
A small team of staff are employed by the Conservators to look after the Forest – to protect, conserve and enhance the nature and culture of Ashdown Forest as the largest biodiverse heathland and open space in Sussex for the enjoyment, education, health and recreation of all.
Covering over 10 square miles, Ashdown Forest is one of the largest open access areas in Southeast England. Ashdown Forest is owned by the Ashdown Forest Trust and managed by the Conservators of Ashdown Forest. A small team of staff are employed by the Conservators to look after the Forest – to protect, conserve and enhance the nature and culture of Ashdown Forest as the largest biodiverse heathland and open space in Sussex for the enjoyment, education, health and recreation of all.
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