These tools will help group leaders comply with certain legal obligations, as well as keep their volunteers safe, and can be downloaded from the document section below. Hard copy versions can be requested by emailing our Environment and Biodiversity Team, or calling 03 5272 5272.

Tool 1 – Planning your nature activity

This guide is designed to provide group leaders with the information and tools required to plan a volunteer program and safely implement activities. It is divided into two parts: planning a nature activity program and running a nature activity.

Tool 2 – Activity program template

Each year, registered groups will be invited to meet with our environment officers to discuss the activities they'd like to perform over the next 12 months. To complete this form, you'll need to know:

• your group's vision and goals
• activities for the next 12 months
• the risk level of each activity
• resource requirements, such as seedlings and personal protective equipment.

Once the dates and locations of your activities have been decided on, they will form your activity program for the year.

Tool 3 - Online induction for nature volunteers

Once groups have registered, group members are encouraged to do an induction which can be completed online, or through a group induction session facilitated by us.

At least one group leader must be inducted before the group can undertake work on City-owned land.

Find out how to complete a volunteer induction below:

Nature Volunteer Induction

Tool 4 – Safe activity practices table

This table of hazards and control measures is designed to help nature volunteer groups identify tasks that may cause injury and take steps to reduce the likelihood of an injury or incident occurring.

Tool 5 – Site safety inspection and induction form

Before beginning a nature activity, group leaders are required to do a site safety inspection and volunteers must be inducted onto site. This template will enable you to record safety hazards and controls for your activity and can be used as a checklist when inducting volunteers who attend your activity.

Tool 6 – Volunteer registration and participation agreement

All volunteers attending a nature activity must read and complete this agreement before being inducted onto City-land to perform the activity. Volunteers will be required to indicate whether they consent to their photograph being taken and if they have any pre-existing injuries.

Tool 7 – Nature activity results form

Group leaders can use this form to record the achievements of the group during a nature activity, record incidents and identify new hazards.

These records will be useful for annual reporting, planning future projects, applying for grant funding, demonstrating milestones and recognising achievements.

Tool 8 – Heat and UV radiation procedure

This procedure outlines requirements and methods to manage heat risk and harmful UV radiation exposure when working outdoors. Group leaders must read and comply with this procedure when operating on City-owned land.