Giving nature a hand
Description: The work camp has the general objective of bringing together young people from different nationalities, cultures and contexts with
the common objective of contributing to the increase of biodiversity, to the restoration of degraded ecosystems and the increase of
the landscape's fire resilience. The conservation works will take place in an area managed by MONTIS in the interior of Portugal, in
Carvalhais, São Pedro do Sul. The area where the tasks will be carried out, is an ecologically degraded and sensitive area.
Type of Work: The volunteering tasks will all be directed or related to ecosystem restoration. The activities include pruning young trees with
pruning shears and other cutting tools, to accelerate their growth; opening and maintenance of access paths for volunteers;
construction of barriers to water runoff with local materials, to increase infiltration and improve the soil; pruning and management
of pine trees, to accelerate their growth; camera trapping: consists of installing and collecting photo trapping cameras, cameras
that react to movement by capturing photographs and videos of passing animals.
Study Theme: Ecosystem restoration techniques and approaches. Techniques to: restore riparian vegetation; improve soil quality and reduce
water runoff; accelerate the growth of native trees; control invasive plant species. Learn about the effects and use of prescribed fire
for ecosystem restoration. Volunteers will learn to work with camera trapping, and also with tools to identify and register fauna and
flora. Volunteers will learn about animal species (bats and/or amphibians) and invasive plant species in workshops dedicated to
these themes.
Accommodation: Volunteers will be camping. There is a central facility with showers, and WC for women and man, with all basic hygiene facilities.
There is another central facility for socializing, with board and card games, and a small bar/shop. The camping site has internet
available, as well as outdoors barbecue and eating tables. There is no kitchen or laundry.
MONTIS will provide regular meals, with the possibility of vegetarian by request. These include breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack
and dinner. Lunch will be served on the field as packed lunch.
Requirements: Volunteers should be confortable with walking and physical activity, as there will be at least a total of 45 minutes of walking during
each day and 5 hours of physical volunteering work. Motivation is important as the work is physical and includes camping all nights
Approximate Location: The location of the workcamp is in a remote rural area, with almost no population. Volunteers will camp in bioparque de Carvalhais
(https://bioparque.org). The closest village is 2 km from the camping. MONTIS will have a van available to support the needed
transportation. The intervention area distances from the campsite about 20 minutes walking