Roll Up Your Sleeves (in Austria and Germany)
Description: Support two regions first in Austria and then in Germany in the preservation of nature reserves and learn more about climate change, preservation of monuments and biotope conservation. This special international Workcamp will be led together by the associations “World Heritage Communities Wachau” and the association “Welterbe Oberes Mittelrheintal”. The first week will take place in Austria and the second one in Germany. Among others we will mowe and clear out shrubs on steep slopes, remove neophyts or renew the landscapes' characteristic dry stone walls under expert guidance. Furthermore, we will deal with different aspects of climate change. During leisure, you should discover the enchanting landscapes with their vineyards, castles and medieval towns!
Type of Work: Preservation of cultural landscapes, e.g. mowing and clearing of dry lawn meadows restoration and renovation of dry stone walls; video documentation of the camp (check this out from 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKKYxqCwdwg).
It is essential to bring with you high-top work shoes with tread or hiking boots (work on slopes) as well as sturdy work clothes! The work assignments can exceed 5-6 hours on several days, but there will be leisure compensation.
Study Theme: Climate protection, Climate change adaption, Biotope care, preservation of monuments and landscape conservation, UNESCO world heritage, steep slope viticulture, dry stone wall construction, comparison of landscape and culture in Austria and Germany. Discussion of climate change's impact on cultural landscapes. Camp movie of 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKKYxqCwdwg
Accommodation: The workcamp starts in Austria: "Spitz" in Wachau you will be accomodated in a school and in Mittelrheintal in a youth hostel. The transport from Austria to Germany (and if required back) will be organized. In both places the group will cook for itself.
Language: English
Requirements: Interest in nature and landscape protection, viticulture, the UNESCO World Heritage, development of cultural landscapes. Willingness and ability to physical work and interest in discussing diverse aspects of climate change. Working with simple power tools (e.g. bush cutters) is possible, but not essential. An interest in digital and social media is an asset.
Approximate Location: Wachau , Mittelrheintal There is also a possibility of excursions to the sights in the Wachau (e.g. guided tours in the cities of Krems and Melk, visiting a wine tavern, ruins, bathing in the Danube, etc.) https://rb.gy/7qasmb Attractions in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley (e.g. Koblenz, castles and ruins, visiting a winery and tasting some wine, ship cruise on the Rhine, etc.). http://www.welterbe-atlas.de/, http://sankt-goarshausen.welterbe-mittelrhein.de/tourismus-und-freizeit/
Notes: Covid19: We organise our workcamps according to the regulations at the time of the workcamp. We will inform you about this in the Infosheet and by email. Please mind the vaccination and testing regulations for entering Germany: https://t1p.de/at82o
Please kindly note that there is an additional incoming fee of 50 € for all volunteers applying through Partner organisations or Contacts of the SCI network. This will cover international insurance costs of the volunteer and administration costs of SCI International. For volunteers coming from countries with SCI Branches and Groups there is no additional incoming fee. You can check the status of your local sending organisation here: https://rb.gy/fveuew. If this fee exceeds your financial ability, please make a comment in your application.