Workcamp Details

Description: Nature Ambassador Workcamp’s main goals consist in the promotion of non-formal education among participants and respect for different cultures in an intergenerational environment. We expect this immersive experience to shape participant’s beliefs and to improve their tolerance, respect and appreciation for different cultures. This Workcamp also aims to have a positive impact in the local communities, which will benefit with the close contact with young participants. The last goal is to promote Parque Natural de Montesinho and its natural heritage, by improving orientation signs in 3 walking routes and by applying techniques which improve coexistence between rural activities and Park’s wildlife.

Type of Work: Voluntary work is divided in 3 categories:

• Montesinho Natural Park nature routes improvement – installing and placing orientation and information signs along 3 routes, in order to promote sustainable ecotourism; Realization of Tables and information boards in brown wood
• Coexistence between rural activities and wildlife – installation of electric fences to protect beehives from bear and badger damages, and to protect chestnut orchards from wild boars, red and roe deer damages.
• Community work – local community will make a list of their necessities which the workcamp will contribute to.

Study Theme: Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn multiple skills, namely:

• Tolerance, respect and appreciation for different cultures;
• New languages;
• How to deploy orientation signs on a homologated nature route;
• How to identify flora and animals species;
• Ecosystems functions and services;
• Techniques that allow coexistence between rural activities and wildlife

Accommodation: The accommodation will be in a renovated children school, which no longer serves its purpose. It has bathrooms, hot water, an equipped kitchen. There is minimum mobile internet connection. Meals will be prepared by all the volunteers, taking turns, yet always accompanied by a cook. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snacks, dinner, and night snacks will be provided.

Requirements: Volunteers have to bring:

• Clothes adapted to a very hot climate and sweatshirt
• Sunscreen
• Working/hiking boots
• Bathing suits
• Towels
• Sleeping bag
• Hat
• Water bottle
• Backpack
• Flipflop

Volunteers may want to bring:

• Board games
• Musical instruments
• Binoculars
• Camera

Approximate Location: The Workcamp will be based in Espinhosela, a village located in the heart of Montesinho natural park, Bragança district, in the Northeastern part of Portugal, near the border with Spain (41.896854, -6.842691). Montesinho Natural Park is one of the best protected areas of Portugal, where it is possible to find red deer, roe deer, wild boar and healthy population of wolves. Its landscape consists of patches of oak tree forests, with forests and orchards of chestnut trees, which constitute one of the main economic incomes of the local community.

Camp Photographs