Nature conservation and water retention

CODE: ijgd 75110

Work:

The Märkische Schweiz Nature Park, 40 km east of Berlin, offers a unique natural and cultural landscape as well as an area for our project in and around the ‘Drei Eichen’ environmental education centre. By cooperating with the nature park administration, we will not only get to know the nature park and its surroundings, but also actively help to shape it.

We are offering this work camp because it is fun to have young people from all over the world with us and because we simply need a lot of hands for some of the work!
People and pets live on the grounds of the Drei Eichen environmental education centre - and there are almost always lots of guests: children, families, seminar groups.
For activities in between, Drei Eichen and its grounds offer many opportunities to learn about plants and animals, nature conservation and alternative ways of life and to actively participate. These include the tipi village and the wilderness education centre, the Zeidlerei station and a pottery workshop. Excursions or courses can be organised here by prior arrangement.

On some days you will ‘give something back to Drei Eichen’ by working on the farm - because sometimes we need many hands: e.g. for wood protection coating on the grounds, construction projects and repair work, clearing the small pond of plant growth or preparing areas for new planting in late autumn. We decide at short notice and depending on the weather.
At various locations in the Märkische Schweiz Nature Park, we will spend a few days helping to carry out various landscape maintenance tasks in different natural areas. The aim is to protect or promote either particularly dry or particularly wet sites, their soil and the native plants that grow there. Historically, these sites were created and maintained through a lot of manual labour - seasonal mowing and grazing by sheep and goats. Today, we help with this. There are many lakes that invite you to take a refreshing dip after work!

We also want to focus on the topic of water at the camp. The idea is to revitalise a dried-up pond by adding clay, thus keeping the water in the nature park and creating new habitats for amphibians, for example.

All work, whether in landscape conservation, craftsmanship or creative design, takes place outdoors. We plan together on site, depending on the current weather conditions, on which days we do which work and which days we take off.

Accomodation and food

You will stay at the Drei Eichen environmental education centre, located in the middle of the forest, 4km from Buckow (www.dreichen.de). As a group, you will have a flat with kitchen, bathroom, toilet, lounge-kitchen, large balcony and 3 simple multi-bed rooms. We can also provide tents on request. You cook together. Money for shopping will be provided. Vegetarian or vegan meals are possible. Please indicate any intolerances when registering.

Location and leisure

For activities in between, Drei Eichen with its terrain offers many opportunities to learn about plants and animals, nature conservation and alternative ways of life and to actively participate.
There are many great options for spending your free time. Among them are GPS tour(s) in the nature park, guided hikes on biodiversity, a visit to the bat museum, trips to surrounding lakes, going to the movies, visiting the pub "lokal." in Buckow, making a campfire; going to an artificial climbing forest or doing a canoe tour in the area. Those who long for more urban hustle and bustle on the weekend can also take a day trip to Berlin or even go to Poland, which is not that far away.
We plan together on site, depending on the current weather conditions, among other things, on which days we do what work and on which days we take off.

Project hosted by

The ijgd has been organising volunteer service programmes since 1949. We are an independent, non-profit association for international youth work, a recognised independent youth welfare organisation, and one of the largest and oldest workcamp organisations in Germany. Each year, we assist around 5,000 young people into volunteer work in Germany and abroad. We give them the opportunity to be creative, act in solidarity, take responsibility for themselves, and discover their own true potential and strengths. Our principles Ecological learning, voluntary contribution, self-organisation, social development, intercultural learning, gender equality, anti-racism/anti-discrimination and political education.
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Project Partner: www.dreichen.de

Directions to meeting point

On site in Drei Eichen or bus stop Buckow "Markt".
From there we organize a shuttle, probably at 1 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm.
Take the train to Müncheberg (Mark); continue by bus to the stop Buckow, "Markt"
Please remember to go to the correct Buckow with the post code 15377 when planning your trip.
More Information about train and bus connections: www.bahn.com.

Additional comments

Please note: There is a special Teenage Fee of 150€ for international volunteers who applied under 18 in this camp.
You will receive more detailed information with the specific information sheet for your camp after your enrolment has been confirmed.