Protecting trees in the north German landscape conservation area

CODE: ijgd 15038

Work:

The "Alte Nebel" between Lüssow and Bützow was the original course of the "Nebel" river. The lowlands along the river have been used intensively for decades, mainly as grassland and arable land, creating rather poor conditions for the local ecosystem.
The task of the State Forestry Agency was to create a development corridor with site-typical trees and shrubs along the "Alte Nebel" in order to accelerate the slow, natural forest development and to greatly reduce the input of plant protection products and fertilisers.
To this end, more than 200,000 trees such as willows, red alders, pedunculate oaks, fluttering elms, downy birches and a wide variety of forest edge shrubs have been planted along around 14 km of the river since 2018.
However, since the beaver has also found a new home along the "Alte Nebel", a large number of trees must now be protected from browsing by the beaver.
In 2023 and 2024, the first two workcamp groups each protected over 600 trees using wire trousers.
You are now continuing this work and will also protect 600 to 700 trees on an area of approx. 4 hectares. The wire trousers are made from wildlife fencing, which is cut to a length of 2.2 metres, knotted together and erected. In addition, they are fixed to the ground with two stakes made from recycled plastic, so that the beavers are no longer able to damage the trees.
You will be accompanied by the staff of the local forestry office.
In addition to the practical work, the foresters will teach you a lot about nature and environmental protection in general and about the forest and its protection in particular. You will learn a lot about the local flora and fauna, their relevance for the ecosystem and the various measures for their protection.

Accomodation and food

You will stay in the “Haus der Begegnung Lüssow” (Meeting house of Luessow), a self-catering house with one room for 5 people, two rooms for 3 and also two rooms for 2 people, on the edge of the small village Lüssow. The house has a kitchen, two sanitary rooms with showers and toilets, and two common rooms for eating and group activities.
You cater for yourselves and cook together. Money for shopping will be provided. Vegetarian or vegan meals are possible. Please indicate any intolerances when registering.

Location and leisure

In your free time, you can enjoy your quiet accommodation and the beautiful surroundings by playing sports and spending evenings together around the campfire.
After work, you can also cycle through the beautiful landscape conservation area where you also work.
Or you can take the train (S-Bahn) to the beautiful Hanseatic city of Rostock (travel time 25min), which lies directly on the Baltic Sea.
On the long weekend off (Friday to Sunday), it's worth taking a trip to Berlin, Hamburg or the beautiful sandy beaches of the Baltic Sea.

Project hosted by

Landesforsten Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – Forstamt Schlemmin
(State Forestry of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania – Foresty office Schlemmin)
The forestry offices of Landesforsten Mecklenburg-Vorpommern perform the tasks of a unified forestry administration: in addition to their forestry work in the state-owned forest and their service offers, this also includes their work as a lower forestry authority - advising and promoting private forest ownership. They also inform all forest visitors about the importance of the forest and the tasks of forestry.

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 4,000 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.

Directions to meeting point

at accommodation after 4:30 pm and until 8:30 pm on Saturday 19/07/2025
From Hamburg airport take S-Bahn S1 in the direction Blankenese and leave it after 24min at Hamburg main train station.
From Hamburg main station take the Regional Express (RE) in the direction of Rostock Hbf and leave the train after 2h15min at the Station Schwaan.
In Schwaan you have to change to S-Bahn S2 in the direction of Güstrow. Leave the train after 9min at the station Lüssow (Meckl).
From Berlin-Brandenburg airport take the Intercity (IC) in the direction Warnemünde and leave it after 2h32min at Rostock main train station.
From Berlin main train station take the Intercity (IC) in the direction Warnemünde and leave it after 1h53 to 1h59min at Rostock main train station.
From Rostock train station
In Rostock you have to change to S-Bahn S2 in the direction of Güstrow. Leave the train after 25min at the station Lüssow (Meckl).

From train station “Lüssow (Meckl)”
At Lüssow train station, a footpath leads vertically away from the station directly behind the houses. After about 150m, the footpath ends at Schwaaner Straße. Cross this road and follow it (slightly) to the right for about 400m until it ends at Schwiesower Straße. Follow this road for about 100m to the left and then turn left again into Friedhofsweg. Walk along this road for approx. 250m. The road then turns into a field path, which first runs slightly to the left and then to the right again. After about 100m you will see the Haus der Begegnung on the right-hand side.

More Information about train and bus connections: www.bahn.com.

Additional comments

Please note: International participants which are under 18 have to pay an andditional teenage fee of 150€
You will receive more detailed information after confirming your registration with the specific info sheet for your camp.