Introduction

Join our team – in National Parks, Nature Parks and Biosphere Reserves

The volunteer programme in the “Nationale Naturlandschaften” invites volunteers also from other countries to support the German national parks, nature parks and biosphere reserves. International volunteers contribute to the park’s activities through their special competences and experiences – e.g. language skills, expertise and own traditions – and are a big benefit for the local projects, the cross-boarder work of the parks and the international exchange of experiences.

Until now, international volunteers in German parks are active in work camps as well as in the role of individual volunteers. In some cases the volunteers’ work takes place in cooperation with partners (e.g. organizers of work camps) or within volunteer programmes like the European Volunteer Service.

Our parks

The richness of our natural resources contains forests, coasts, meadows, rivers, seas and mountains in smaller or larger size throughout the year. Fascinating landscapes from tide land to the Alps deserve special acknowledgement as national parks, biosphere reserves and nature parks. These protected areas save a unique wilderness and support ecologically compatible utilisation like sustainable tourism and ecological foresting and farming.

We care

Full time employees of the protected areas join and inform local residents as well as visitors throughout the parks and through exhibitions at the visitor centers, which enable them to experience their environment. Furthermore protecting the wealthy habitats, improving life-conditions of rare plants and animals and monitoring ecological processes, the rangers contribute to the conservation of irreplaceable sceneries. Protected areas are bound to people, who support them. By volunteering, you become an active insider. The volunteers participate and enrich the work of the employees with their engagement and are important partners within the team in order to maintain the reserves.

Volunteers in parks - with your support too?

Why don't you also join our team, supporting our resources? In the German protected areas a variety of activities enables you to engage in:

• The protection of species and plants: swathing of meadows, tree planting, building of fences for amphibians
• Public relations and environmental education: leading excursions, planning and realisation of excursions for youth- Monitoring: Floristic mapping, monitoring of animals, participation in research projects
• Maintenance and control of park installations: maintaining pathways and picnic areas, adoption of pathways
• Office work: Data processing, press relations, archive data backup

Volunteers warmly welcome

In more than 40 German protected areas a qualified coordinator informs you about ongoing projects. Together you discuss your personal involvement in the protected area. Out of a multitude of options you can choose appropriate activities according to your interests, your abilities and the amount of time you'd like to invest. According to your activities you will be equipped with the basic necessities. You can also use this experience toward credit at many educational institutions.We look forward to welcoming you to our team!

Contact:
Anne Schierenberg
EUROPARC Deutschland e.V.
Friedrichstr. 60
10117 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: 0049/(0)30/2887882-15
Fax.: 0049/(0)30/2887882-16
E-Mail: anne.schierenberg@europarc-deutschland.de