Climate protection in the moor | ijgd 14007 | 2024-08-31 - 2024-09-14 | ENVI,MANU,EDU | Age: 16 - 26

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. Follow us on Instagram ijgd_workcamps Facebook @ijgd.workcamps Project hosts are the Department of Environment and Department of youth work of the District Gifhorn

Work: Do you want to actively contribute to the climate and the renaturation of a moor? Then you can get active on a small area in a nature reserve near Gifhorn. Peatlands not only play an important role in storing CO2, they also store water and have a cooling effect on the surrounding landscape. You will be working on an area near Gifhorn that is part of a nature reserve, continuing the work project of last year s work campers. To prevent the area from becoming a forest or drying out, young pine and birch trees must be removed. These can either be pulled out by hand or removed with spades and branch shears. After that, the small trees must be removed from the area. In doing so, you not only make your contribution to climate protection, but also help to preserve valuable habitats and rare species (e.g. peat mosses). To ensure that the area remains particularly attractive for rare dragonflies (spear damselflies), a few peat pits (hollows) must be improved so that the water can remain there for longer and thus remain a habitat for the dragonflies.You will work mostly independently, but will be guided and supported by staff members of the Department of Environment. Your programme also includes the construction of various nesting aids.

Accomodation and food: You cook together. Money for the food shopping is provided to you. Vegetarian or vegan meals are possible. Please indicate any allergies when registering. Scout home “Welfenhof” with a large outdoor area, an indoor barbecue room and an outdoor barbecue. Two rooms are equipped with cots for sleeping. Toilets and showers, kitchen. The supermarkets in the area can be reached by bike. For larger purchases a VW bus is available. The distance between the accommodation and the city centre is 6 km.

Location: GifhornLowerSaxony

Location and Leisure: You can organize your free time in a varied way: As a group, you will have the entire scout center and the outdoor area all to yourselves. In 2 km distance there is a large bathing lake guarded by DLRG with sandy beach, mini golf, pedal boats and climbing tower. In the city center with the old half-timbered houses there are several bars - especially popular is the beach bar Cappucabana. In addition to a day at the swimming pool, bowling or canoeing, a trip to the mill or castle museum and to the Gifhorn Heath is also worthwhile. At the FBZ Grille leisure and education center, you can also get in touch with young people from the region during the day, and there are often events and concerts there in the evenings. You can also take the train from Gifhorn station to Hannover, the capital of Lower Saxony, in 45 minutes and experience lots of art, culture, music, exhibitions and parties there.

Airport: HAJ

Train/Bus station: Hannover, nearest train station: Gifhorn

Requirements: Fitness for physically demanding work. Closeness to nature. You must be able to ride a bike. The place of work in the forest and all leisure activities are best reached by bicycle.

Meeting point and time: at the train station in Gifhorn. A minibus will be waiting there at 16:30 and 18:30 to take you to the accommodation

Language: eng

Extra Fee: 0

Please note: INTERNATIONAL volunteers under 18 who apply for this camp have to pay a special teenage fee of 150€ to ijgd (more information after your regsitration) Copyright of the pictures Dr. Kathrin Baumann, Jule Mérono and Hilke Steevens.