Protect and Preserve Biodiversity in the Black Forest

There are three main tasks to this project: • Mowing the protected mountain Meadows: The Meadows are open fields or grasslands, often filled with wildflowers, herbs, and grasses. They can be natural or maintained by man and they serve as important habitats for wildlife, including insects, birds, and small mammals. Meadows are commonly found in valleys, foothills, and near forests, playing a key role in biodiversity and ecosystems. In order to protect all the wildlife here, driving with machines is not permitted, so all the mowing needs to be done by hand. This is a very good way to connect with the land but it can also be a quite physical work. • Maintaining Capercaillie habitats: Capercaillies are ground-dwelling birds that feed mainly on buds, leaves, berries, and insects. Their populations have declined due to habitat loss and human disturbance, making conservation efforts crucial, especially in regions like the Black Forest, where they are endangered. It is one of the largest chicken bird species in Europe and is threatened with extinction in Germany. You will be removing wood and cutting branches in strategic zones and areas of the Black Forest to promote better conditions in their habitat, increasing their chances of survival, breeding success, and overall population stability. • Forest maintenance: You will be removing branches from trees (with and without a ladder). Removing branches from trees in the Black Forest helps improve light penetration and biodiversity, creating a healthier habitat for wildlife like the capercaillie, while preventing overcrowding, disease, and reducing the risk of wildfires. The work will be led by a professional instructor, so no previous experience is needed. The work will be around 30 hours per week, (including a lunchbreak), from Monday to Friday. We begin our work early at 8:00 am to make the most of the cooler morning temperatures. The work site is just a short walk from the accommodation.

The accommodation is in the base building of the forest district, on the first floor. The building is called “Kriesenhof” and the forest district is called “Allerheiligen”. It is nice and cozy flat that has all the facilities that you might need, such as a kitchen, a shower, a bathroom, a washing machine and even WiFi. You will sleep on mattresses, in one shared room. Please bring a sleeping bag (and a pillow if you want one) with you! There is also a barbecue area that you can use and enjoy with the group. If you want to spend time on your own you will be at the perfect location as it is a very remote place with beautiful surroundings. All volunteers will be responsible for grocery shopping and cooking together. The food will be bought with the camp budget and everybody will take turns for cooking, and cleaning. In order to reduce our carbon footprint on the planet, we encourage volunteers to reduce meat consumption and try more sustainable dishes.

The "Allerheiligen" forest district is located in south-west Germany, approx. 30 km from the French border as the crow flies. You will live and work in the middle of nature, in the direct neighbourhood of the Black Forest National Park. There are many hiking opportunities, some of which start directly from the accommodation (Karlsruher Grat, Allerheiligen waterfalls, the national park). Easily accessible by car: Mummelsee, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg, Freudenstadt, summer toboggan runs etc.