Volunteer Camps
For 12 years Legambiente's Volunteer Sector has mobilised its volunteers for active service in protecting the environment and preserving the historical and cultural heritage world-wide through the organisation of its Volunteer Camps. Participants are busy in different environmental reclamation and restoration activities, naturalistic and archaeological research studies, underwater camps etc. Last year over 2,200 people got down to hard work at improving both natural areas and environmental awareness in local communities, studying historical and cultural resources and watching for forests, while also promoting the environmentally friendly use of the most interesting natural and cultural resorts.
85% of our camps are located in Parks and Natural Reserves so that they can be turned into a valuable tool for co-operating with managing Authorities. Volunteer camps may also offer development opportunities in backward areas, since they give local co-operatives further chances to work in carrying through the works volunteers have begun.
Volunteers live deeply immersed in the local cultural environment not only in working time (about 6 hours a day), but also during the rest of the day, i.e. during the excursions, debates and meetings with local communities which are being constantly organised by our groups. Contact with local people is of the utmost importance and is the foundation for organising and developing all our volunteer projects. It is also an effectual means of creating solid opportunities for cultural exchange especially among local youth and volunteers, each with a different cultural background, thus promoting a potential emancipation of local communities in very culturally backward areas. Moreover, camps are held all over the year, thus favouring those economies which are willing to promote environmentally friendly tourism even off season.
