📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The workcamp is organized in co-operation with the Czech national section of EUROSOLAR and Nature Conservation Agency. EUROSOLAR promotes renewable energies, sustainable lifestyle; it engages in youth environmental education and organizes environmental summer camps for children and families. EUROSOLAR started organizing workcamps 21 years ago The workcamp takes place in an abandoned but exceptionally beautiful, hilly area of Bohemian Forest, near the western border of the Czech Republic. The campsite is totally isolated from civilization (the nearest Czech village is 11 km away) and we welcome volunteers that are fond of trying out a basic lifestyle in the forest and do not mind longer walks. The goal is to help maintain meadows in a nature protected are, maintain the campsite and to enable volunteers with children to meet and to enjoy nature.In this workcamp, you are actively working for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Life on Land (UN SDG15).
💼 What the programme involves
Work: You will work in a nature reserve about 3 km from the campsite and in the campsite. Some of you will cut grass on meadows and in the campsite. Please note that the meadows can be very wet; bring waterproof working shs (or rubber boots), rain-gear and gloves. Others will work in the campsite - cooking, collecting wood, and doing maintenance tasks, working in the nearby forest and other manual work. Children and parents will work together when possible (e.g. raking grass, helping with cooking, collecting wood, harvesting vegetables and gardening). Study part: Evening discussions about environmental and intercultural topics, learning to recognize stars, watching wild animals. A visit to nature reservations in the neighbourhood can be planned. As you will be living in close contact with the nature, you will improve your camping skills as well. Every evening, there is going to be a group meditation and sticktalking in a tee-pee.
🏠 Accommodation on site
In tee-pees (Indian tents with a fireplace in the centre) on wooden pads and mattresses filled with hay. Large families will have their own tee-pees, smaller families will share tee-pees. You will cook together as a group on a fireplace. The food is only vegetarian (with vegan and gluten-free options possible). We try to buy only local and seasonal food. Nights in the forest are very cold, even frosty, so bring aI very warm sleeping bag, a camping mat, an extra blanket and/or sheet to cover a hay mattress. You will wash yourself in a small river with cold water next to the camp, toilets are dry and outdoor. The source of water is analysed by the authorities every year to meet the standards.
📍 About the location
Location: GPS coordinates: 49.721559, 12.468716. The campsite in an isolated part of the village of Lesna in the Bohemian Forest near the German border. The nearest bus stop is Stara Knizeci Hut and the nearest bigger town is Tachov. The campsite is located about 30 minutes-walk from the nearest bus station. The landscape is hilly but most of the important places of the camp are situated in the valley near the stream. Meeting point: Stara Knizeci Hut, part of the village Lesna. The public transport to Stara Knizeci Hut during summer holidays is very limited - there are usually just 1 or 2 connections from Prague and they are in the morning/noon. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to arrive to Prague one day before the workcamp starts to make it on time. Detailed travel advice will be provided in the infosheet.Leisure time: Hiking in the surrounding countryside. Trips to Czech towns in the neighbourhood (e.g. Marianske Lazne) and as the project is situated directly at the border on Germany, a trip to Germany can be organized as well. In your free time, you can play games, do creative workshops or experience Indian sauna and try out archery.