ESC: Landcare - regenerative gardening and agroforestry
Code: 42765 Copied
Portugal
European Voluntary Service
Social work
Environment
Culture
European Voluntary Service
Social work
+3
Fixed dates
About the project
ESC: Landcare - regenerative gardening and agroforestry
📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Waking Life is situated around the Barragem das Nascentes in Crato, Alentejo. The organisation encompasses a year-round ecological project focused on ecosystem regeneration and an annual week-long arts and music festival of roughly 10.000 attendees from over 100 countries. The festival program offers an enticing mix of music, performances, film screenings, debates, workshops, dance classes and more.
The festival started in 2017, the ecological project in 2020. In 3 years, we have planted about 10 000 trees (goal: 23.000) on the 40 hectare site. At the intersection of ecological restoration and festival production, Waking Life's goal is to develop new approaches to the challenges of Southern European rural spaces and invigorate their social and natural ecosystems. Specific measures so far have included: soil restoration and water catchment of the festival site, agroforestry courses, an artist residency on natural building, a research with the University of Évora on the lake's biodiversity, etc.
Our target group is vast and diverse: our participants, crew and artistic/scientific/technical collaborators from across the world, the local municipality, inhabitants of Alentejo region.
The site of the festival is transforming into a public park filled with biodiversity, showcasing Syntropic agriculture and arts while offering a platform for research, artist residencies and educational programs. The festival remains annual celebration and showcase of this year-round effort.
💼 What the programme involves
This program revolves around soil regeneration via permaculture and syntropic agroforestry techniques. We are reviving 30 hectares of degraded land to serve as a model for eco living and provide ways to ensure food and water security for the current and the next generation by implementing innovative planting techniques such as Syntropic agriculture.
This agroforestry technique advocates cooperation in nature as opposed to competition and highlights the role of diversity in creating a healthy ecosystem. The site is being transformed into a public park filled with biodiversity and a green playground for hosting our yearly music and art festival. You will be participating in various activities such as creating and maintaining agroforestry systems, organic gardening, regenerative landscaping. You will also take part of cultural and community events such as listening sessions, collective cooking, local market or other events for the local community.
🏠 Accommodation on site
ACCOMMODATION
Tipis with electricity and beds, located around the Lake. In the fall and winter, we have a heated house (with kitchen, living room, bathrooms) in the village.
FACILITIES
Showers with warm water and compost toilets.
Filtered drinking water Washing machine.
FOOD
Three meals a day are cooked with food sourced as much as possible from our own garden and local producers.
Free drinking water, coffee, plant-based milk and various teas are available 24/7.
TRANSPORT
Daily bus and train to Lisbon and Porto.
Car sharing is facilitated.
Bicycles available for use.
🎒 Leisure activities
You will join a team of passionates taking you on a deep dive into reviving barren land through alternative agroforestry technics. You will learn about:
- rewilding, renaturation of streams
- agroforestry technics
- hydration of the landscape, water security
- the design and set-up of a small scale organic farming and food-processing model to achieve self-sufficiency and food sovereignty in order to sustain the onsite community during the year
- rural social landscape
- community living dynamics
- community care
We will provide english language support if needed.
⚠️ Requirements
The Participant profile: Interested in learning about plants and building vibrant ecosystems?
Not afraid to get your hands dirty and melt your sweat with soil?
Ready to join a big community of beings living, working and celebrating together?
That sounds like your cup of t(r)ea!
Curious mind and committed physical condition is highly recommended
Deadline: 26/01/2026 16:20
Deadline: 26/01/2026 16:20
ℹ️ Additional information
The project is implemented under the European Solidarity Corps Programme, financed by the European Commission.
The participating organisations have to be mindful of these needs as they are responsible for providing a respectful and trusting hosting environment. At the same time, the organisations participating in the initiative devote a great deal of time, energy and resources to set up a high-quality activity; they should therefore expect that European Solidarity Corps participants show a similar level of respect for the local communities and the people that are directly concerned by the activities (https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/mission_en).
What do we provide ?
Before applying for this volunteering project, you need to enroll yourself at European Solidarity Corps Platform (https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify your European Solidarity Corps Participant Number (PRN).
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.
Contact the ESC coordinator at +32 2 888 67 13 to get more informations.
The participating organisations have to be mindful of these needs as they are responsible for providing a respectful and trusting hosting environment. At the same time, the organisations participating in the initiative devote a great deal of time, energy and resources to set up a high-quality activity; they should therefore expect that European Solidarity Corps participants show a similar level of respect for the local communities and the people that are directly concerned by the activities (https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/mission_en).
What do we provide ?
- Training before and after the project
- Health insurance during your project
- round-trip travel reimbursement
- accommodation and food
- pocket money
- language course
- Return Week-end
- Youth Pass and SVI international Volunteer passport
Before applying for this volunteering project, you need to enroll yourself at European Solidarity Corps Platform (https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify your European Solidarity Corps Participant Number (PRN).
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.
Contact the ESC coordinator at +32 2 888 67 13 to get more informations.
Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.
Sign in to apply📅 Available sessions
PT42765
18/01/2026 → 01/06/2026
Volunteers registered
0 / 2
♂ 0/1
♀ 0/1
Deadline: 26/01/2026
ℹ️ Key information
Age required
18–30 years old
Solidarity donation
0.00 EUR
French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).
📍 Location
7430 Monte da Pedra, Portugal
Portugal
🌍 Location info
Local currency
Euro Member Countries (EUR / €)
Timezone
Western European Standard Time
Local time: 21:42 (12/11/2026)
🛡️ Before you leave
✅ Features
🏠 Accommodation
Collective
🗣️ Languages spoken
English
Portuguese