📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
The General Directorate of Youth (www.xuventude.xunta.es) is a department of the Xunta de Galicia (www.xunta.gal) whose priority is to meet the needs and concerns of the young population living in Galicia, firmly believing that youth has much to contribute to society as a whole.
We work to improve the quality of life of young people in our autonomous community, developing actions and programs that benefit them, increase their well-being and allow them to improve their skill.
💼 What the programme involves
The work will be environmental and will consist of maintenance work on the island, fire surveillance, information work and visitor awareness, and specific interventions to improve the park in collaboration with the environmental service workers. Cleaning of the South Island (the only island not communicated by passenger boat). (This activity depends on the park, it cannot be carried out in all shifts).
🏠 Accommodation on site
The volunteers will stay in tents, which have canvas-based bunks for resting. The facility has barracks for dining and showers. There is no washing machine (hand wash).
📍 About the location
This work camp is located on the Illas Cíes, specifically on the Island of Monteagudo (north) at the mouth of the Ría de Vigo, in the municipality of Vigo (Pontevedra).
The Cíes Islands form part, together with the Cortegada, Sálvora and Ons archipelagos, of the Galician Atlantic Islands Maritime-Terrestrial National Park.
The ecological value of its marine environment is incalculable since within its waters some of the most representative examples of Atlantic marine ecosystems are preserved, which treasure great biological wealth.
The marine environment of the Park is a great mosaic of different habitats that support an extraordinary diversity of flora and fauna. There are important communities such as brown algae forests (Saccorhiza polyschides and Laminaria spp.), or those associated with seabeds such as those of Mäerl, and we also find habitats defined as of community or priority interest within the Habitats Directive of the European Union, such as reefs, lagoons or shallow sandbanks permanently covered with seawater.
The terrestrial environment is strongly influenced by the proximity of the ocean, highlighting the dune systems, the cliffs and the gorse or heather thickets.
Also in the emerged part of the islands we find habitats considered to be of community interest or priority by the directives, such as the gray dunes, the aerohaline coastal scrub or the southern Atlantic humid heather scrub.
The main problem for conservation in this environment has been human pressure. Especially in the Cíes Islands, eucalyptus, pine or acacia plantations have displaced the native vegetation in several areas. The eradication of these native species is a very long-term process that is already being worked on and the results of which will be seen gradually.
Actions are currently being carried out to develop adequate management of public use, waste from the islands, navigation and anchoring of boats, fishing, shellfishing, etc.
Sport fishing and underwater fishing are prohibited within the limits of the National Park.
COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES:
• Sport activities.
• Diving.
• Group dynamics.
• Guided routes.
• Workshops.
• Theme evenings.
• Environmental activities.
ℹ️ Additional information
The incorporation to the work camp is in the afternoon of the first day and the departure the last day after breakfast.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT:
• Cleaning supplies.
• Sleeping bag and backpack for routes.
• Shoes suitable for mountain and sports shoes.
• Clothing: sports, bathing, warm, rainwear, work (gloves, hat, flashlight...). The use of a hat and sun protection is recommended.
