World Heritage Volunteers - Maintenance of a Cultural Landscape

The project will focus on the diversity of the cultural landscape Upper Middle Rhine Valley and illustrate - both during the hands-on part and the educational part - different aspects of the maintenance of the World Heritage site. The conservation of the area is partly in a bad state because of the fact that the vineyards are more or less out of use, that the maintenance both of the biotopes and the dry stone walls is physically demanding and that the knowledge about traditional techniques is disappearing. Under the guidance of experienced masons the volunteers will the restore parts of the historical dry stone wall system between the former vineyards. Furthermore, the participants will support the conservation of the former defensive system of Marksburg Castle, one of the most picturesque German castles. The stability of one of the walls could be in the future endangered because the raining water flows behind the wall. So it will be necessary to dig the slope and to reconstruct the original way of the water. Another important task will be the maintenance of biotopes as cutting several hectares of long-grass meadows and working with brush cutters. The volunteers will gain different practical skills and will learn about biodiversity and the endangered fauna and flora. The study part will give the theoretical background for the project. During the European Heritage Day on September, 11th, the public can usually visit heritage sites which are or otherwise not open to the public. The participants of the World Heritage Volunteers project will held guided tours and will explain to the public about special aspects of the World Heritage site, about the work they are carrying out and about the World Heritage Volunteers Initiative. In connection with this event the volunteers will present World Heritage sites of their home countries to the public.