C3 Conservation work by volunteers

Conservation volunteers at work. Photo: Meelis Leivits

Volunteers are involved into dam building activities in remote areas as well as in the case of closing small ditches (e.g. the case of Soosaare mire). In some cases they take part of „fine tuning“ works on those sites where heavy machinery has done the main part of the works before (Action C1 and C2), help with seeding of Sphagnum species to abandoned peat mining fields (Action C2), help in monitoring activities (Actions D1 and D2) and building LIFE trail (Action E2). If needed, volunteers are also involved in archaeological survey of the project sites (Action A3).

In some cases only closing the ditches is not enough to bring water levels close to natural state for mire habitats and additional measures, concerning thick tree cover, must be implemented. In that case volunteers are also involved in some management activities (e.g. collecting and burning branches that came from the restoration sites during the tree cutting).

Within the LIFE project ELF organizes 50 conservation work camps in 6 project sites (preliminary plan: Agusalu 6 camps, Lahemaa 6 camps, Ohepalu 6 camps, Sirtsi NCA 6 camps, Tudusoo 6 camps, Soosaare 20 camps). 10-15 people are expected to work each time 2-3 working days /work time estimated minimum 4 hours a day).

In 2016. 7 conservation camps (in total 154 participants) were held to determine the presence of Tetrao urogallus in project sites. Please look at short overview of the event from here.

Volunteers are coordinated by experienced group leaders (qualification of first aid and group management). Also experts from Tartu Un., Environmental Board, State Forest Management Centre or ELF will be included.  Nature conservation experts assist and make lectures at project sites. Volunteers are to be recruited through website www.talgud.ee.

ELF has over 15 years of experience of organizing volunteer camps and they serve important educational and informative value besides actual work being done.