“My most memorable experience was sitting on the Helgoland dunes for an entire day with a camera, observing and photographing grey seals.” Maike Paul, volunteer at Wadden Sea National Park of Lower Saxony “It is always nice to discover new and hidden springs in the course of our investigations.” Udo Kaiser, volunteer at the Rhön Biosphere Reserve “It is amazing to stand at the Tauerwiesen Pond with a group and see approximately 150 cranes fly overhead, hear the distant roaring of stags and observe great white egrets at the edge of the water.” Gisbert Hiller, volunteer at the Upper Lusatia Moorland Biosphere Reserve “It is always a pleasure to show the national park with its motto ‘Let na- ture be nature’ to hiking groups, whether children or adults, and see how they gain a greater understanding for nature. Hiking in the fog between dead wood at the side of the trail is a spooky highlight. It’s easy to imagine a dwarf behind every tree and bush, telling strange stories.” Jutta Obst, volunteer at Harz National Park VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT: A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND IDEAS “Volunteers in Parks” are welcome! CONTENTS 1 VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT: A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND IDEAS “Volunteers in Parks” are welcome! Preface 3 International “Volunteers in Parks” 23 Breathing life into cross-border cooperations with parks 23 Volunteer management in the The European Voluntary Service 26 National Natural Landscapes 4 International work camps 28 Overview of the volunteer program 4 E-volunteering 32 What is volunteer management in parks? 7 Guidelines for working with “Volunteers in Companies as “Volunteers in Parks” 33 Parks” in the National Natural Landscapes 8 Doing good together 33 Corporate volunteering in the National Natural Education and “Volunteers in Parks” 10 Landscapes – experiences and recommendations 34 What does volunteer work have to do with education? 10 Working with companies – practical examples 36 Education for sustainable development and “Volunteers in Parks” 10 Equal opportunity in the volunteer program: Getting schoolchildren involved – school outreach the example of gender mainstreaming 39 projects within the volunteer program of the Equal opportunity and diversity 39 National Natural Landscapes 13 Gender mainstreaming for parks and volunteers 40 Requirements for successful cooperation programs Gender mainstreaming in volunteer management – with protected areas and schools 16 how is it done? 42 Practical examples – school cooperations in the volunteer program 18 Summary of the project phase and future outlook 45 References 47 Partners and imprint 48 2 “The ‚Volunteers in Parks‘ program impres- sively demonstrates how each of us can get involved in maintaining Germany‘s most beau- tiful and treasured landscapes. It‘s well worth the effort because helping out in the National Natural Landscapes is also about expanding our own horizons, discovering natural wonders and sharing experiences with kindred spirits.” Rüdiger Nehberg, alias Sir Vival Survival expert and human rights activist (TARGET e.V. Rüdiger Nehberg) PREFACE 3 Dear readers, allow us to take you on a special voyage of gether, we have developed and consolidated deutsche Stiftung für Umwelt und Entwick- discovery through the National Natural the role of volunteer coordinators in parks, lung/NUE (Northern German Foundation Landscapes1! created guidelines for volunteer manage- for Environment and Development), and ment in the National Natural Landscapes, the Manfred Hermsen Foundation. Thanks Discover a wealth of experience in volunteer established a wide range of cooperations to their collective support, they have made management – collectively acquired and designed to foster volunteer involvement it possible to continuously develop the pro- consolidated by numerous colleagues – and and, most importantly, recruited volunteers gram. I would also like to extend a special incorporate into your daily work this exten- for Germany‘s conservation areas. thanks to the park administrations and or- sive pool of knowledge relating to all aspects ganizations responsible for the stewardship of “Volunteers in Parks”. This brochure Key sources of motivation and drive for of Germany’s National Natural Landscapes, presents a sampling of the results from the developing the program came from the and particularly to their volunteer coordina- past three-year project phase of this Ger- “Volunteers in Parks” themselves, with tors, who have invested energy and re- man nationwide volunteer program. their enthusiasm for nature and natural sources in this “common cause” over the past landscapes, their interest in conservation few years. You have made a key contribution The present brochure complements and issues and their desire to help. But positive toward the success of “Volunteers in Parks”. expands upon the previous publication feedback from outside Germany – such as “Teamarbeit in Großschutzgebieten – when we received the “Active Citizens of Now the challenge is to combine the experi- Freiwilligenmanagement in Planung und Europe Award” from Volonteurope and ence of the past years with the willingness Praxis” (Teamwork in large scale protected gained recognition as an official project of to continue to use the latest volunteer areas – volunteer management: planning the United Nations Decade of Education management techniques in the future. This and practice)2, which illustrates volunteer for Sustainable Development – has shown well-established, solid foundation will allow management techniques and their use in us time and again that we are on the right “Volunteers in Parks” to keep on prospering. conservation areas. The brochure that you track, i.e., one that paves the way toward I invite you all to take part in this challenge now hold in your hands focuses on high- a brighter future for Germany’s National for the future – as volunteers, advisors and lights and special approaches in the world of Natural Landscapes. With satisfied volun- supporters. volunteer management. It deals with school teers who are professionally organized, our partnerships that foster involvement, the parks gain priceless outside input and ideas, international “Volunteers in Parks” program, along with advocates and multipliers and, of corporate volunteering and the issue of course, new friends! equal opportunities. We would like to express our heartfelt Axel Tscherniak In 2008 we celebrated the fifth year an- thanks to those who have funded this Project Leader and Managing Director of niversary of “Volunteers in Parks”. These project, in particular the Heidehof Founda- EUROPARC Deutschland years have been a real learning process for tion, which has been involved right from us marked by ambitious pioneering work – the start, the German Federal Agency for and countless rewarding experiences. Along Nature Conservation (BfN) and the Ger- the way, the nationwide volunteer program man Federal Ministry for the Environment, has helped 29 protected areas join forces to Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety collectively improve professional volunteer (BMU), the Saxon Regional Conserva- 1 National Natural Landscapes: an umbrella name, management in parks, for the benefit of tion Foundation/Conservation Funds, the established in 2005, for Germany’s national parks, nature parks and biosphere reserves protected areas and volunteers. Working to- BINGO! Environmental Lottery, the Nord- 2 EUROPARC Deutschland 2006 4 VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT IN THE NATIONAL NATURAL LANDSCAPES Volunteer management in the National Natural Landscapes “Volunteering is perhaps our most valuable form of renewable energy.” European Parliament, Committee on Regional Development, 2007 Overview of the volunteer Financing: potential “Volunteers in Parks” to get program Heidehof Foundation, the German involved Federal Agency for Nature Con- – Recruit new active volunteers and Previous program phases: servation (BfN) with funds from advocates for the National Natural – “Preparatory project for integrating the Federal Environment Ministry Landscapes volunteers into the work of Natur- (BMU), Saxon Regional Conserva- – Establish and expand cooperations wacht Brandenburg (ranger organiza- tion Foundation/Conservation Funds, with schools, mobilize schoolchildren tion in Brandenburg)” (2003) BINGO! Environmental Lottery, as volunteers and thereby secure the – Project: “Establishing a volunteer pro- Norddeutsche Stiftung für Umwelt future of volunteer nature conserva- gram in German large scale protected and Entwicklung/NUE (Northern tion areas” (2004-2006) German Foundation for Environment – Establish and expand international Current program phase: and Development), Manfred Hermsen cooperations between conservation Project: “Establishing a Germany- Foundation areas and open up German parks to wide volunteer program in large scale Budget: international volunteer programs protected areas with international 608.200,– Euro – Integrate additional regional partners, diversification” Overall objective: for instance from education, indus- Time frame: Establishment of a Germany-wide try and politics, into the volunteer 03/2006–01/2009 volunteer program similar to the US program as part of regional and/or Project organizers: National Park Service’s Volunteers-in- Germany-wide cooperation programs EUROPARC Deutschland e.V. Parks Program – Promote public awareness of volunteer Project management: Specific goals: management in parks and strengthen Axel Tscherniak – Establish/stabilize and further develop the role of nature conservation Project coordination: volunteer management structures