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Saving the shores - Drone mapping on the move - 28 days | WF707 | 2021-07-05 - 2021-08-01 | ENVI,EDU | Age: 18 - 99

 

Worldwide Friends Iceland (WF) was founded in 2001 as a non-governmental, non-profit organisation promoting nature and peace-oriented activities among people interested in spending time in Iceland as volunteers. The main activities offered by WF Iceland are work- and educational camps, exchange programs and seminars related to environmental protection. Our activities are suitable for anyone over the age of 18. Today the endeavor of attaining world peace has become a tangible possibility and the development and strengthening of bonds of cooperation and friendship through contact with people from other countries and cultures has proven to be one of the most fruitful means of achieving understanding and unity among nations. Worldwide friends main aim is to increase intercultural understanding through offering foreign volunteers the opportunity to take part in nature and peace-related activities. For volunteers coming to Iceland, such projects will give them a unique opportunity not only to explore and directly interact with Iceland’s unique culture and landscape, but also to work with other international volunteers and residents in challenging and unfamiliar contexts. This interaction between unspoiled nature and people from different backgrounds provides the participants with invaluable opportunities to learn more about themselves as individuals, their international fellows, other culture and the human and natural richness of Mother Earth. These are all unique opportunities for building bonds of unity and understanding between societies around the world.

Work: Volunteers will be cleaning the coastline in different parts of the island and help recycling the plastic which we are collecting there. Most of the mornings during the program we will have workshops for two hours about the sustainable goals with a special focus on climate changes. In addition to the theoretical part, we are going to be working in the beaches. There the work will be divided in two phases. The first one consists on mapping the shore with drones and cameras to identify the conditions of the beach. The data will be used to improve the impact of our work and to maximize the resources. We are conducting a long-term program of beach cleaning and the data will be crucial for scientific research. The second phase is the beach cleaning. Our work will depend on weather conditions, which is why we must be flexible. You should be prepared for unfriendly weather, but hopefully, the weather will be nice most of the time. This is a perfect camp for people who like outdoor work and physical challenges. Working hours are about 6 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Accomodation and food: Worldwide Friends volunteers will be going from Reykjavik on the first day of the project to Brú and then later on to Raufarhöfn and Stodvarfjordur. The houses are all fully equipped, volunteers should bring their own warm sleeping bags. Wireless internet access is provided free of charge. Food is included for the duration of the workcamp; however, everyone is expected to do their fair share of the cooking and cleaning. Since it is always nice to try new and different dishes, volunteers are encouraged to bring along their favourite recipes from home! Please keep in mind that there will be other volunteers in the same houses at the same time as your group.

Location: Brú - Raufarhöfn - Stöðvarfjörður

Location and Leisure: Your program will start in Reykjavik, spending two weeks in our sustainable centre in the Northwest, one week in Raufarhöfn near the Arctic circle and one week in Stödvarfjörður in the east of Iceland. Reykjavik is a city full of energy, just waiting for you to experience it. Powered by heat from the earth below, with ever-changing weather sweeping across the landscape, its natural features are matched by the energy of its residents. Think of the denominators of a great city - fun, culture, nature, clean air - Reykjavik has them in spades. All the advantages of a modern, forward-looking society are complemented by the beautiful natural setting. In a country of only just over 300,000 people, the Reykjavik Capital Area has a population of about 200,000. However, since it’s the only major city in the country, Reykjavik has a lot of the amenities that you would only expect to find in a much larger centre elsewhere in the world. Brú the sustainable centre of Worldwide Friends is near to the crossroads to the West, South and North of Iceland in the area of Hrutafjordur which is a 36 km long fjord in Hunathing vestra. In the neighbourhood you can find a lot of pure and unspoiled nature, beaches full of driftwood, Snæfellsnes peninsula, glaciers in the highlands, waterfalls, strong rivers, canyons, and craters. The purpose of the centre is to protect the nature in the area and to raise the awareness of sustainability among the locals and the visitors which are coming to the area. The house is more than 1.000 m² and has 16 double rooms, two kitchens, several bathrooms and common areas, rooms for workshops and galleries. It has its own generator to produce electricity for heating and daily use. The generator is broken at the moment but will be active later on this year. The village of Raufarhöfn is the community that lies farthest north in Iceland. It is located in the eastern part of Melrakkasletta close to the Arctic Circle. The population of Raufarhöfn is about 200 and most of the people there earn their living from fishing and fish processing. The harbour is very beautiful and partly shaped by nature itself. A wide and untouched open area surrounds the village with a lot of birds and varied vegetation. In summer one will observe wild migratory birds within the village being a part of the village life with the villagers most often waking up in the morning to the songs of birds. The coastline with its inlets and creeks is filled with driftwood and reaches out into the Arctic Sea. Away and on the surface of the sea various sea-birds will be spotted and an occasional seal. On the beach waders strut and inland on the grassy moorlands there are dozens of lakes filled with trout. In the vicinity many species of ducks, waders and species that favour heaths and moorlands may be observed. Stödvarfjörður Scoured by Ice Age glaciers, the dramatic east coast boasts long, narrow fjords with steep sides and jagged peaks which contrast with inland fertile farmlands. Natural harbours depict postcard-like fishing villages and seemingly never-ending roads cross the region, providing beautiful views. “Fjarðabyggð" is an association of villages in the Eastern fjords of Iceland. It includes the towns of Eskifjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Mjóifjörður, Neskaupstaður, Reyðarfjörður, Breiðdalsvík and Stöðvarfjörður, all tiny fishing villages with steep mountains towering just behind the houses. In this area you will see some of the features that make Iceland a unique place in the world: spectacular fjords with a rich sea life, a great variety of birdlife and countless breath-taking hiking paths. You will explore the area during your stay in the east Leisure • Free access to several geothermal swimming pools • Access to the geothermal baths in Mývatn https://myvatnnaturebaths.is/?lang=en • Access to the seal museum in Hvammstangi • Access to the hydroelectric power plant in Kárahljúkar • Several hikes • Day tour to the most remote area in Iceland called Strandir • During the project the volunteers will touring around Iceland and visiting most of the best known natural wonders on the ring road for example Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Skógafoss waterfall, Reynisfjara black beach, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Lake Mývatn, Hverir geothermal area, Goðafoss waterfall, Grábrók crater and much more. We will focus on intercultural learning and exchange. Every evening, volunteers from different countries will be in charge of presenting their country of origin and culture in an informal way. It can be a presentation, a game, theatre – the form of introduction is up to you! Therefore, we encourage you to bring along some food, photos or anything interesting related to your country for a fun and informative evening amongst other volunteers.

Train/Bus station:

Requirements: A basic knowledge of English is required for this camp. Participants must be ready to contribute for mother earth and have the will to learn how to do it.

Language: eng

Extra Fee: 980 EUR