Available Placements Ecotourism Conservation Humanitarian Teaching ResearchOrganic Farms

'Natura 2000' Lagoon

Placement number: 0042
Location: Greece 
Preferred Languages: English, French, Greek and German
Date: 20 June 2007 to 20 October 
Minimum Period: 3 weeks foreign volunteers 2 weeks Greek volunteers

The project consists of the protection and implementation of management plans for a Greek
 lagoon, a Natura 2000 area. This project exists since 1998, and after a LIFE project that
 was realised in 1998-2000, the project aims in continuing with the main actions for the
 protection of endangered species that live in the wetland and raising public awareness
 for the importance of this area.

Role of Volunteer

Pylos Site
It includes two main actions: 
a) Implementation of protection measures and research for chameleons (Chamaeleo africanus) 
b) Environmental awareness to locals and tourists. 
a) The work on chameleons is divided in four parts (4 volunteers): 
wardening of the main beach were they live against direct and indirect damage to the 
individuals, nests or habitat. This is done by a group of 12 volunteers that in teams of 3 or 2 
will do watches of 4 hours on the beach. Nest monitoring will be done when the juveniles hatch
 from the nests situated on the beach below the sand. Three groups of two volunteers will walk 
along three sectors of the beach looking for newborn chameleons, will count them, determine 
their sex and release them on the bushes. All nests will be excavated 3 days after hatch, 
volunteers fill in a field protocol with all data. Protection of new nests will be carried out when 
females start laying the eggs on the beach. Three groups of 2 volunteers will walk along three 
sectors of the beach looking for females nesting. Protection of nest includes placing a metal net 
over the nest to protect it from predators, photographing and numbering the nest. Research is 
divided in direct observation of the behavior of the chameleons and in ecological, vegetation and 
population dynamics studies. (In this case volunteers with a background on biology, ecology or 
similar matters and students that are willing to do their field work as part of their University c
ourse will be preferred to the unskilled ones) 
b)
Information to tourists and locals will be given at a kiosk at the beach (2 volunteers) and at a 
second one in the town of Pylos (2 volunteers). Guided tours for visitors will be carried out by 
trained volunteers in the lagoon for birdwatching and the nature trail. Also slide shows will be 
organised in near by hotels and camping sites.
 
MONTHLY WORKS: 
June: Wardening and Research on Chameleons, Information to tourists; 
July: Wardening and Research on Chameleons, Information to tourists; 
August: Wardening, Research and Monitoring of hatchlings (from 10 August), Information to tourists; 
September: Wardening, Research and Monitoring of hatchlings (until 15-20 September as required) , 
Protection of nests (from 10 September), Information to tourists; October: Wardening, Protection 
of nests (until 20-25 October), Research on Chameleons.

Cost
64 Euros joining fee, then roughly EUR15 for food and accommodation (tent).

 

Travel

Pylos Project

From Athens: To arrive in Pylos you get the bus from Kifisos bus station. There are two buses a day, one at 8:45 and the second at 15:30. It takes aproximately 6 hours. From Pylos there is a local bus where you get off at the junction with Golden beach. From there you walk one km to the Camping Erodios. On site: Volunteers will move around by bicycle, since distances are very short. For the information kiosk volunteers will have to use the local bus to Pylos. Tickets are covered by the project. Cars are welcome.

 

 

 

 

Contact Us: Travelling abroad can be a daunting experience. We know because we've done it. If you have a question then we can help.