Discover hidden nature reserves in france by volunteering

HOW TO FIND YOUR LOCAL CONSERVATION GROUP AND HELP PROTECT NATURAL SPACES NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Clearing invasive species and identifying where maintenance is needed are among volunteer

roles being advertised in 4,100 nature reserves across France. The opportunities have been flagged by the _Conservatoires d’espaces naturels_ (CEN), one of the country’s main bodies

dedicated to protecting the environment and made up of mainly regional associations. 10,000 REGULAR VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT LOCAL BRANCHES CEN president Christophe Lépine said: “Unlike the set-up

in places such as England and Scotland, where you have huge non-governmental organisations like the National Trust and RSPB, with very large memberships and sponsors providing funds, in

France the state takes a more active role. READ MORE: VOLUNTEERS BEGIN CLEARING RURAL FOOTPATHS AROUND FRANCE: CAN YOU HELP? “So our associations, which employ 1,200 people, are largely

funded by various government and local government bodies. “At the same time, we have local volunteer groups doing work alongside the employees to protect the environment and boost

biodiversity.” Last year, CEN had 10,000 regular volunteers supporting local branches. “We have a couple of big annual campaigns, where volunteers help to clear invasive species on 200

sites, for example. “However, there are also ongoing opportunities, such as watching over specific reserves, signalling problems – for example, when paths need to be upgraded – or working on

footpaths and hedges,” said Mr Lépine. Current CEN campaigns include protecting peat wetlands and bats. READ MORE: ARE VISITORS ALLOWED TO VOLUNTEER FOR CHARITY WORK IN FRANCE? VOLUNTEER ON

NATURE RESERVES NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Anyone wishing to volunteer can do so from the organisation’s main WEBSITE where they can find details of the associations covering their area. As

well as doing something practical to protect nature, volunteers also get the chance to discover reserves close to them, some of which are not usually open to the public. Further benefits

include the camaraderie of other volunteers, an opportunity to use existing skills to help the environment, and learning new things. As well as outdoor physical work, there are also roles in

administration, communication and publicity, including staffing stands at local events. Other opportunities include ‘citizen scientist’ work watching over reserves and taking part in

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