During the project we have had wonderful volunteers from various fields joining our ranks and helping out with many activities. Starting from communications management to the actual Nature Conservation volunteer fieldwork, to even creating a mascot.
There have been many busy days out in the wild: conservation holidays dedicated to preserving the habitat of Nutterjack and Spadefoot toads, building nest boxes for Flying squirrels, installing Capercaillie lek cameras, restoring Mires, trying to get rid of the invasive weed Himalayan balsam, and the to do list goes on and on.
On the other hand, there has been also lots of planning and research, to find better ways to communicate the objectives of the Nature Conservation to the public and local communities, and how to educate and engage people to protect our environment.
Thank you, dear volunteers!
The amount of things that have to be done for the benefit of Nature conservation is overwhelming, so we hope to continue with projects such as this bringing together volunteers with different backgrounds, from different places.
Antoine Fusil
I'm 26 years old, French, and as a volunteer I'm staying in Tartu, Estonia. I've previously studied Computer Science and Mathematics, but here I am an ELF (Eestimaa Looduse Fond) volunteer as part of the European Voluntary Service. I work with several environmental missions, and help to plan and lead them. I plan to design a mascot, based on a nocturnal animal, and we'll have to make a costume based on it that I will be wearing. Finally, I'll write on this blog regularly, to talk about my experience.
Anya Ellyn Benavides
In my Master’s program, Adult Education for Social Change, my focus lies on environmental conservation, and sustainability though an adult education lens. Thus, with my third semester in Tallinn, I was thrilled to receive my placement with Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF).
Through scientific research, they aim to protect Estonia’s wildlife, and foster environmental outreach throughout Estonia. Since my main focus with environmental education and sustainability had been with Indigenous traditional knowledge, and learning through activism movements, I was ready to learn more about the context environmental sustainability in Estonia, and how ELF weaved adult education into environmental protection.
Celia Lopez Cañizares
This is Celia López, Spanish biologist and Erasmus master´s student of the University of the Azores (Portugal). This blog aims to share my experience at the volunteering conservation camps or talgud of the Estonian Fund for Nature – ELF.
Elina Melet-Garel
I'm a student from France, and I will be volunteer here in Estonia until the end of November/ beginning of December 2019. I study naturalism, and how to lead activities that raise awareness of nature conservation. I would like to continue my biology studies and then study a master’s degree in the field of naturalism. Before that, I am taking now a one year sabbatical to get more practice. Also, I am interested in studying the relationship between animals and people.
In 2015 I worked with the Return of the Wolf in my homeregion in France that gave me the opportunity to study the relationship between wolves and farmers. During this work I met several farmers to discuss the impact of the returning wolves on their life, and farming practices. I would like to learn about the situation in Estonia. My aim is to meet several farmers to learn about their experience with predators and to compare data.
Kathrin Möbius
Studies how social media can be used for environmental communication. Created mini course on social media in environmental communication with the Eestimaa Looduse Fond (ELF). The course is accessible here: https://anyaellyn97.wixsite.com/placement
Kirke Raidmets
I have been a volunteer with ELF since 2017, and since 2019 I've mainly had the role of saeminister, but I have also acted as a leader of nature conservation events (talgud) and as a conservation worker (talguline). At the moment I have experience with 40 conservation events. Saeminister and talgujuht are volunteer posts at ELF that give more possibilities to participate and organise conservation events. Saeminister takes care of technical equipment, and safety. Talgujuht is responsible for organising everything. I study Biology at Tallinn University and work as a Geography teacher. Volunteer work in environmental protection brings me lots of joy, new acquaintances and peace of mind that I can be part of Estonian Nature Conservation.
Kristin Nugis
I decided to have my communications’ assistant internship in ELF because of the values that ELF carries in itself are similar to what I believe in. Luckily ELF also thought I would fit in and here I am! I am a student in the University of Tartu and I study semiotics major and communications minor on the BA level.
In this short time of my internship I am planning to firstly get to know the organisation better and through that be there for the PR team. I’ll try my best to be critical, think thoroughly and add value to the decisions made. I am also hoping for developing some well needed practical skills in my field such as interviewing, social media analysis, making press releases, communicating with policy makers and helping in coming up with the messages to the auditorium.
Lea Melisse
I'm 19 years old. I'm on the 4 months volunteer mission in Estonia in partnership with ELF (Estonian Fund for Nature). I chose to join this project because I wanted to do something useful for nature, for myself, and also to travel to an unknown country. Estonia checked all these points. I have been lucky to join the European Corps of Solidarity thanks to the French company IPEICC.
Maxime Nicolas
I'm 20 and I'm on the volunteer mission for 4 months. This is my first mission.
Melanie Olesk
This research aims to analyse the conflict in Võhandu river primeval valley landscape reserve that has arisen from the Environmental Board trying to renew the regulations. The purpose of this research is to establish the causes and effects of the conflict through conflict mapping and analyse the conflicting parties through stakeholder analysis.
Dissertation submitted as part of the final examination for the degree of M.A. with Honours in Geography and International Relations at the University of Aberdeen, December 2019
