Europe

Nature and wildlife volunteering in Europe
Eco-volontaire lists carefully selected volunteer projects across Europe, from Iceland to the Mediterranean. They are run by local NGOs, associations or specialised volunteering agencies that we have vetted for their ethics and their real impact on biodiversity. Many can be reached by train or ferry, for a low-carbon volunteering trip.
What you can do:
– Help protect large carnivores: the Iberian wolf in Portugal, the brown bear in Croatia, the lynx in Montenegro.
– Take part in marine conservation in Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Croatia: sea turtles and dolphins, underwater clean-ups, a research expedition on board a sailing yacht.
– Volunteer in Iceland: coastal protection, erosion control in a UNESCO Geopark, eco-villages and beach clean-ups.
– Restore forests and island ecosystems in Portugal and Greece, or protect the flora and fauna of the Scottish Highlands.
– Join palaeontology digs in England and Provence, care for horses in a sanctuary in Spain, or learn eco-living at an eco-centre in the Cévennes.
Who it’s for: most projects are open to volunteers aged 18 and over. Some welcome families and teenagers, including a summer camp in Iceland. No scientific background is needed.
Languages: English on most projects, plus the local language and, for some projects, French.
How it works: contact the partner organisation directly through Eco-volontaire, free of charge. You book with them at their own price: using Eco-volontaire adds nothing to what you pay.