Nature, not Nationalism - Protecting Alpine Forests responsibly

April 23, 2026


Project Code: AT-SCI W10.10 

Category & type of Work: Ecosystem restoration, Group living, Educational

Country: Austria 

Date: 12 Jul 2026 — 19 Jul 2026 

About the project: 

Many plant species have been introduced by humans to areas that they are not native to, also in the mountains of Tyrol in the Austrian Alps. These non-native plants often are a threat for the delicate balance of local ecosystems and biodiversity, competing with native plant species. However, the language of "invasive species" has been abused for harmful right-wing politics. The link between ecological conservation and anti-foreigner rhetoric is not just an unfortunate linguistic coincidence - it has historical roots in National Socialist ideology. By participating in this camp, you will contribute to meaningful conservation work while engaging in discussions about ethical, indigenous and anti-racist approaches to ecology. 

Requirements:  

Since this is an environmental project, volunteers are asked to travel via more environmentally friendly means of transport other than by plane if possible.

 

More info and how to apply 

This project is part of VSI’s International Volunteer Projects (IVP) programme, a unique form of values-based volunteering that brings together people from around the world to work on short-term projects with local communities. More info on the programme here.     

 

  1. Apply online on the SCI international website 

 

Application is through our international online placement system only.

 

Important: when you click on the links below you will leave the VSI website and go to the website and projects search engine of Service Civil International (SCI) (VSI is the Irish branch of SCI).

 

Please note: VSI are unable to send volunteers to all the projects listed in the search engine. For this reason, please create an account before searching the projects, you will then be able to see only the projects that we can send volunteers to. 

 

View this project on our international database here, you will need to click on ‘login’ at the top right corner to create an account and apply.  

 

View other available projects on the: SCI database   

 

The projects listed on the database are managed by SCI branches and partners across Europe, the project titles and descriptions are generally written by non-native English speakers, so please excuse us if some of them are hard-to-understand or use unusual language! The database serves over 130 organisations in more than 90 countries worldwide! 

 

         2. Pay the project fee - return to this page and follow the links below   

 

VSI is a small charity and we charge a fee on a sliding scale (€55 - €155) to volunteer on our projects, this includes food accommodation, basic insurance whilst on the project and VSI annual membership. Volunteers pay for their own travel to the country and internal travel to/from the projects and any visa fees.  More info here.

 

Please note, some of the descriptions mention an additional fee (of €50.00) when applying through non-SCI organisations, VSI is an SCI branch and this additional fee does not apply.  Some projects charge an additional fee for all volunteers, this will be clearly stated.   

 

  Short-term projects:  

 

  • Europe: Waged €155 /Unwaged €105   
  • Ireland: Waged €85/Unwaged €55 

 

Click here to pay the project fee 

 

If you have any questions or would like more info on a project, please contact us