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ILLAS CIES I

National Park "Illes Cíes" (Vigo, Pontevedra), Spain

En partenariat avec

The General Directorate of Youth (www.xuventude.xunta.es) is a department of the Xunta de Galicia (www.xunta.gal) whose priority is to meet the needs and concerns of the young population living in Galicia, firmly believing that youth has much to contribute to society as a whole.

We work to improve the quality of life of young people in our autonomous community, developing actions and programs that benefit them, increase their well-being and allow them to improve their skill.


Description du travail

The work will be environmental and will consist of maintenance work on the island, fire surveillance, information work and visitor awareness, and specific interventions to improve the park in collaboration with the environmental service workers. Cleaning of the South Island (the only island not communicated by passenger boat). (This activity depends on the park, it cannot be carried out in all shifts).


Hébergement & Nourriture

The volunteers will stay in tents, which have canvas-based bunks for resting. The facility has barracks for dining and showers. There is no washing machine (hand wash).


Lieu & Loisirs

This work camp is located on the Illas Cíes, specifically on the Island of Monteagudo (north) at the mouth of the Ría de Vigo, in the municipality of Vigo (Pontevedra).

The Cíes Islands form part, together with the Cortegada, Sálvora and Ons archipelagos, of the Galician Atlantic Islands Maritime-Terrestrial National Park.

The ecological value of its marine environment is incalculable since within its waters some of the most representative examples of Atlantic marine ecosystems are preserved, which treasure great biological wealth.

The marine environment of the Park is a great mosaic of different habitats that support an extraordinary diversity of flora and fauna. There are important communities such as brown algae forests (Saccorhiza polyschides and Laminaria spp.), or those associated with seabeds such as those of Mäerl, and we also find habitats defined as of community or priority interest within the Habitats Directive of the European Union, such as reefs, lagoons or shallow sandbanks permanently covered with seawater.

The terrestrial environment is strongly influenced by the proximity of the ocean, highlighting the dune systems, the cliffs and the gorse or heather thickets.

Also in the emerged part of the islands we find habitats considered to be of community interest or priority by the directives, such as the gray dunes, the aerohaline coastal scrub or the southern Atlantic humid heather scrub.

The main problem for conservation in this environment has been human pressure. Especially in the Cíes Islands, eucalyptus, pine or acacia plantations have displaced the native vegetation in several areas. The eradication of these native species is a very long-term process that is already being worked on and the results of which will be seen gradually.

Actions are currently being carried out to develop adequate management of public use, waste from the islands, navigation and anchoring of boats, fishing, shellfishing, etc.

Sport fishing and underwater fishing are prohibited within the limits of the National Park.

COMPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES:
• Sport activities.
• Diving.
• Group dynamics.
• Guided routes.
• Workshops.
• Theme evenings.
• Environmental activities.


Organisation d'accueil

SVI is the Spanish association which represents the Spanish workcamps managed by the Autonomous Regions (except those in Catalonia). We are under the Institute of Youth (Injuve). Injuve, an Autonomous Department of the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality, has, for some years now, been promoting specific programmes which are aimed at increasing and favouring different travel possibilities for young people. This enables those under 30 years of age to become aware of other realities, visit other places and have access to other cultures. Included among these programmes is one known as International Voluntary Service (SVI), which deals only with workcamps. These are aimed at youth between 18 and 26 years old and their main objectives are: -To encourage conduct that will favour the exchange of ideas and young people’s global development. This is achieved by volunteering and from the contributions made by youth from their own experience. This strengthens intercultural learning processes, personal development and the reinforcement of democratic values. -To integrate experiences, personal knowledge and the global development of youth in the carrying out of an activity, within the framework of voluntary service. The Youth Institute co-ordinates the exchange of places for young Spaniards wanting to volunteer in foreign workcamps and foreigners wanting to volunteer in Spanish workcamps. The Spanish workcamps are managed by the Autonomous Regions.