Last Friday on 14th February the long term volunteer from SCI Germany office made a short visit to the project partner in Tübingen in order to say ‘Thank you!’ and conduct small interview with the people engaged in this incredible workcamp. Actually, it is symbolic to express words of the gratitude on the St. Valentine’s day showing the appreciation and ‘love’!

What is the workcamp about: The project is already taking place for more than 20 years! This ecology workcamp is organised in cooperation with a regional office for nature and landscape protection in Tübingen (Regierungspräsidium Tübingen) and a regional organisation for the preservation of the cultural heritage (Schwäbischer Heimatbund).
The hill called “Spitzberg” in a former wine-growing area near the famous old university town of Tübingen is well-known as a habitat for rare and endangered species and has been declared a nature reserve. This area has to be maintained regularly so that bushes and trees do not overgrow vegetation that must be sheltered.

As an active university town, Tübingen has a lively student population, which is also a town of historical significance, with many famous framework buildings.

During the workcamp participant not only work manually, but also have “study parts”, such as:

• Learning about ecological problems, nature and landscape protection.
• Getting information on the saving of endangered species in the area.
• Geology.
• There is always a study tour to explore the flora, fauna and habitat.

Of course it is hard to imagine any workcamp without free time activities that here include:

• A guided tour in Tübingen with historical focus.
• An evening with local wine-growers.
• A tour of natural and cultural sights on the “Schwäbische Alb”.
• An evening of punting on the Neckar.

However, the most important is the contact to the local community that is created by the fact that the participants live in the middle of the village and they can see each other every day. The same is true for the work in the nature reserve, where many farmers come into contact with the SCI participants during walks or while working in their properties and vineyards.

Additionally, during almost traditional evening in the Hirschau Winepress, there are many contacts to the members of the fruit and wine growing association and to the members of the Hirschau village council.

At the end, when the question about the future plans was asked – the answer was pretty simple: ‘We will keep doing that and wish that SCI will support us for another 100 years. And happy anniversary, by the way!’

SCI Germany also hope to continue cooperation in order to receive such an impression like from the last year the participant Jose Manuel from Mexico: ‘The most valuable experience was working together and spending time near the wood fire, we were all singing, telling stories about our countries, sharing music, it was really great, it felt like family’.

If you are interested in this year project in Tübingen, check the information here.

Text by Nina Mialo, LTV in SCI-Germany office.