This project is the result of the meeting and collaboration of IBO with the Prato Pozzo Farmhouse, the Boscoforte Company of Taiano and the Po Delta Park. The Prato Pozzo Farmhouse began its activity in 1990 by renovating an old family farm. It is located south of the Comacchio Valleys in the area of the Po Delta Park. In addition to accommodation and catering, it offers various services for children and adults aimed at discovering nature and the delta: bird watching, mountain biking, educational farm, welcome point, sport fishing and agri-camping area.
The hand of man has clearly contributed to the shaping of the environment: the infrastructure for fishing and eel processing, but above all the presence of an extensive salt marsh, which in the past caused many conflicts over the control of the production of the "white gold". Today there are new challenges: the extinction of seagrass and the high cost of the salt produced have led to the abandonment of these economies. But the presence of basins with variable salinities continues to contribute greatly to the development of an extraordinary biodiversity, and for this reason attempts are being made to preserve their hydraulic functionality, but also their historical memory and naturalistic usefulness.
In the Comacchio Valleys, the Boscoforte Society owns one of the most interesting naturalistic environments in the Po Delta Park, the Boscoforte Wildlife Oasis, part of which is open to regulated tourist use, with equipped trails and observation points for birdwatching and nature photography. In this environment, the balance between nature and human presence is delicate. It is necessary to know it in order to respect it. The project arises from the need to make this area usable in a respectful and safe way, through the maintenance of guided trails aimed at nature lovers who are especially numerous in the summer period. The aim is to involve Italian and international young people in group volunteer activities in order to strengthen the awareness of belonging to "the common home".
Volunteering work
Volunteers will be involved in: small maintenance activities for nature trails in the Agritourismo Prato Pozzo area at the wooden border fences and wooden bird hides, general maintenance of a section of the trail inside Boscoforte, partial maintenance of the Agosta Embankment, environmental and nature education activities.
Accommodation
Volunteers are housed in a facility in the Prato Pozzo area with 3 shared bedrooms, 3 bathrooms with showers and a kitchen for self-catering.
Leisure time
During your stay you will have the opportunity to visit surrounding places and take walks in the beautiful nature. For example, you can visit Comacchio, the Lidi Ferraresi, Ravenna and Ferrara.
Travel
Dichtstbijzijnde luchthaven Bologna (Guglielmo Marconi). Dichtstbijzijnde treinstation Alfonsine (RA) (Bologna-Ferrara-Alfonsine). Ontmoetingspunt is treinstation Alfonsine om 18.00 uur op 1/7/2025.
IBO asks all its volunteers to travel as sustainably as possible, preferably by train or bus. What you can do in any case is compensate your CO2 emissions through a recognized organisation.
Preparation
IBO offers a good preparation for your volunteering work abroad.You will receive a digital information package and an invitation to a preparation meeting. Read more about the proces from departure until return.
Cost
You can participate as a young adult (18-30) through the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) programme, where the project is funded by European subsidies. This does not cost the participants any money, but it does cost them time (in the form of filling in forms). Please contact us for more information.
Would you like to know more about how your contribution is made and how it is spent? Read about the costs for participation.
Register
Register as a volunteer at IBO here.
Pay attention: you can already sign up for this project, but we can probably only confirm if you can participate after June 1st.