Getting to know young people from different European countries, spending 2 weeks in the idyllic Weinviertel and at the same time make a contribution to the preservation of biodiversity – that is the European Green Belt Camp, which took place again this September, organized by the “Service Civil International- Austria” together with the “Nature Conservation League – Lower Austria” where we were allowed to be present as coordinators.
Getting to know young people from different European countries, spending 2 weeks in the idyllic Weinviertel and at the same time make a contribution to the preservation of biodiversity – that is the European Green Belt Camp, which took place again this September, organized by the “Service Civil International- Austria” together with the “Nature Conservation League – Lower Austria” where we were allowed to be present as coordinators.
At the beginning there were 2 days full of games – from “Hi-Ho-Ha!” to “Mission Impossible” – to get to know each other as well as exciting info sessions about the importance of the dry grassland ecosystem, the SCI or the Nature Conservation League. From then on, it was time to get to work: every day we visited a different site, where we cleaned up mown grass, cleared meadows of bushes and removed neophytes such as black locust. Except for the
“Cooking Divas” – whoever was lucky enough to have a turn at cooking duty, were allowed to stay at our beautiful tent camp in the Kellergasse of Hart-Aschendorf and enjoy with nice company of the Cat called Kellerkåtz’ or Vino and prepared the dinner. Then there were of course the free days and many funny excursions. Whether at the mediaeval festival in Eggenburg, at the guided tour through the Retz Celler or the tractor ride: We had a lot of
fun… and wine. Well, when you work, you are thirsty.
After 5 days we changed our accommodation to the campsite in Poysdorf,where we spent the rest of the camp. Not only were there plenty of showers there, which ended the long queue in the evening, but also a bathing pond,which was a wonderful refreshment after work! We were also invited almost every day to local restaurant – of course
everything from local production. A highlight was also the day in Mikulov in the Czech Republic: a really cute town that is definitely worth a trip (insider tip: vegan restaurant “Veggie Dick”)!
After 2 wonderful and much too fast passed weeks we finished our last evening together with games, champagne, music & dance before we had to part the next morning. But the memories of this unique time will remain!
Angelina Scherr & Luise Scheiber