During these two weeks, you will be supporting the development of the Wild Wood Pastures project by helping with different tasks on the area. These will include:
• Opening the area by collecting wood residues from the ground. This will foster grass growth and at the same time create hiding places for various animals.
• Protecting young oak trees (particularly valuable for the natural environment) by building wooden fences around them to protect them from grazing animals.
• Helping to increase the population of wildcats by building litter boxes out of wooden planks specifically for them. The boxes will then be disposed at strategic spots, fitting the environment.
• Protecting a specific type of salamander by removing overgrowing hazel bushes from a pond where the salamander is living. (They’re called Kammmolche in German).

Another focus of your work will be to support the monitoring of the garden dormouse, which has been declared animal of the year in Germany in 2023. Your job will be to help determine where the garden dormouse is to be found in the area and in which number. You will:
• Help check the tracing tunnels, which have been specifically installed in the forest and refill them with trace paper strips and charcoal paste.
• Create special nesting boxes and install them in the forest. These will help monitor the garden dormouse and also increase their diversity in the area.
In addition you will use other measuring methods to try and assess more accurately the habitat quality. The work will be led by a professional instructor, so no previous experience is needed. Expect manual work! You will work around 30 hours per week, somewhere between 8am to 4pm from Monday to Friday with a 1-2 hour lunchbreak.