Volunteer Abroad USA: California Nature Conser­va­tion

In order to apply for this project you need to be over 18 and have sufficient English skills to follow the course contents. Since this project requires you to be physically active we need a doctor’s certificate confirming your state of health and physical fitness. Suitable travel insurance for the duration of your stay is also obligatory. Furthermore you might need a visa for your volunteering work. Depending on the duration of your stay and your destination the requirements might vary. You might check out the foreign department’s website for the visa standards or ask the Natucate team directly.

Prior to your departure we will help you organise and plan your whole stay. We will help you find a good flight, give you advice concerning necessary equipment and provide you with useful travel information in case you would like to further explore California and the United States before or after your time as a volunteer. After you arrival at Sacramento International Airport you will be picked up and taken to the project site. Furthermore, your accommodation and food will be provided. You will also be provided with working gear and equipment. Flights, travel insurance, meals and transfers on off-days as well as personal expenses and optional excursions are not included.

You definitely need travel health insurance to start your volunteering work with Natucate. We can help you find suitable travel insurance. In general, you need to talk to your doctor and make sure you are vaccinated against Morbilli, Mumps and Rubella. In case of injuries it is also advised to be vaccinated against Tetanus. For current information and warnings regarding your destination you should check out the homepage of your country's foreign department. In general, the U.S is a more or less safe country without any severe sicknesses.

Some working clothes and professional gear will be provided. You will be spending a lot of time outside; therefore you should consider packing light, comfortable but tough clothing which can get dirty. Furthermore, we ask you to pack a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, a water bottle, a flashlight/headlamp, mosquito repellent and rain clothes. Generally you should pack a sturdy pair of boots and long sleeved shirts, as well as several pair of durable long pants. You also need warm clothes, a sleeping mat and a sleeping bag as well as a large-sized backpack and a daypack.

We will support you during your planning process, but you will have to book your flight to Sacramento on your own. When you arrive at the airport, a team member will pick you up between 04:00 and 05:00 PM. If you arrive a couple of days before the official project start or depart later than the official end of the project, you will need to arrange your own transfer to your accommodation and make sure that you are at the meeting location at the airport on the official starting date at the right time. Depending on your arrival date, there may be nobody available to pick you up. Let us know about your travel so we can plan your arrival.

This volunteer project focuses on trail building and maintenance, erosion control and vegetation work in different regions throughout central and northern California. The volunteer project might be physically exhausting from time to time and you have to expect all kinds of weather conditions.

The group consists of about five to twelve volunteers.

We offer 12-week volunteer stays.

When working on a project, you will be sleeping in tents.

During your free time you will stay in one of several volunteer houses, located in or near Sacramento. Each house has multiple bathrooms and three to six bedrooms which you will share with one to five other volunteers and sleep in bunk beds. The accommodation also has a living room, a dining area, a washer/dryer and a fully-equipped kitchen (incl. cookware, utensils, refrigerators, freezers, coffeemaker, toasters).

The volunteer houses are located close to several shops. It is just a short distance to grocery stores, restaurants or pharmacies.

No, in this project it is not that easy. But since your work is determined by the latest need it is difficult to arrange the working days and your free time parallel to a friend. So you might not end up in the same volunteer house.

During projects, volunteers will take turns in preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner together. There will be three meals daily. Meals on off-days are not included, though.

It is possible to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet at the project. Our partners are also able to cater to food allergies if notified ahead of time. Please inform us about your diet needs

The duration of the single conservation projects is usually eight days. Please expect to work 10 hours a day. After a project unit is finished, you will get six days off. Note: this 8-6-8 rhythm may vary! This means, sometimes you may have to work on five consecutive days and have three days-off afterwards, or work for nine consecutive days, followed by an entire week off etc. Therefore, project participants need to be flexible.

You can use your free time to discover the landscape around the project and team up with some other volunteers to go on road trips. You can drive up to San Francisco, Los Angeles or San Diego over the weekends. You might also just relax at the volunteer’s house.

Yes, you will find a contact person at the organization in California. Additionally, you will have a Crew Leader on every project and other staff you can contact for assistance when not out on a project. Moreover, you can always contact the team at Natucate in case of questions or problems.

Accommodation and food during work time is provided. You need additional money for meals on off-days, for free time activities, external transfers, laundrette (available in volunteer accommodation) or additional snacks you want to purchase. You can withdraw cash at the airport or the city.

You will have free Wi-Fi access in the volunteer accommodation. To save some money on calling internationally you should consider purchasing a prepaid card. During your working time there might be limited access to internet and telephone signal.

The climate in California is mild and pleasant. It is always colder the closer you get to the coast or the higher you go up the mountains. During the night desert regions can also get very cold. Besides that the rest of the country has nice and warm summers with temperatures over 20°C and cooler winter months below 10°C. The precipitation varies strongly from region to region.

The drinking age in the USA is 21. It is not allowed to drink alcohol while on a project, while in volunteer accommodation, or on the street in public. While marijuana is legal in California it is not permitted while on project or in volunteer accommodation. We ask you to follow these rules and respect the conditions. Anyone who is not able to abstain from alcohol or drugs while on project and in volunteer accommodation will be asked to leave the program and may forfeit part or all of their fee.