About Becoming a Marine Conservation Volunteer

This Marine Conservation Volunteer Project is located in Denia, a traditional fishing town 100 kilometres south of the city of Valencia. Dénia, currently an important tourist destination, has an amazing environment and biodiversity that includes two Natural Parks and a Marine Reserve. Valencia’s coast is one of the most beautiful and sunny in Spain, with many kilometres of beaches to enjoy the sea in a warm climate and practice water sports. Therefore, conservation in this part of the Valencian coast is especially important due to the touristic pressures threatening its biodiversity.

Volunteers participating in this project will learn new skills and contribute to minimising the environmental impact of their travel by getting involved in important conservation and research programs and learning about traditional agriculture and crafts.

As a Marine conservation volunteer you can discover the unique flora and fauna of the Montgo Natural Park with more than 650 different plant species; the Marine Reserve of Cape San Antonio, corals, Posidonia oceanica meadows and a wide range of wildlife. It’s also a unique place to see whales and dolphins from springtime to autumn (if you are very lucky!). Coastal & marine conservation volunteers will also experience the Pego Wetland Natural Park, where volunteers will find a great diversity of birds and endemic vegetation in one of the most amazing places in Spain.

With a castle from the 11th century, Denia is also full of history, music and traditional fiestas, like the Running the Bulls into the sea and the Moors and Christians celebration. Less than 100 km from both international airports (València and Alicante), is very well connected with other Spanish cities by bus and is also the closest city to Ibiza.

Typical marine conservation volunteer tasks include:

• Coastal flora and fauna surveys and data collection
• Working at the wetland to improve the ecosystems
• Strengthening and regeneration of native flora in burned areas
• Coastal and underwater cleaning
• Detection and control of invasive alien species
• Whale, dolphin and seabird monitoring (please note it is not guaranteed to see them due to variable weather conditions)
• Learn to accurately identify the targeted species and help with logistical operations

Location

Valencia is the third-largest city in Spain and has a subtropical Mediterranean climate with mild winters and long hot summers. Known for its extensive coastline, Valencia is home to diverse ecosystems with unique flora and fauna. A land of contrasts, it is dotted with rivers, forests, hills, mountains, islands and wetlands. At the heart of the Valencia community and just a short distance from Alicante and Ibiza, is Denia, with stretches of beach and its warm climate, it is a popular tourist destination.

Accommodation

Living in a single room in a shared apartment is the standard accommodation for marine conservation volunteers, and gives participants the chance to live with other students and volunteers from other countries. Each apartment has three to four bedrooms and one or two bathrooms which are shared with other participants. The apartments have fully equipped kitchens, a lounge with TV, internet access, a washing machine and an iron.

The apartments in Valencia are in the same building (second and sixth floor) so it’s easy for volunteers to meet together to go out or to go to the projects. The area has many amenities close by, the underground/subway is just 3 to 4 minutes walk from the apartments.

The meeting point for Conservation project volunteers is just behind the building, and the city centre is 2 underground stops away or a 25-minute walk. The beach is also around a 25-minute walk or 10 minutes by public transport. Volunteers can also hire a bike to get around the city, Valencia is a very bike-friendly city and easy to travel everywhere!

There is also the option to live in a homestay with a local family, with a half-board provided, or in a shared twin room rather than a single in the apartments.

Volunteer Requirements

Volunteers joining the Conservation Projects must be 18 years or older and should be fit and physically prepared to work in open environments, and also able to swim. A basic level of Spanish is also recommended. Volunteers should also be flexible, self-motivated, and willing to work in often hot outdoor conditions. Due to the weather conditions & project schedule, the activities may vary from week to week but will be a combination of the listed activities in the Project section.

N.B. You can still join this project if you have no Spanish, to begin with – we can arrange a Spanish course for you before you start your volunteering.

Project Dates

You can volunteer in Spain for a minimum of 2 weeks, with no maximum stay. We can also accept families with children & large groups for this project, with volunteers able to join throughout the year.

For more details on how the programme works, dates, costs and how to apply, please visit our detailed project page here.