In 2022, some camps are organising camp experiences for you to participate in. We are hopeful that they will be able to go ahead. Camps will follow the local conditions closely, and may have to cancel activities if the local COVID-19 situation forces them to do so. If you have already signed up for a camp-activity you will be informed when this happens. We will update the website also, when such decisions are taken. Please check your own local authority travel advisory to see if you can travel to or return from the camp after the activity. At all times, when at camps, please observe it’s COVID-19 policy (such as wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands, etc).
CAMP KING'S GARDEN
Friesland, Greidhoeke, The Netherlands
About Camp King's Garden
Our work is rooted in Friesland, but we are also open to organizing camps throughout the Netherlands. At the moment we are preparing for projects to restore herb-rich meadowland, water management systems, fruit trees at farmyards, ecological restoration of roadsides, and many other biotopes that need restoration. What we do completely depends on the local landscape. 60% of our work will be concentrated on restoring biodiversity in an area in the middle of Friesland, which is mostly meadowland with villages on little man-made mounds.
Achievements to date
We have only just begun but our camp has already restored six fruit courts, and our partner also restored six. We connected the two locations with 8 kilometres of ecologically maintained roadsides.
What to expect at Camp King's Garden
A Camp King’s Garden, expect camping at beautiful locations in the landscape in summertime. In wintertime we won’t sleep in tents, but we will find a roof above our head (camping in the Netherlands is not recommended in wintertime :-)) We will organize group meals, campfires, and nature will help us with misty sunrises and sounds of the landscape. All camps will be organized with a lot of opportunities to learn about ecosystem restoration, both in theory and practice. We will often also include a cultural activity, taste local specialities, and it will be an opportunity to meet like-minded landscape builders as yourself! Also, we will often be working with local farmers, so it is also an opportunity to learn about farm life.
Who is needed
We are currently looking for people who want to help with our restoration projects by doing restoration work, but everyone who thinks she or he can help is welcome!
Other opportunities for campers at Camp King's Garden
Nature hikes nearby.
Cost to stay at the camp
Differs per camp, please enquire.
Vision and Socio-economic context
Together with many enthousiastic landscape builders, we will be restoring a living landscape in which all forms of life will thrive. We aim to restore at least 1000 hectares. We are part of an organization called Kening, which is an alliance for a living landscape. Kening is Frisian (a language spoken in the North of the Netherland) for King. And refers to the King of the Meadows, a bird called Godwit, which is on the verge of extinction and needs the Netherlands for its survival. The largest part of the population of this Godwit breeds in the Netherlands.
This bird is one of our storytellers. The Godwit tells us about the quality of our ecosystems. Next to this bird, there are many other storytellers and kings in our landscape that are having a voice in our organization.
We started our organization in 2012 with a mixed group of farmers, other inhabitants, conservationists, policymakers, artists, and other creative people to collectively work on restoring biodiversity and cultural diversity in our landscape.
Most of our work is focused on the countryside. We started by organizing a lot of dialogue on biodiversity in farmland, we organized cultural projects and many spin-offs came out of our initiative. Now, we wanted to also come into action by literally restoring the landscape. Which is why we opened a camp!
We are a mobile camp that will travel to the restoration site.
Seedling Camp
Organising Partners
Natuerkoöperaasje Baarderadiel ANV Greidhoeke Landschapsbeheer Friesland
Facilities
Camping (basic)
Covered accommodations-winter
Homestays with local families – winter
Sanitation (basic, eco-toilet)
Cellphone network Wifi-winter
Learning center
Kitchen (basic)
Restoration Activities
Water retention
Tree planting
Composting
Restoration holidays
Food planting
Community building
Erosion prevention
Soil restoration
Cover cropping
Agroforestry
Grassland management
Restoration of livelihoods
Latest News from the Camp
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What you must do to ensure your own safety at an Ecosystem Restoration Camp
Your safety is very important to us. Most camps are in locations that are completely safe for you to travel to. Some camps are in locations where there is civil unrest, higher levels of crime, or in areas where there could be severe nature events (earthquakes, tornados, vulcanic eruptions). We strongly advise you to check with your national authority’s travel advisory service to see if there are specific travel advisories for the region you are travelling to. We strongly advise you to comply with that travel advisory. If there is a negative travel advisory for the area you plan to go to, we want to impress on you that it is your decision to not heed the warnings and go. ERC can then not be liable in that situation if something happens to you.
Work at camps is usually safe. The camp coordinators make your safety their highest priority too. But you will be working with tools and sometimes even (heavy) machinery. Sometimes the terrain can be slightly treacherous. Heat or cold can become a problem for people at work that do not take the necessary measures to prevent injury from weather conditions. Especially in remote locations, all people at an Ecosystem Restoration Camp will need to watch out for eachother’s safety. For this reason we ask you to also sign our Code of Conduct, through which you commit to contributing to a safe environment at camps for all that are there with you. Take yours and all other camper’s safety seriously! Together, while watching over eachother, we can restore our ecosystems safely and successfully.
