Parmu Ecovillage is a non-profit organisation that exists to promote and foster a holistic approach to restoring the environment through regenerative farming, gardening and forestry. We first started organising voluntary activities in 2006 and since then have held over 20 nature conservation events with more than 100 participants.Located in Southern Estonia, close to Karula National Park and part of the Natura 2000 protected area, Parmu Ecovillage is a living embodiment of the pristine wilderness that Estonia is famous for. Flooded river meadows, deep primeval forests, picturesque lakes and rivers, mysterious swamps and rich wildlife – we have it all. The high water in spring called the ‘fifth season’ – where one needs a canoe to navigate between the different holdings within the village – is a breathtaking nature’s spectacle.The main objective of this EVS project is to introduce to the Volunteer the knowledge of how to make decisions that simultaneously consider economical, social and environmental realities, both short and long term, with a specific focus on agriculture, gardening and silviculture. All means of support and learning conditions are provided to enable the Volunteer to acquire new skills, knowledge and understanding of the key principles of ecology and sustainability. The Volunteer works alongside professionals responsible for the habitat preservation and restoration of the Ecovillage - where most lands are part of the Natura 2000 protected area - helping out with nature conservation tasks as well as guiding and supervising local youth and visiting groups of children who participate in those activities. Working methods are mainly observational - biological monitoring, conducting assessments / diagnosis and recording observations about the landscape / animals / plants / insects with the focus on four ecosystem processes: community dynamics, water cycle, mineral cycle and energy flow. The Volunteer will be 18 years of age or older - only one volunteer will be selected for the 2016 project. Other than that, the Volunteer doesn’t need to have any special skills or be very fit to carry out the voluntary conservation work. Use of tools and techniques are quite simple and easy to learn by anyone. At the minimum the Volunteer should be physically able with the potential of carrying out light regular open-air tasks such as pasture walking.The Volunteer will be living in a fully furnished private flat. The Volunteer has to cook for him/herself and is provided with a weekly organic food box (either including meat or vegetarian) plus all eating/cooking utensils. The Volunteer gets a personal bicycle and is allowed - having proven competence in horse riding - to ride horses within the Ecovillage. The Volunteer doesn't have to pay anything for participating in the project and will get a monthly payment of €100 per month to cover essentials.The Volunteer will have an allocated Volunteer Supervisor who provides help and support to the Volunteer and with whom the Volunteer meets at least once a day to clarify daily agenda and objectives. The Volunteer has also a Mentor. The working day lasts 6 hours (with pre-determined routine tea and lunch breaks), weekends are off, so there will be plenty of time to relax, explore the nature, interact with the local community, and enjoy evening activities such as campfires, barbecues and saunas.There will be a regular weekly meeting (tutorial) between the Volunteer and his/her Supervisor. The tutorial has an important function within the volunteering experience where the Volunteer has the opportunity to share ideas and analyses, contribute to the activities with his/her own knowledge and have a say in the project decision-making process. Learning outcomes identified in the beginning of the project will be followed up and recorded regularly during the course of the project which will benefit the accuracy and CV-enhancing value of the final Youthpass that the Volunteer receives.The project will not only raise the Volunteer's awareness and understanding of the importance of maintaining and enhancing the well-being of the environment but through our dissemination activities - via General Ecovillages Network and national ecovillages' events and meetings - introduces the knowledge of how to make decisions that simultaneously consider economical, social and environmental realities to other young people, inspiring them to participate in similar projects.The project impacts positively the inhabitants of Parmu Ecovillage and contributes to the preserving activities of the region's cultural heritage. Other long term benefits of this project include improvement of the holistic approach to restoring the environment through regenerative farming, gardening and forestry and the spread of this knowledge in Estonia and in other European countries as well as a positive impact on the development of informal learning opportunities.