A. Project environment: profile of the organisation and local community
" Outline the project environment for the suggested voluntary activities, including the local community where the project will take place (e.g. geographical, social and economical environment).

HOS is the only NGO in Greece working exclusively for the protection of wildfowl and habitats. The society's work involves monitoring Important Bird Areas (IBAs), taking action for the protection of globally threatened species, running national and european funded projects for the protection and management of important sites, realizing public awareness actions,running information centers, organising environemtanl education programmes for schools, publications etc.

HOS is running 2 different projects that can host EVS volunteers.
1. Gialova Project: The project is based in Gialova lagoon, in South Peloponnese, Greece. It is a Natura 2000 area (GR 2550004)and the southern most important migration stop for birds in the Balkans.Up to now 265 species of birds have been recorded in Gialova kagoon out of 423 species that live in Greece. Also, the site is very important for two highly threatened reptiles: the African chameleon and the Sea turtle Caretta caretta.
HOS is maintaining a field station in Gialova Village, 6 km from the town of Pylos. The village is situated by the Nacvarino Bay and borders with the designated NATURA 2000 site which inludes Gialova lagoon, Voidokilia sand dunes and bay, the rocky area of the Old Castle and olive grove fields. It is a typical southern greek rural environment where most of the population is occupied with cultivating the land, especially with olive groves, and small scale tourism. It is a sparsed populated area and the the town of Pylos which is also the base of the Municipio of Messinia hosts 2,500 people. The place and the land scape is magnificent and has been characterised as an Area of Outstanding Beauty. During summer the whole area is full with life, the beaches are considered one of the nicest of Peloponnese and many small restaurants and cafes offer good quality local food and entertainement. Transporation is done by bus with frequent schedule and volunteers are moving around by bicycle.

2. Agras Project: HOS is maintaining a field station in Vrita Village, 12 km from the town of Edessa. The village is situated in the wetland of the NATURA 2000 site "Agras Lake" (GR1240004). Agras lake is artificial (reservoir), largely onergrown with emergent vegetation, locally extensive reedbeds along the shores and within the water of the lake. The water of the lake is used by the hydroelectric station of Public Power Corporation as an energy resource for the near by villages. There are many feeding, nestiing, breeding, wintering and refuge habitats for bird species. The wetland is one of the few Greek sites hosting Aythya nyroca's breeding population at least 2 pairs at present, more than 5, ten years ago). Ixobrychus minutus, Nycticorax nycticorax and Chlidonias hybridus also breed in the site. The wetland is also considered very significant as a staging place for Pelecanus crispus (up to 150 individuals per day in February and March) and Pelecanus onocrotalus, (up to 20 individuals per day in spring) because of the convenient location as a stop over site, on the route to and from Prespa wetlands, where the largest EU colonies of these species exist. The wetland is also important as a stop over site for many Annex I species (herons, such as Nycticorax nycticorax (>50 ind.), Ardea purpurea (>5 ind.), Ardeolla ralloides (>10 ind.), Botaurus stellaris (1-2 ind.). Several raptor species including Circus aeruginosus are wintering on the site.This is why the Agras lake was the subject of two "Life Projects" coordinated by Research Institutes and Local Authorities
Edessa, the nearby town which hosts 25.000 inhabitants, is the capital of the Pella Prefecture. Varosi, the old part of Edessa, is flooded with life and vitality. Its waterfalls, rivers and traditional mills attract tourists all through the year. In addition, very close to the town, there are ancient and Byzantine monuments, ski center and spa center

B. Proposed activities for EVS volunteers
" Describe what you can offer to volunteers in terms of service and learning opportunities.
Volunteers will learn a lot about the management and application of protection measures in a Natura 2000 area, they will learn about the biology and behaviour of wildlife protected and also how to pass this information to locals and visitors, rising public awareness.
" Please, explain what will be the role of EVS volunteers in the host organisation.
The EVS are required to participate in all field work activities and play a more responsible role, helping other volunteers that come for a smaller period of time in the project.
" Describe the activities in which the volunteers could be involved and the activities the volunteers could create in your organisation. Give examples of typical activities for the volunteers.

Gialova project:
1st Activity Gialova: Conservation and protection of the African chameleon
This activity takes place from July to end of October. EVS volunteers will be trained by the scientific coordinator on site or the chameleon Leader who is a trained reptologist and will be closely supervised for implementation.
This work is done with the help of many volunteers. All EVS volunteers will be given an area and will be in charge of monitoring that area for the whole season.
The work includes:
a) Safeguarding of the main beach were they live, against direct and indirect damage to the individuals, nests or habitat.
b) Nest monitoring will be done when the juveniles hatch from the nests situated on the beach below the sand.
c) Protection of new nests will be carried out when females start laying the eggs on the beach.
d) All data collected during summer has to be writtten up and filed in the computer, A report of all the field work that has been carried out will be written by the end of the project
e) Maintenance of infrastructure. Fences that protect the chameleon nesting site from cars and other vehicles have to be checked everyday that are in place and be fixed if they are broken or damaged. Also the same goes for the signs of the nature trail.

2nd Activity Gialova: Raising public awereness, ecotourism activities and environmental education.
This activity will run from July to September apart from environmental education which will run from September to end of December. EVS volunteers will be trained and supervised by the local Public awereness manager and will be responsible for the below activities:
a) Information to tourists and locals about the special environmental value of the area will be given at an information kiosk in the village of Gialova. The information kiosk is runned by the local Public awereness officer who will always be there and will need the support of three volunteers, one in the morning and two in the evening. The
b) Guided tours for visitors will be carried out in the lagoon for birdwatching and the nature trail.
c) Slide shows will be organised in near by hotels and camping sites. One EVS volunteer will be trained to organise and give the slide shows.
d) Guided tours to schools start during the autumn period. EVS volunteers will help the Public awereness manager in the guided tours that are offered to schools from mid September to the end of December. It involves bird watching in the lagoon, walk on tha nature trail and slide show.

3rd Activity Gialova: Monitoring bird population
This activity will run from the end of October to December. EVS volunteers will be trained to identify bird species, monitor population sizes and give a frequent report to HOS.
Until now there have been reported 265 species of birds in the lagoon. Every autumn migration, thousands of birds stop or winter in the lagoon. The volunteers will have an everyday task to follow and record bird species that they watch and estimate population sizes of each species. This will be done in the morning or before sunset.
Agras Project:

1st Activity Agras: Management of reedbeds
This activity takes place from April to end of October. EVS volunteers must be already trained by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) that practices reedbeds management for years in english reserves. The acivity aims on the increasement of the breeding populations of reedbed birds. The volunteers will be guided by the scientific coordinator of H.O.S. or the local authority. This work is done with the help of many volunteers.

2nd Activity Agras: Maintenance of infrastructure
This activity takes place from March to end of November. Inside the wetland, there are a number of infrastures important for those who wish to exlpore the area. There are footpaths, small bridges, observation towers, show cards, guide posts, etc. EVS Volunteers will supervise and maint all these infrastructures by the guidance and help of the local contact person.

3rd Activity Agras: Raising public awereness, ecotourism activities and environmental education.
This activity will run all through the year. EVS volunteers will be trained and supervised by H.O.S. and the local Enviromental Education Center (E.E.C.) coordinator and be responsible for the below activities.

a) Running the information kiosk. Information to tourists and locals about the special environmental value of the area will be given at an information kiosk in Edessa. b) Guided tours to schools start during the autumn period. EVS volunteers will help the E.E.C. coordinator in the guided tours that are offered to schools. It involves activities inside the E.E.C, bird watching in the wetland, walk on the nature trail and slide show. This is done in the morning at 9am whenever it is arranged and it takes all morning.
c) Guided tours for visitors will be carried out in the lagoon for birdwatching and a walk in the nature trail.

4th Activity Agras: Monitoring bird population
This activity will run from the end of October to December. EVS volunteers will be trained to identify bird species, monitor population sizes and give a frequent report to HOS.
Among the >140 bird species present at the site, 37 are included in Annex I of the Birds Directive.The volunteers will have an everyday task to follow and record bird species that they watch and estimate population sizes of each species. This will be done in the morning or before sunset. In the morning it will take 2-3 hours and at dusk 1 hour.

C. Volunteer profiles and recruitment process
Please describe the profiles of volunteers you would like to receive in your organisation. Include information on how you ensure an open and transparent recruitment process as well as the overall accessibility of EVS to all young people. Consider further information about the type of sending organisation you want to cooperate with. This information can help the match-making between volunteer candidates, sending organisations and your organisation.
The profile would be young people, mainly students, with a background on environmental studies, biology, ecology, zoology or other relevant studies. Selection is done according to their cv's. The sending organisation is preferred to be one with experience in EVS projects.

E. Risk prevention, safety and protection
Please describe how you will guarantee a safe living and working environment for the EVS volunteers, how you will prevent risks and crises and how - in the case of EVS volunteers aged 16 or 17 - you ensure appropriate supervision, child safety and protection.
The living environment is an organised camp site, the working environment is out in nature, all necessary safety rules are taken and are always monitored that are applied by the field coordinators. Risk prevention and crisis management are dealt with the everyday contact and supervision from the Scientific coordinator, as well as the volunteer coordinator who works together and supports all volunteers. In extreme crisis the project coordinator is contacted.

HOS as an NGO has always worked with volunteers. Since 1982 that was established, in all projects that the organisation has developed, a big part of the field work is carried out by volunteers. EVS gives the opportunity to host volunteers for a longer period of time and with a full commitment to one project. Volunteers produce a valuable work for the organisation but at the same time the gain a valuable experience in working with one of Greece most active environmental NGO.
Until now we have developed several EVS projects, in Northern Greece concerning the Heron colonies, in Crete concerning the Lammergeyer and in Peloponnese concerning the wetland of Gialova lagoon. The last EVS project was approved with code no. 2.IH/R2/2007/6(2) The dates mainly interested are between April to October, however, between different projects there might differentiations.

HOS is the only NGO in Greece working exclusively for the protection of wildfowl and habitats. The society's work involves monitoring Important Bird Areas (IBAs), taking action for the protection of globally threatened species, management of important sites, public awareness actions, running information centres, organising environmental education programmes for schools, publications etc.
The staff is multi disciplinary, Biologists, environmentalists, ecologists, ornithologists, GIS users, Economics, secretaries, accountants etc. There is no special target group, the general public has to be informed, the authorities also, locals where the projects are realised, children when running environmental education etc.