Miguel Peixoto | NATURA OBSERVA volunteer

Hello!

I have been a volunteer for 3 years and I am proud to say that I am a volunteer in the Natura Observa program!

In my first year (2016) I initially belonged to the Badger Project and it was necessary to be very interested in the program, namely for the work that was developed in such Project. This year we had to repair posts that delimited areas with pine and oak trees in the Parque Pedra Amarela Campo Base and we still had to cut eucalyptus trees to use for these posts.

In the last fortnight, we also collaborated with the Germina Project in the recovery of a threshing floor, which is a municipal patrimony.

The following year, in 2017, I applied again to the Texugo Project, and I was admitted, and in the first half of July it was necessary to repair some of the shelters in the Parque Pedra Amarela.

In the second fortnight of July, I belonged to Projeto Javali. In this project we proceed to the start of invasive species (mainly acacia) or to the peeling of these.

I was called back to participate in the Badger Project in the second fortnight of August, and the job was to finish two shelters and repair a ditch.

This year I participated once again in the Badger Project. In the second fortnight of July, it was necessary to move a water tank in one of the fields of Pedra Amarela, remove a pipe of water already without effect and replace it, thus connecting the water tank to the distribution network of Pedra Amarela.

It was also necessary to track some posts that were loose or, in some cases, to replace them and remove some screws that were rusty or that would cause danger to visitors of the park, as well as the gutters that were stuck by these.

These 3 years of volunteering brought me several friends, due to the good team spirit in the several fortnights in which I participated. They also brought me more responsibility and autonomy in my day-to-day life and, finally, made me grow personally and in relationship with others. It has given me greater ability to manage my emotions.

It turned out to be a good experience, which became very rewarding because it not only helped me to take the holidays learning to "grow", to gain life skills and also helped me to "work" becoming a fun activity!