On a permanent basis, the XCN supports the work of organizations that develop environmental volunteer programs. Specifically:

• We promote campaigns and initiatives that promote the involvement of citizens in environmental volunteering
• We provide visibility, training and advice to organizations that have environmental volunteer activities and programs

Citizen involvement in environmental volunteering

To involve the public in environmental volunteering, various actions are promoted:

• Through the website www.voluntariatambiental.cat, environmental volunteering proposals which are organized by environmental entities are exposed. The activities are open to everyone’s participation.
• An environmental volunteer newsletter is sent out periodically.
• Occasional campaigns are carried out to promote environmental volunteer activities.

Training and advice

We work to support environmental organizations that promote environmental volunteering, so that volunteer activities are carried out with the right quality, stability and professionalism.

To achieve this, we perform different actions:

• Advice and support in the drafting and implementation of Volunteering Plans.
• Training about the Law of Volunteering and application of Volunteering Plans.

General objective of the project

The main objective of the LIFE ENPLC is to promote community and private conservation in the European Union by creating new tax incentives and new sources of funding, encouraging citizen participation in nature conservation through volunteering and citizen science, as well as providing technical and legal information for the improvement of conservation projects. This project gives continuity to the L.I.F.E. and ELCN.

Specific goals

• Bringing together the European Landowners’ Organization and the European Land Conservation Network under a single structure, creating the Conservation Landowners Coalition.
• Define the values ​​and potential of citizen science for conservation on community and private properties.
• Identify the most relevant fiscal instruments and financing mechanisms for conservation in community and private properties.
• Develop a manual for conservation on community and private properties.

Planned actions

• Form the Conservation Landowners Coalition and drive Private Land Conservation Ambassadors.
• Encourage citizen science as a tool for conservation in community and private properties.
• Investigate and test conservation instruments on community and private properties.
• Investigate fiscal instruments and financing mechanisms for conservation in community and private properties.
• Develop standards and practices for conservation on community and private properties.

Expected results

• Based on the characteristics of the project, it is hoped to improve alliances in community and private conservation throughout Europe, with special emphasis on the importance of citizen science for the conservation of these spaces. Special emphasis will also be placed on funding mechanisms for community and private conservation, while strengthening their role in nature conservation and biodiversity.

Environmental Donor is a platform that facilitates donations to environmental organizations and conservation projects carried out in Catalonia.

With the hashtag #josócdonantambiental it transmits the ability of people to contribute to the defence of nature, getting involved in time in the form of volunteering (redirected to the portal www.voluntariatambiental.cat) or making financial contributions, materials or services provided.

The initiative was launched in 2016 by the Obrador del Tercer Sector Ambiental de Catalunya (O3SAC) and has been managed by the XCN since 2018 with the support of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

• Environmental Donor offers a showcase of projects with which citizens and companies can decide to get involved by making a donation. 

• It presents successful experiences of donations, collaborations between citizens, companies and entities.

• Encourage donation campaigns, such as creating charity events or tracking online campaigns.

• Ultra Clean Marathon, Nature Lunch and Giving Tuesday are experiences linked to Environmental Donor.

With the hashtag #josócdonantambiental it transmits the ability of people to contribute to the defence of nature, getting involved in time in the form of volunteering (redirected to the portal www.voluntariatambiental.cat) or making financial contributions, materials or services provided.

• Webpage: www.donantambiental.cat
• Contact: scarrera@xcn.cat
• Contact person: Sandra Carrera – Anna Parisi
• Tweet hashtags:  #josócdonantambiental #donantambiental

The Ultra Clean Marathon is a sport challenge that aims to raise awareness and citizens mobilization, reduce waste in natural spaces and promote nature conservation measures, while seeking the commitment of people who practice sports in nature in order to take care of the environment, both individually and when participating in organized competitions, which must be sustainable.

At the same time, it also wants to recognize the work of environmental organizations working in the country.

It is organized jointly by the Xarxa per a la Conservació de la Natura, l’Agència de Residus de Catalunya i el Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat.

2020 Edition

The 2020 edition of the Ultra Clean Marathon will be held on the 6^th of June. It will be a one-day race of 60 km, from Terrassa to Barcelona.

Registration will be by teams, with a maximum of 10 people (taking replacement in sections). A minimum of 2 runners must participate for each section.

The registration of the teams will go entirely to the environmental entities.

2019 Edition

The 2^nd edition of this race was held in 2019. A total of 4,000 people took part in this edition, collecting almost 3 tonnes of waste. The race lasted 7 days, in which various sports were combined (running, cycling and kayaking). It passed through different demarcations of Catalonia, combining mountain, inland and coastal landscapes. Each stage was organized with the support of schools, local governments and businesses, as well as environmental organizations working in the area.

The UCM also highlights the daily work of more than a hundred environmental organizations in Catalonia in favour of nature.

Edition 2018

The 1^st edition of the UCM was weld between the 13 and 19 of May. During 7 days, there were 7 marathons running and collecting waste (295 km in total). Albert Bosch and Nicole Ribera, ambassadors of the race, completed the 7 stages of the UCM.

In this edition it participated around 2,000 people, who collected a total of 2 tons of waste.

The race passed through areas of high value in Catalonia in terms of landscape and nature, highlighting the environmental organizations that work in the area to conserve the spaces.

What is it?

The Week of the Nature is a campaign aimed at promoting activities throughout Catalonia to raise awareness of the importance of caring for our nature and our territory.

When is it?

It is celebrated annually to coincide with World Environment Day (June 5). It usually lasts about 10 days.

Who does it involve? Who can participate?

The Week of the Nature seeks the involvement of everyone, because we can all act for nature. During the week there are activities for all audiences, from the youngest to the oldest.

The 2019 edition

In the 2019 edition, which took place from 1st to 9th June, more than 400 activities were organized throughout Catalonia, with the help of more than 260 organizations.