Marine and Coastal Conservation
Greece

The project studies the seagrass meadows and the sand dunes along south-east Kefalonia, categorised as vulnerable on the Red List.

The Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows are a larger carbon sink than the rainforest and play a critical role in mitigating climate change. They form an important ecosystem, providing vital habitats and nursery grounds for turtles, fish and lots of other marine life and organisms.

Sand dunes and their vegetation form coastal protection and a defence between sea and land and are a specialised ecosystem for many species including nesting turtles and rare dune vegetation. The dunes are under threat from development and climate change leading to degradation and erosion.

Volunteers support the work of the local conservation team and split the majority of their time between exploring the seagrass meadows and understanding the extensive dune systems. While surveying these areas, volunteers will document the flora and fauna, create topographies, and understand pressures both ecosystems face.

Volunteer tasks include:

• In-water snorkelling surveys of the seagrass meadows - capturing geotagged photos of seagrass meadows
• Assessment of seagrass meadows and geotagged photos to classify the sea floor
• Sand dune habitat surveys, species identification and vegetation studies
• Sand dune litter surveys - recording and collecting litter and debris
• Data review and entry to databases
• Drone surveys – assisting the team’s drone pilot and reviewing drone footage to identify threats and problems

You will get involved with hands-on research that will allow you to demonstrate standard scientific methodology that can be used in the field. You will learn about the importance of the ecosystems, current climate concerns and the impact these can have on both marine and terrestrial environments.

The seagrass meadow research is carried out by snorkelling on the surface of the sea, wearing a life jacket, in waters of up to 8 metres deep. Volunteers are monitored by a safety supervisor on a paddleboard and snorkel shifts will only take place in suitable sea and weather conditions. Surveying involves in-water photographic surveys, and recording GPS, depths and other properties of the sea environment.

You should be a confident swimmer who has tried snorkelled before. You should also be comfortable riding a bicycle, as this is the way you will travel to the beaches - the bikes are a great way to get around and explore the island!

Typical day

At the start of your first week, you will be fully briefed on the project and receive training in the research procedures and techniques that you will use, including GPS, sea meadow research, data entry and photo classification.

Working days consist of a morning shift and an afternoon shift of around 2-4 hours each, with the middle of the day free to rest and relax. Mornings typically involve sand dune surveys, litter collection and sea meadow photo assessment. Afternoons focus on snorkelling sea meadow surveys and drone surveys as well as reviewing data collected. Mornings with sand dune surveys start early at around 5.30am and the afternoon shift finishes between 6-7.30pm. Evenings are then free. You can see a sample rota here.

Volunteers have 2 days off per week and during your free time, you can explore the many attractions of the island or simply relax on the beaches near the volunteer accommodation!

Other volunteers

There are usually 10-14 volunteers (with a maximum of 17), numbers vary throughout the year.

If you are coming with a friend or partner, please note that it’s not always possible to be placed together on the same shifts although it’s no problem to have the same days off. You’ll be based in the field station together and can request to stay in the same room (subject to availability and gender as rooms are normally single sex).

Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) award

This placement has been approved by the DofE as meeting the requirements for the Residential section of the Gold Award.

Local support

You will be working alongside the local team, including field leaders and assistants. Staff live alongside volunteers in the field station.

“Without the help of volunteers we wouldn’t be able to sustain the ongoing research and assessment of these vulnerable ecosystems which are so important for our planet” Nikos, Program Director

The volunteer house is surrounded by fruit and olive trees, giving lots of shade and space to relax. The house has simple furnishings and a communal cooking and living area. Each bedroom accommodates up to 4 volunteers and there is a shared bathroom.

The house is ideally positioned between the two main coastal areas that will be monitored and the stunning beaches of Skala and Mounda.

Meals

Meals are not included in this placement. Volunteers prepare their own meals and are able to buy groceries locally. You may also like to visit some of the local restaurants or order some souvlaki (traditional grilled kebab) for an evening meal on the beach!

There are vegetarian and vegan options available, including vegetarian souvlaki!

The water on Kefalonia is safe to drink or you can buy bottled water.

You will need to fly into Kefalonia (EFL).

You will be met on arrival at Kefalonia Airport and transferred to the field station which is approximately 1 hours drive from the airport.

Location and free time

Kefalonia is an island in the Ionian Sea, west of mainland Greece. The field station and volunteer accommodation is positioned between the two main coastal areas that will be monitored and close to some of the island's best beaches. The beach of the popular tourist town of Skala is 2.3km away and Mounda beach is 1.5km away, easily accessed by walking or using the project bicycles!

Skala has a long beautiful beach with beach bars and restaurants to enjoy, beach volleyball and water sports on offer. There are also bakeries, grocery stores and shops to visit. Mounda beach is known for its tranquility and pristine waters, a lovely place to relax in the Mediterranean sun!

When not working, volunteers enjoy socialising together and regularly have movie nights, quiz nights and get creative with henna designs. It’s also nice to head into town and have a meal out and even try out some Greek dancing!

Volunteers have 2 days off per week to relax and explore the island.

Climate 

Kefalonia has a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and dry, hot summers with long sunny days. From May-October, temperatures range from around 24 to 30+ °C, peaking in July and August.

Travelling in and around Kefalonia

Popular activities in Kefalonia that you might like to combine with your project are:

• Beach heaven – beautiful beaches to explore, including Xi beach with its reddish sand and clay that people use as face masks for a homemade spa day!
• Caves, lakes and mountains – there are ancient caves to visit with stalactites, azure blue waters and underground chambers. Mount Ainos is the highest point on the island and a national park with lots of biodiversity and stunning views
• Sea kayaking, snorkelling and scuba diving. Enjoy crystal clear and warm, see the abundant local marine life or go deeper and dive the sunken wrecks of submarines and landing craft from WWII
• Island hopping – the islands of Ithaca, Lefkas and Zante are a ferry ride away or can be visited via day trips on tourist boats

For more information on Greece and some of the things we loved when we visited there please see our Greece country page.

Tom

"I have really enjoyed my 2 weeks. It has been interesting learning about the different data collection methods. The shifts have been enjoyable, my favourite shifts include the snorkelling shifts and drone surveys. I have met lots of great people whilst I have been here. The program is run very well and on arrival, we were provided with lots of interesting information.On my days off I visited Poros, Sami, Fiskardo, Argostoli and Zante."

Jess

"The past two weeks in Greece has been an incredible experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. This is the first time I have travelled without friends or family but the other volunteers and the staff were so welcoming when we arrived that it immediately felt like home. I arrived in Kefalonia with no experience in marine conservation or anything in a similar field but the past two weeks have been full of learning and taught me so much about the importance of protecting these ecosystems and the impact they have on the rest of the world."

Eden

"I have absolutely loved the past 2 weeks in Kefalonia. I have learnt so much about marine conservation and research which is vital for my course. It has made me fall in love with the ocean even more and exploring the beautiful Greek wildlife. I have also learnt so much about myself, it has been a life experience which I will treasure forever. I have made friends for life, and the interns and volunteers have really made the experience the best possible."

Olivia

"I have spent the last 2 weeks in Kefalonia and enjoyed every second. The balance between actively going out and finding the data yourself and inputting the data into programs and spreadsheets really makes you appreciate what you are doing here. I have made some amazing friends who I will keep in contact with all the time now and I am already looking forward to coming back."

Kaitlyn

"My two weeks have been unforgettable. Not only have I gained incredible experience with a variety of marine conservation efforts, but I have also discovered so much about myself and the importance of taking a journey. Arriving here, I instantly felt at home with the interns and other volunteers, all of whom made this experience so much more memorable. Discovering the culture and natural beauty of the Greek islands has been a highlight of this trip. I could not have chosen a better program to be a part of while taking my first trip overseas."

Camilla

"We never expected to have such an amazing summer spending 4 weeks. Our overall experience was so diverse, making friends, exploring neighbouring islands, doing fun and impactful work, spending time in the sea as well as the beautiful villa, seeing Greek culture and most importantly contributing to a project that everyone involved really cares about. We loved learning about the ecosystems around Kefalonia and knowing the data we collected will help to preserve them in the future made it extremely rewarding."