A volunteer is sitting on a rock and is looking over the vast Yosemite National Park.

Your trip at a glance

Highlights

  • Become part of a conser­va­tion project in the "Golden State"
  • Help conserve California's pristine natural areas
  • Meet volun­teers from all over the world
  • Sleep in California's wild nature
  • Discover the West Coast's unique national parks and beaches

Locations

reiseorte-usa-kalifornien-wald-see-natucate
California

Plan your trip

  • Included in the programme fee
    • Placement in the programme
    • Assistance with travel arrangements
    • Assistance with selecting travel insurance
    • Assistance with booking flights
    • Risk coverage certificate
Daniel

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Daniel, your travel agent for California

You would like to learn more about this trip? Don't hesitate to contact me! Our service doesn't end with your departure: I answer all of your questions and support you before, during and after your stay abroad

Die Bixby Bridge an der Westkueste der USA im Sonnenschein
Volunteers being involved in nature conservation and environmental protection in California
A voluntary helper is standing on a rock, the vast Yosemite National Park in the background.
Conservation volunteers in California dedicate themselves to building a fence.
A Volunteer is sitting on a rock in the midst of California's incomparable landscape.
Volunteering in the USA: A pelican is sitting on the balustrade of a California pier
Nature conservation in the USA: A group of conservation volunteers in California at work.
Two volunteers on the the Californian coast, the Pacific Ocean in the background
Eine small group of nature conservation volunteers at work in a Californian forest
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Conservation volunteering in California

As part of this project in beautiful California you get the chance to actively contribute to conserving nature and, at the same time, discover the fascinating West Coast of the USA.

Nature conservation in the USA: A group of conservation volunteers in California at work.

Arrival and orien­ta­tion on the US West Coast

You arrive at Sacramento International Airport on a Thursday and will be picked up by our partner in the USA and taken to your base station. Here you can settle into your room, meet your fellow volunteers and get an overview of your projects´ goals and your tasks.

A voluntary helper being involved in nature conservation and environmental protection in California

Volunteer activ­i­ties in the United States

In this project you will have the chance to make a valuable contribution to nature conservation efforts on the West Coast of the USA. Over the course of your stay, you will be involved in different tasks in order to protect the California landscape, focusing on trail building and maintenance work, fencing, removing invasive plant species and erosion control.

Conservation volunteers are done with their work, sitting on a rocky staircase in California

You will not only acquire knowledge of trail building techniques and become proficient with hand tools, but you will also get to know the biodiversity of beautiful California, well away from the beaten path. The work will usually follow an 8-6-8 rhythm: eight days in the volunteer project, then back to the base station in Sacramento for six days off (note: this rhythm may vary!). Then you will return to the project to work for another eight days. Your time as a volunteer in one of California’s impressive regions enables you to explore the Golden State in detail and, at the same time, to make a valuable contribution to conserving the state’s unique nature.

Eine small group of nature conservation volunteers at work in a Californian forest

Accom­mo­da­tion during the conser­va­tion project

A volunteer accommodation in Sacramento will be your base between projects. You will be accommodated in one of the volunteer houses in a shared bedroom where you also have access to shared bathrooms, kitchens, and common spaces. This means that you can spend your free time with international volunteers from all over the US and the world and get to know the beautiful surroundings together. During the projects you will sometimes spend the nights on camp sites with sanitary facilities, sometimes in the wild. Meals are always prepared by the entire group.

A Volunteer is sitting on a rock in the midst of California's incomparable landscape.

Leisure time as a volunteer in North America

Between projects we would highly recommend that you explore the magnificent scenery in the area with other volunteers. There are plenty of opportunities for this: Sequoia National Park, Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada or Death Valley. Natucate will gladly help you with your plans and we can give you valuable tips for an unforgettable journey through the western USA.

FAQ – Learn more about this trip



Learn what others say about their Natucate adventure.

Sabbatical in Kalifornien: Eine Robbe reckt den Kopf in den Himmel
Gap Year in Kalifornien: Eine Spinne sitzt in ihrem Netz
Review Volunteering USA California Nature Conservation – Alice

“After a few days in the house there it feels like my new home and I met a lot of nice people from all over the world. It’s a good experience to live and work with them [...].”

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Sabbatical in Kalifornien: Die Yosemite-Falls im Yosemite-Nationalpark
Blick vom berg auf ein nebelverhangendes Tal
Review Volunteering USA California Nature Conservation – Maite

“The time in this wonderful place passed so quickly, I will never forget the experiences I made and I am sure about one thing: I will definitely come back!”

Read more
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freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-naturschutz-natucate
Review Volunteering USA California Nature Conservation – Anna

“Retrospectively I can say that the three months in California were one of my best experiences in my life and I would nothing do differently.”

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freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-naturschutz-wasser-natucate
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Review Volunteering USA California Nature Conservation – Stina

“During the backcountry project, we had the chance to discover new experiences in the middle of nature, far away from civilization and the usual tourist places. I have never experienced such silence. Even while camping in the woods, we could hear the ocean.”

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freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-naturschutz-lager-natucate
freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-naturschutz-natucate
Review Volunteering USA California Nature Conservation – Nicolás

“Participating in projects for the protection and improvement of those natural areas feels amazing, there is not better office to be working than those landscapes!”

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freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-naturschutz-kundenfotos-canyon-natucate
freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-naturschutz-kundenfotos-gebirge-natucate
Review Photos Volunteering USA California Nature Conservation – Finn

Finn spent five amazing months in California where he volunteered in our nature conservation project preserving local natural habitats. Here are some wonderful impressions of his time in the Golden State.

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freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-kundenfotos-naturschutz-arbeit-natucate
freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-naturschutz-kundenfotos-natucate
Review Photos Volunteering USA California Nature Conservation – Friederike

Friederike went to the USA and provided active support in our volunteer project conserving California’s nature. Take a look at some of her fantastic photos and get an impression of her time overseas.

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freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-kundenfotos-naturschutz-kueste-natucate
freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-kundenfotos-naturschutz-natucate
Review Photos Volunteering USA California Nature Conservation – Justus

Justus spent 5 ½ months volunteering in our nature conservation project in California and took lots of amazing pictures. Here you can find some fantastic impressions of his time at the Golden Coast:

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freiwilligenarbeit-usa-kalifornien-erfahrungsbericht-kundenfotos-naturschutz-canyon-natucate
Review Photos Volunteering USA California Nature Conservation – Oliver

Oliver went to the USA's West Coast with us to support our nature conservation project in California. Here you can find his breathtaking impressions from North America:

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  • reiseorte-usa-kalifornien-wald-see-natucate
    1. California

    A place full of diversity, facets and contrasts: California is a US state on the West Coast of the United States and is hard to beat in terms of scenic diversity and exploration opportunities. Endlessly long sandy beaches, mountain panoramas, sequoia forests, the dry Death Valley and metropolises like Los Angeles or San Francisco – surfing, skiing or snowboarding, horseback riding, hiking, city trips or just relaxing on the beach: everything is possible in California!

    As a participant in our project, you will have the opportunity to explore the many national parks, deserts and beaches of the Golden State.

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Purpose of the conser­va­tion project in California

California is also known as the "fruit garden of America" due to its hot and sunny climate and the wide variety of fruit and vegetables which grow in the area. It is one of the most diverse states in the USA, particularly relative to its size. The California landscape includes mountain ranges like the Sierra Nevada, foggy coasts, scorching deserts like Death Valley, and the fertile Central Valley. One of the most impressive sights is Yosemite National Park with its steep granite slopes, majestic waterfalls, mountain pastures, the legendary giant sequoias and rare animal species. California is a popular destination for day trippers and tourists looking for adventure because of its geographical diversity and the resulting variety of animal and plant species.
However, tourism and conservation frequently don't see eye to eye. Because of this, the only way to keep the largely untouched natural landscape as it is, is to regulate tourism and set up protected areas. Establishing hiking trails and fencing off conservation areas is some of the work which is necessary in this area.

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Conscious Travel with Natucate

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