When it comes to sustainability, nearly every corporation nowadays prides itself on how many sustainability clauses, trainings and internal memos it has, yet you don’t see any CEOs planting trees or shareholders tilling the fields, you only see empty phrases hidden in corporate language. Then there are places like this project. Whether it’s rainwater collection, burying compost in the garden or simply hauling gravel for the rainwater filter; the idea of sustainable development is present in every single action and is constantly put into practice, with your own hands, under the unrelenting Catalan sun, while making sure the surrounding nature is affected as little as possible – after all, you are in the middle of a forest.
What the host, Victor, simply calls “the project”, is a work-in-progress sustainable farm connected with the idea of facilitating various activities with the local community of people from the nearby village of Àger. There is a lot of manual work to be done, but with a surprising diversity – do you prefer gardening? Hammering nails? Making precise measurements on wood? There is something for everyone. Or you can always take it slow and play with the dog for a bit or prepare lunch from the delicious local produce.
It was really surprising how many interesting places there are in the surrounding area. Not just the beautiful Catalan villages, lakes and rivers but also places like viewpoints, the astronomical park or a kayak rental place. It always felt like we had something to do – something interesting and adventurous. Even if you just spend time in the village of Àger, there are many friendly people with interesting personalities and stories. Nearly every afternoon was spent discovering new places as we went on these little voyages.
Despite there being some little luxuries you don’t usually find in the wilderness, such as electricity, running water or the newly built summer cinema (we did that!), you are still in the middle of a forest. That means when you attend a project like this, you should be fine with sleeping in a tent, using a dry toilet or the outside shower. Simply put, this is a project for people who don’t mind disconnecting from the usual city life and spending some time in nature, under the stars, covered in dirt and sweat, working together with like-minded people. There is simply something satisfying about seeing a tangible result of your work. When you spend one morning planting herbs, one look at the herb garden in the days after brings about a sense of accomplishment.
One thing about this project is that it is constantly, slowly developing, but still under the same clear principles of maintaining balance with nature and doing things that ultimately have a positive impact not only on the forest, but also on the local community. Maybe by the time of the next workcamp, there will be a greenhouse with tropical fruit. Maybe for the one afterwards, honey from the bees. Maybe as I write this, there is already a solar-powered washing machine. This project is wonderful and I sincerely hope it will continue to grow and develop. Should any volunteers find their way there in the future, I’m certain they will have an amazing experience.
– Martin M. (August 2025 workcamp volunteer)