Volunteer Management in German National Parks—from Random Action Toward a Volunteer Program

Abstract

Without the commitment of volunteers, it would have never been possible to realize many aims of nature conservation in Germany. Though volunteers have been active in nature conservation for decades, research in the field of volunteer management has only recently gained importance. In the framework of the “International Year of Volunteerism” in 2001, the volunteer component in nature conservation in Germany was examined for the first time. Since then, a few other investigations have been undertaken, mainly concerning volunteerism in nature conservancy associations. A closer look at the situation of German national parks is still lacking. Little is known about the extent to which volunteers are used in national parks, and there is no tradition of volunteer management in nature conservation in Germany. This study analyzes the conditions and structure of volunteer management in German national parks to develop improved means of matching volunteers’ interests with national parks’ requirements. Successful volunteer programs already exist in other countries (e.g., “Volunteers-in-Parks” in the United States and “Parks Canada”), and the national parks in Germany could usefully avail themselves of the experiences of those programs. Given that 16% of Germans are willing to volunteer in nature conservation (Mitlacher and Schulte, 2005), a well-designed volunteer program in the national parks would help to cope with the growing demands on natural resources management, and could also serve well as a model for other categories of protected areas in Germany, such as nature parks or biosphere reserves. Effective coordination of volunteers in the national parks will not only improve the quality of park administration but also can enhance the acceptance of national parks by local populations. Stoll-Kleemann (2001a, 2001b) points out that the opposition to protected areas is “very much a function of social identity, stereotyped images and how particular social groups are regarded and approached.” Encouraging contact between the national park administrations and the communities outside the protected areas can help to overcome opposition and break down communication barriers. Consequently, the development of a professional volunteer program for the national parks in Germany seems timely.