Fondation Tour du Valat

Tour du Valat is a research institute for the conservation of Mediterranean wetlands, founded in 1954 by Luc Hoffmann. Located in the Camargue (South of France), we are at the forefront in various multidisciplinary fields of research, building bridges between science, management and public policy. The Tour du Valat, a foundation recognized for its public utility, has a truly recognized scientific expertise internationally and provides concrete answers to problems concerning the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources. Its diversified mode of action is dedicated to providing concrete answers to key issues: generating knowledge and sharing it to strengthen the capacities of the actors, be they users, managers or scientists, to have an effective management of these environments, and to help public policies to take the right decision. We are convinced that Environment and in particular wetlands can only be preserved if human activities and protection of our natural heritage go hand in hand. This is the main reason why Tour du Valat has been developing research and integrated management programs for several decades. Our scientific team of 40 experts develops research programs on the functioning of wetlands and tests management methods adapted to the issues and specificity of Mediterranean wetlands. Our results are transferred through training and the implementation of innovation projects carried out in collaboration with many local, national and international partners. In order to complete and strengthen our impact, we propose to young Europeans to participate at our mission of saving and protecting Mediterranean wetlands and to discover the work of our researchers in a protected natural area that will allow then to : . Acquire key skills for their future, with a solid scientific base to act in a changing world . Strengthen the international dimension of their education and training: together to face the challenges and strengthen the actors of tomorrow . Improve their practice of French language to engage an active dialogue to feed the political agendas of their country and of Europe Participants will join the team of Tour du Valat to assist and help them in field measurements, data entry and management, bibliographies research and analysis of results obtained. They will also participate to different bird ringing (flamingos for example), monitoring of amphibians or plants....They will Oslo contribute to the awareness and dissemination of the results of our research, and participate in major events carried out by Tour du Valat, (Tour du Valat Open Days, IUCN 2020 in Marseille, Festival of Camargue....). Due to the location of Tour du Valat in the heart of the Camargue (Southern France), and the international environment we offer to the participants the discovery of French culture, but also Mediterranean culture, with an immersion in an intense intercultural environment, where tolerance and respect are the key words. Young European people are at the heart of our targets because they are often very sensitive to environmental issues, and the training and information of the young generations are the major challenge for the future of Earth in general and wetlands in particular. At the end, we hope he participants will become Ambassadors of Mediterranean Wetlands and European Solidarity Corps.