With great joy, we introduce three young enthusiasts who have joined our team through the European Solidarity Corps programme. At the beginning of spring, Lucie Depinoy from France, Lena Žunić from Serbia, and Anastasis Konstantinou from Cyprus arrived in Croatia to volunteer for the next nine months on the Volunteer for Nature 2025 project. Although they come from different countries and backgrounds, they are united by a shared passion for nature – especially birds.
During their stay in Croatia, Lucie, Lena, and Anastasis will take part in a wide range of activities that contribute to biodiversity conservation: from field research to education and community engagement. They are already eager to learn, work, and raise awareness about the importance of protecting nature – and we’re sure you’ll meet them at some of Biom’s events.
Here’s what they had to say about themselves:
Lucie Depinoy (France)
I’m Lucie and I’m from the Southern Alps in France. My arrival in Croatia made me think about the journey of the Wallcreeper, a mountain bird that migrates to Mediterranean areas in the winter. I am passionate about wildlife studies, and my curiosity about fauna probably comes from my childhood hikes in the mountains. I studied management and protection of natural areas, and then graduated with a Bachelor’s in agroecology. By getting involved in many avifauna monitoring, I fell in love with birds and learned quite a lot about their ecology and behaviour. Alongside naturalistic work, I also became interested in sustainable approaches in agriculture, and I worked with farmers on improving biodiversity within vegetable crops. To me, working with farmers is one of the keys to preserving bird populations and increasing biodiversity. In addition to my experiences and studies, I wanted to travel and discover new scientific monitoring abroad. Thus, the Biom volunteering position was the perfect mission for me! I like BIOM’s work approach, combining outreach missions and fieldwork monitoring, and I am excited about monitoring birds in beautiful islands!
My main goal in BIOM is improving my bird skills (identification, behaviour, and monitoring such as bird ringing), but also gaining a good understanding of every stage involved in environmental projects. Concerning my future aims, I would like to work as an ornithologist in environmental associations, to monitor birds, and also support farmers to run their farms in a biodiversity-friendly way. But for now, let’s say I enjoy travelling to do birdwatching
Lena Žunić (Serbia)
My name is Lena and I come from Serbia. With a background in (mostly) herpetology, I somehow ended up here, studying birds while island- (and land-)hopping in the majestic Croatian nature. Alternating between interests comes naturally to me; through it I discovered I can’t be tied to one aspect of biology, and that I definitely can’t pick a single spirit animal. After obtaining a Master’s degree in ecology and not being sure where to continue from there, this project felt like a step in the right direction. It brought me to the conclusion that there’s so much more to learn and experience outside of, but still tied to, academia. Research, conservation efforts and public outreach go hand in hand, and BIOM is the perfect example of this. Through conservational projects mostly focused on ornithofauna, we, as volunteers, have the opportunity to find our own niche and discover specific interests, as well as explore everything BIOM offers. My passion for fauna monitoring and testing out different methodologies in the field finally got an opportunity to take shape and flourish, while allowing me to contribute to bird conservation in a meaningful way. Although not far from home, Croatia keeps on surprising me with the opportunities it gives, and keeps on giving.
Anastasis Konstantinou (Cipar)
Greetings traveler! My name is Anastasis, and in my free time I love talking about myself, being mysterious, and thinking about giant squids. I come from a beautiful island in the Mediterranean, where the people speak an ancient language, the food is amazing and in the summer it gets so hot you can fry and egg on the sidewalk. My dream in life is to become a dinosaur, but since that is a bit unrealistic, my new dream is to become a pirate. Until then, I’m dedicating my time and efforts in natural science and conservation, so everyone gets to experience the wonder of the natural world. The love for animals and nature, is truly one of the most pure and selfless kinds of love, and I think when we educate those around us and cultivate this feeling, people truly come to appreciate nature’s worth, and begin to fight for it, either in climate protests, by being more sustainable or by going on exciting adventures overseas to volunteer. When such an opportunity knocked on my door and told me “go volunteer for nature in Croatia” I answered the call without a second thought. And thus, I came to Croatia with the noble cause of helping nature protection efforts and educating the public, and with a deep thirst for new experiences, friendships, and glorious adventures, I am beyond excited for this experience
______________________________________
These dedicated young people will be part of our team until December, through the Volunteer for Nature 2025 project, which is carried out with the support of the European Solidarity Corps. During their volunteering, they will contribute to the research and monitoring of plant and animal species and help design educational and volunteer activities to engage the local community in environmental protection.
In addition to supporting nature conservation in Croatia, this programme offers young people the opportunity for personal and professional growth, gaining new knowledge and experience, and strengthening their sense of solidarity – with people, nature, and the planet.
Welcome, Lucie, Lena, and Anastasis!
