Deskrizzjoni tal-Organizzazzjoni

Malagne Archéoparc is a non profit organisation managing a gallo-roman archeological site since 1993.
Its aims:
- enhance and protect the heritages : the oldest archeological remains (part of the Geopark Mondial Unesco Famenne-Ardenne) in the area as well as a preserved natural site.
- to pass on and share knowledges about gallo roman history through know-hows and techniques: crafts, gardening, building, animals species and care and experimental archeology
- to make the past alive through scientific researches based on experimental archeology, through animals living on site, through crafts(wo)men gatherings; through workshops such as breadbaking, forging...
- to stimulate creativity and imagination thanks to land art, workshops, visits, rediscovering of old techniques which might be useful again nowadays

Its actions are rotating around 3 axis:
- Heritage: with archeological excavations, historical reenactment, experimental archeology, resource centre...
- Nature: preserved natural site, vegetable gardening faithful to gallo-roman techniques, livestock farming constituted of ancient breeds
- Culture: temporary exhibitions, land art and artistic path crssoing the domain

In order to fulfill its aim of passing on and sharing knowledge, Malagne opens its doors to a lot of different people and is now a high ranked tourist attraction. Malagne do welcome two main types of public:
- Tourists and families on holiday which are welcomed to walk around the place
- Pupils from 3 until 17 years old

In order to fulfill its aims, Malagne therefore implements a lot of activities of different types:
- maintenance and enhancement of the whole heritage place and its 7 hectares of natural site: mowing, mulching, clearing, pruning, weeding, repairing fences, renovating the damaged parts of the building, painting, feeding and taking care of the animals, tending the vegetable gardens, preserving the ruins, building footbridges above the ruins, small renovations using lime...
In the next few years, Malagne is planning to extend the small pedagogical farm by adding an building as well as close two existing buildings (currently without walls on three sides) using cob and traditional methods.
- scientific researches: Malagne is always willing to improve the knowledge about the gallo-roman period. That's why they make researches using the experimental archeology method: it aims to understand the ancient techniques by recreating the objects, the tools or the gestures thanks to testing. In order to have these researches going on, Malagne has an archeologist constantly on site in order to make the whole theoretical researches beforehand, then to guide the technical team in the recreation phase. In the years to come, the two mains experiments Malagne is dedicated to achieve are the reproduction of a Vallus (a gallo-roman harvester) and the production process of the Cervoise (barley beer);
- reenactements and festive events: during special events, the staff of Malagne is wearing traditional costumes and is, as faithfully as possible, reproducing ancestral gestures and techniques in order to allow children, families and tourists to get to know about the gallo roman lifestyle and culture. From bread baking to reenacting a legionary horserider, a wide range of skills and know-hows are shown and taught to the participants. Usually, a space is also given to other craft(wo)men to introduce the people to their own arts;
- workshops, facilitation and summer camps: during school visits (several times a week), the youth workers on site are dedicated to show and teach to groups coming from schools what used to be the daily life on the gallo-roman site. The children are learning, according to their age and capacities, different know-hows. During school holidays, several camps around the gallo-roman life are organised;

A relevant aspect worth mentioning here, is that the rythm is very different according to the time of the year because of the place constitution. Indeed, it has to follow 2 cycles: the nature one (for gardening, maintenance of the green area, buildings...) and the touristic one.
Therefore, one year at Malagne can, more or less, look like this:
- January - February: a lower workload period, mostly inside (animals tending takes however more time than usual because they are all inside)
- March - April: planting and tending the vegetable gardens AND schools welcoming (very busy time)
- May - June: additionally to the maintenance tasks, welcoming schools during the week, as well as tourists during the week-end
- July - August: additionally to the maintenance tasks, welcoming the tourists 7/7
- September - November: additionally to the maintenance tasks, welcoming schools
- November - January: a lower workload period, mostly inside (animals tending takes however more time than usual because they are all inside)

The volunteers applying for this project have to be aware that the project has some very intense periods, and other quieter.