Though everyone claims that "volunteer vacations" are currently the hot travel item, the majority of them are scarcely distinguishable from the commercial variety. (There's lots of blue-sky bombast in the travel world -- and people who take advantage of the idealism of young Americans). But on Monday, I wrote about two opportunities for volunteers that actually produce substantial improvements for low-income communities or vital repairs in the national and state parks -- and also involve partially-free lodgings and meals in exchange for your services. Here, today, are three more:

Sierra Club Outings (tel. 415/977-5522; www.sierraclub.org/outings) in both the U.S. and Canada are short stints at clearing trails in Nevada, maintaining beaches in Puerto Rico, preserving historic sites in Utah, tracking dolphin patterns on Midway Island, removing invasive plants in California, a hundred other useful tasks in the out-of-doors. Groups of 10 to 18 people (including a leader and cook) stay in accommodations ranging from tents to lodges. Many participants are in their mid-40s to early 50s, and include retired folk. Some trips can be strenuous, but most are accessible to everyone. Time commitment: most trips are on week, some are ten days. Cost: Almost all are $495 for a full week, some $595. Requirements: age 18 and up. In studying the website, be sure to winnow out the "service trips" from a larger number of sightseeing trips that Sierra now offers. And thus be sure to click on "service" wherever that term appears on the site.

La Sabranenque (tel. 716/836-8698; www.sabranenque.com) works to preserve and restore the unique ancient architecture of the Provence region of France and in far northern regions of Italy. Work includes construction and restoration of medieval stone buildings, castles and ramparts. From March to October, volunteers labor at sites with experienced technicians, acquiring traditional Mediterranean techniques of stone cutting, roof-tiling, flooring, arch and vault construction, and masonry. Costs cover double occupancy in restored stone houses and home-cooked, family-style meals with your co-volunteers (groups are limited to 35 people). Volunteers are of all ages, not just the young. Time commitment: two to three weeks. Cost: $595 for one week, but only $745 for two weeks, not including airfare. Requirement: ages 18 and up, and physically fit. (No construction skills or knowledge of French or Italian is necessary).

El Porvenir (tel. 608/544-2086; www.elporvenir.org) builds village water projects in now-peaceful Nicaragua. Volunteers in 6-to-10 person "brigades" join with local residents and bi-lingual guides to construct wells, latrines and community washing facilities. Apart from work, there's time to visit and converse with Nicaraguan organizations and groups. Lodgings are private homes, village schools, or modest hotels, and there's a recreational weekend at a beach thrown in as well. Participants' ages vary; church and family groups are common. Time commitment: two weeks. Cost: $800, including food, lodging and land transportation (but not airfare). Requirements: physically fit. But no Spanish language or construction experience is needed.

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Labels: france, nicaragua, volunteer