Projects of shorter duration

Projects which are less of an 'expedition' type, less basic conditions, less physical work, tend to be for short periods and quite expensive

OPERATION WALLACEA - Operation Wallacea is a series of scientific wildlife survey and conservation expeditions to a remote corner of the island of Sulawesi. In the 2000 season there are 17 main projects each lead by a University lecturer or researcher. These projects range from estimating macaque populations in the forest, to diving surveys of the reefs around the National Park. As a volunteer you will be trained and can then join a range of projects for 5 day periods so that you build up experience of surveying different tropical habitats. There are also 3 main community projects ranging from helping the sea gypsy communities build offshore fish attraction devices to building a Visitor Education Centre for schools on Buton Island. Training courses include language, dive training and introduction to reef organisms. As a volunteer you can put together your own itinerary from 5 day units of training, community projects or biological survey projects. Unique to these expeditions is the opportunity for students to complete individual research projects for their final year dissertations or MSc theses. There are 57 individual projects for biologists, geographers, anthropologists, marine biologists, zoologists, etc each of which can be supervised in the field.

EARTHWATCH INSTITUTE - The mission of the Earthwatch Institute is to promote sustainable conservation of our natural resources and cultural heritage by creating partnerships between scientists, educators and the general public. Earthwatch puts people in the field where they can assist scientists in their field work. They are part of the action, learn new skills, and develop a deeper understanding of their role in building a sustainable future. We believe that teaching and promoting scientific literacy is the best way to systematically approach and solve the many complex environmental and social issues facing society today. The Earthwatch Volunteer Program is the most widely recognised area of Earthwatch Institute’s activities. Joining an Earthwatch Project often has a powerful impact on the individual involved as well as representing an important contribution of time and money to the research project. Just over 4,000 Earthwatch volunteers will join 720 research teams in the year 2000. Last year Earthwatch teams attracted men and women of all ages–over the minimum age of 16–hailing from 46 countries, and representing diverse educational, professional and cultural backgrounds. No special skills are required (except scuba certification for diving projects). Many volunteers do, however, bring talents such as photography, carpentry, cooking, or even surveying or GPS. Earthwatch team members share the costs of research expeditions and cover food and lodging expenses with a pro-rated contribution identified as Share of Costs on the project pages. Expedition costs for the year 2000 range significantly with an average of $1,600 or the equivalent in other currencies, for a 1-3 week team duration. Wide range of expeditions, under 'Oceans category there are projects in Bahamas, Costa Rica, the Caribbean', South Africa, Florida, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Spain.. and others.

HEBRIDEAN WHALE AND DOLPHIN TRUST (HWDT)

The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) has pioneered locally based research in the Hebrides and has contributed, over more than a decade of monitoring, to the better understanding of the local marine environment, specifically whale, dolphin and porpoise (cetacean) species. Each season, HWDT welcome volunteers aboard their research vessel, Silurian, to assist with vital visual and acoustic data collection. No experience is required as full training will be provided. Participants will learn fundamental techniques in studying marine mammals, effectively become marine mammal scientists for the duration of the survey. You will have the opportunity to witness the wealth of British marine wildlife while exploring some of the remotest parts of the British Isles. Accommodation is aboard HWDTs research yacht Silurian and expeditions last between 9 – 12 days. There is a cost for participating, varying between £900 and £1,300 – this contribution allows HWDT to continue the long established monitoring programme. With mass development in the renewables and aquaculture sectors planned, it is imperative that HWDT continue to monitor cetacean populations off the west coast of Scotland. For more information, please visit www.hwdt.org or contact volunteercoordinator@hwdt.org

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