Watch on the Earth

THE environment and research into it has become high on many people’s agendas. Some people a good range of contacts, while others lack any way of taking part in projects. There are a number of organisations that coordinate schemes. Earthwatch with over 35 years of experience in this field is a highly respected environmental charity.

Earthwatch invites interested people to join one of the 130 environmental research projects, that they every year, as a volunteer. People are able to make a difference to conservation by directly funding vital environment research. They also have the opportunity of travelling to some of the most beautiful places on this planet.

The group offers a wide diversity of both locations and research fields, ranging from climate change to endangered species or threatened habitats.

Earthwatch gives the safety and enjoyment of volunteers a high priority. They include all accommodation and food in the cost of the project, They also offer comprehensive briefings, materials, volunteer preparation events, training in the field and emergency medical evacuation if it becomes necessary. There are also a number of free days that enable volunteers to explore the area.

Most volunteers, who range in age from 18 to 85 years, travel alone to the projects, knowing that they will be met at the rendezvous and then quickly become part of a friendly team. Energy, enthusiasm and a passion for conservation counts for more at Earthwatch then any specialised skills or experience.

Previous achievements by Earthwatch volunteers have resulted in the discovery of new species and the creation of new national parks, nature reserves and protected areas. A better understanding of the world’s most critical environmental issues has been obtained, thanks to the data collected by Earthwatch’s scientists and volunteers.

A British project was the survey of basking shark distribution and behaviour off the coasts of Cornwall and the Hebrides. Volunteers stay on board a yacht and help scientists with the scrutiny of these awesome leviathans, which are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, though they are the second largest fish in the world. It is hoped that this survey will improve their conservation prospects.

Other volunteers have part in a Cueva Victoria Project, questing for early man in Spain. This is a fascinating project that is focussed on the main room of a large cave that is filled with natural light. Volunteers are trained to excavate the sediment and to remove the artefacts and fossils and map the remains. They also clean and catalogue finds with time being devoted to excavating a palaeolithic site that is outside the cave to find evidence of the earliest Europeans. Accommodation is in a large house with spacious rooms, gardens and a pool. Volunteers spend the hottest part of the day with swimming, siestas and lunch.

A major project has been the Amazon Riverboat Exploration in Peru. Volunteers steer aboard the Ayapua, a restored boat with air conditioning and en-suit cabins. They travel in motorised canoes to help scientists conserve Amazon dolphin, giant river otters, manatees, turtles and fish. Other parts of the survey include the counting of Macaws and surveys of peccaries, tapirs, deer, monkeys and game birds. They can talk to local people about their methods of hunting, fishing and conservation.

Some volunteers board the Astrix to search for bottlenose dolphin in Monterey bay or cruise through the meandering channels of Elkhorn Slough, California’s second largest wetland and home to sea otters. This project monitors the population of these mammals and contributes to sound management strategies for the area. Volunteers stay in a five bedroom house set in a quiet seaside community.

People can see the real Kenya with Earthwatch. They are introduced to both the people and wildlife while travelling in 4X4 vehicles, charting the location, movement and behaviour of zebras. Particular emphasis is placed on the endangered Grevy’s Zebra. Earthwatch scientists are trying to discover how they are faring in the contest for territory and water outside the protected areas.

Even butterflies are not neglected by Earthwatch. Fifteen species of butterfly, including the rare and endangered Reverdin’s Blue Butterfly cling to survival on the slopes of Mount Fuji and its rivers. Scientists are studying the life history and population distribution of these beautiful insects in a bid to conserve their grassland habitats. Accommodation on this project is in typically Japanese style houses that contain rooms with tatami or woven straw floors.

Further information on this and other interesting projects can be obtained from Earthwatch. Freepost,(SCE15442), Oxford, OX2 7BR.