Contributing to Sustainable Travel Through Volunteering
With more people becoming concerned about the impact of their travel on nature and the environment, many are forgoing a traditional holiday to join volunteer citizen science expeditions around the world — or a ‘voluntourcation’ as it’s becoming known in some places — and their efforts are making a difference.
Having more disposable leisure time, it’s not surprising that many of these volunteers are over 55. However, with so many choices now available, how do you really know your efforts are benefitting the planet? And the other big question — can a layperson really do much to assist in just a couple of weeks?
Interested in taking a volunteering vacation, I pondered these questions and researched far and wide before making my choice.
Real conservation and research projects are science and local needs-based, focusing on sustainable conservation. They target clearly defined critical issues that humans can assist in changing. They do not chase the tourist dollars, nor do they involve handling animals. They are honest not-for-profit and not profit-driven organisations.
As an international volunteer, you work hand-in-hand with scientists, local biologists and communities to drive positive outcomes for biodiversity. It may seem mundane and not instantaneous, but your work is essential. Monitoring animals, collecting biological data, setting camera traps and much more, is labour intensive work that forms the core of all scientific arguments, and that’s where volunteers can play an important role.
When choosing a project to become involved in, it’s important to check out the organisation’s longevity and its project reporting standards. If they have won awards or accolades for outstanding contributions to endangered wildlife or environmental programs, it’s even better.
For all the above reasons, I chose to try my inexperienced volunteering hand with a Biosphere Expedition. Now in its 20th-year Biosphere Expeditions is a UK-based non-profit citizen-science-driven wildlife conservation organisation. They are members of the UNEP, IUCN, and European Citizen Science Association, producing tangible, award-winning results.
“Our conservation expeditions offer a volunteering adventure with a purpose. We bridge the gap between conservation scientists and their need of funds and helpers, by providing enthusiastic laypeople, who in their holiday time, through their hands-on assistance and with their expedition contribution wanting to support them. We empower local communities and people from around the world to work hands-on in wildlife research and conservation,” says Dr Matthias Hammer, Biosphere Expeditions’ founder and executive director.
“Since 1999, we’ve helped build the data that improves the chances for wildlife. This essential work continues. Without these solid scientific findings of the various wildlife, locations and environments, we cannot formulate the correct decisions that will support our world’s future.”
Taking a year to establish their non-profit organisation and another to recruit an expedition team, it was 2001 by the time the first Biosphere Expedition went to Poland studying the Carpathian Mountain wolves. The work of this expedition resulted in wolf hunting bans there.
Today Biosphere Expeditions operates over 14 projects around the world with many in Asia from coral reef and whale shark diving expeditions in the Maldives, to projects monitoring snow leopards in Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan, elephants in northern Thailand, Arabian oryxes in the deserts around Dubai, UAE, and biodiversity studies of leopards, lynxes, bears and wolves in the mountains of Armenia.
Other outstanding expeditions included some from 2003 to 2012 in the Altai Republic, Central Asia, where the data collected helped create a protected area for snow leopards and other wildlife. By paying local poachers for yearly verifiable photographic camera trap proof of surviving snow leopards, they are now conservationists.
With no previous data available from 2010 to 2016 Biosphere’s coral reef expedition to Tioman Island, Malaysia, collected vital data on human-induced threats and coral reef health in the Tioman Archipelago. This data formed the foundation for a long-term programme, ‘Cintai Tioman’, creating ecological and social awareness for the island.
Between 2015 and 2017 at the Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve, Indonesia, in collaboration with WWF Indonesia, Biosphere Expeditions studied Sumatran tigers. The study included their prey and human-wildlife conflict and resulted in locals becoming involved in tiger conservation and more extensive protection of the tigers.
The declaration of two protected areas in Musandam, Oman, was the result of coral reef diving projects between 2008 and 2017, as well as the creation of a local NGO, Reef Check Oman.
However, not all projects are successful. Some are halted, like studies of the Arabian leopard in the Dhofar and Musandam regions of Oman. Between 2006 and 2011 these expeditions researched the ecology and status of the Arabian leopard. With a lack of local support and willingness to act upon recommendations, there was little point in continuing with them.
All Biosphere Expeditions are small teams with a maximum of 12 team members and one or two scientists to both maximise research efficiency and minimise environmental impact. Participants come from all walks of life, a variety of ages and worldly backgrounds. The average age ranges from 45 to 75, with more singles joining than couples. But everyone is welcome, and fitness to a Tarzan level isn’t a necessity — you’re not applying to be on ‘Survivor’.
Accommodation varies for each project, so check it out before you sign up, especially if you don’t like camping. Mine was simple chalets, with good twin beds and bedding, a balcony for relaxing and an ensuite bathroom in each. There is no such thing as a single supplement on an expedition, plus getting to know other like-minded worldly travellers is part of the experience. If you do want to sleep alone, tents and a separate ablution block are available.
All training, research work, data entry and meals are in a large separate building. Since mid-2019, Biospheres has an all-vegetarian meal policy but a special team prepares the meals so you can guarantee they are excellent and healthy. It’s only for two weeks anyway! Plus, beer and alcohol are available for a small local price on an honesty basis.
If you have an international 4WD licence, you can also drive the work vehicles, and it is encouraged. You must have a PADI licence if you are undertaking a diving expedition.
Don’t expect any frills and fancies, or your towels folded into animal shapes. These expeditions are not package holidays. They’re real scientific research projects. From the moment you meet your team members at the pick-up point, you will be living, breathing, working, sleeping, sharing the expedition vision and creating a real sense of fulfilment — and enriching your life. While on an expedition and afterwards, you are encouraged to share your photos and experiences on social media.
“Biosphere Expeditions not only exist for creating a healthier, more sustainable planet, we also want a person’s holiday time to count and be worthwhile, while also sharing our vision,” adds Dr Hammer. “Our volunteers can be secure in the knowledge that they will have an exciting conservation holiday with not only a purpose but also a productive time in conserving part of our global natural heritage.
“Whatever their age or background, our citizen scientists work has an impact, and their voices are heard. By spending a week or more on a wildlife expedition with us, they not only travel to remote and beautiful places, they learn new skills, meet like-minded people and experience conservation in action, for nature and not for profit.”
It’s important to know that volunteering with organisations like Biosphere Expeditions is nothing like the backpacking days of volunteering on a kibbutz. Even though both provide board and lodgings, there is no monetary return, just your own satisfaction of contributing to something worthwhile. Your cost (or contribution) depends on the organisation’s responsibilities and can be as much as a 4-5 star resort vacation.
About two-thirds of my Biosphere Expedition contribution went towards the project itself, plus we receive reports on expenditure and research results of our efforts. The remainder goes towards administration and arranging new projects.
So, clearly volunteering will not be for everyone – especially those who prefer sitting on a white sandy beach under gently waving palms gazing over sparkling azure waters while sipping a piña colada. But if you are looking for a travel adventure with a purpose, something that will leave you with a sense of accomplishment, then become involved in a ‘voluntourcation’ and contribute to the world’s sustainability. Many have become addicted!
Biosphere now has offices in Germany, France, North America and Ireland. In the wake of the UK’s increasing anti-European and nationalistic agenda in 2018, they moved their headquarters to Ireland. For more information on Biosphere Expeditions you can visit their website at www.biosphere-expeditions.org
Header image: © Biosphere Expeditions
