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AMAZON RIVERBOAT EXPLORATION P8
RESEARCH AREAS FOR EVERYONE:
WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS P8
OCEAN HEALTH P18
CLIMATE CHANGE P24
ARCHAEOLOGY & CULTURE P28
WHERE DO ENDANGERED SEA TURTLES
THRIVE? JOIN OTHER VOLUNTEERS AND
SCIENTISTS TO HELP PROTECT CRITICAL HABITATS AROUND THE WORLD
9 NEW EXPEDITIONS THAT NEED YOUR SUPPORT
INCLUDING Climate Change at the Arctic’s EdgeAND Origins of Angkor
20142014
57 FEATURED IN 2014
THRILLING EXPEDITIONS
WANT TO HELP? HERE’S HOW
DANGRIGA, BELIZE: Scientists need your help to determine the value of marine reserves to protect sharks and other ocean life from overfishing. You will work on boats to operate baited remote underwater cameras and tag nurse, hammerhead, and tiger sharks. Your research will help scientists guide local governments in protecting these marine areas in Central America. PAGE 21
ROBBEN ISLAND, SOUTH AFRICA: Working with one of the largest colonies of African penguins, you will help scientists find out if oil shipping lanes and fisheries in the area are having an impact on them. You’ll collect data on penguin populations and help test a new system to detect and recognize individual penguins as they pass near cameras. This research is hugely important to ensure the long-term survival of this species. PAGE 22
HEREDIA PROVINCE, COSTA RICA: This expedition offers a brand new way to study climate change and biological diversity. Understanding the interactions between species is just as important as understanding the species themselves. By collecting caterpillars and recognizing how important they are within the food and reproductive chain, you can help answer key questions about the impact of climate change as insects and plants continue to evolve. PAGE 25
EARTHWATCH EXPEDITIONS 2014
Earthwatch Expeditions combine world-class field research with hands-on learning to inspire global change. At Earthwatch, we support more than 50 expeditions around the world designed for people looking to make an impact.
OUR EXPEDITION CATEGORIES
DEAR EARTHWATCHER
WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS: P8Ecosystems and animals all over the world are threatened. With your help, we can create conservation plans and help protect our planet and its inhabitants in today’s ever-evolving landscape.
OCEAN HEALTH: P18With more than 70% of Earth’s surface covered by water, our oceans need our help more than ever. Help protect coral reefs and save the threatened species that inhabit our waters from extinction.
CLIMATE CHANGE: P24Climate change poses one of the greatest threats to our planet. Support research that helps improve our understanding of how climate change is affecting the environment, and find ways to help communities reduce their impacts and adapt to changes.
ARCHAEOLOGY & CULTURE: P28Safeguard our future by uncovering our past. Unearth the remains of ancient cultures to find out how our ancestors lived and to help us make informed decisions today.
Larry Mason, CEO
2 3visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org
Chances are you’ve opened the 2014 Earthwatch Expeditions guide for two reasons: First, you’re interested in doing something meaningful to help preserve and protect our planet. And second, you’re looking for an adventure.
Earthwatch volunteers have contributed to more than 10 million hours of field research, in over 120 countries on nearly 1,400 expeditions. I am so proud of our accomplishments over the past year, and am excited for you to be a part of what’s to come in 2014.
Join an Earthwatch Expedition and help our scientists gain a clearer picture of climate change, make it easier to protect threatened species and habitats, and protect cultures from losing their connection with their environmental heritage. On our expeditions, you will measure, track, record, camp, hike, paddle, observe, snorkel, climb, photograph, weigh, sample, smell, touch, listen, build, teach, tag, and above all learn.
In 2014, we are pleased to offer you nine new and 48 expanded expeditions that need your support.
We’re looking forward to another inspirational, educational, and adventurous year, and your support means the world to us.
call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
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EARTHWATCH EXPEDITIONS 2014
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2014 EXPEDITIONSThere are Earthwatch Expeditions all over the world. Find the spot that’s right for you.
WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS
OCEAN HEALTH
CLIMATE CHANGE
ARCHAEOLOGY & CULTURE
visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
EARTHWATCH EXPEDITIONS 2014
Our mission is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment.
JOIN AN EXPEDITION
DONATE ONLINE
If you can’t take part in an Earthwatch Expedition, you can always donate online at earthwatch.org. We’ll put your gift to work, helping to save species, habitats, and cultural legacies.
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WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU?
Earthwatch volunteers have contributed to more than 10 million hours of field research, in over 120 countries on nearly 1,400 expeditions.
From unearthing ancient fossils to discovering new species, research conducted on Earthwatch Expeditions helps to plan wildlife reserves, conserve our oceans, manage climate change, and understand ancient cultures.
This year, take a one-of-a-kind journey, inspire change, and help protect our planet. Swim, dig, discover, and learn.
OUR MISSION
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2014?
JUMP into the warm water of the Bahamas to track turtle behaviour during their uncharted teenage years.
HOP aboard a boat to monitor beavers and understand their role as “water engineers” in Germany.
PROTECT lions in Kenya by conducting innovative research on the prey they feed on.
SAFEGUARD cheetahs, leopards, and lions in some of Botswana’s most remote protected land.
MONITOR foxes, badgers, and hedgehogs to better understand how residents of the United Kingdom can live alongside these city-dwelling animals.
TRACK elusive mammals in Costa Rica to see if sustainable agriculture can help revive the rainforest.
EVALUATE how climate change is altering the landscape and wildlife in the French Pyrenees.
FIND out how human-introduced foods like rice are literally changing the face of Galapagos finch populations.
VISIT one of the world’s best wine regions, the Colchagua Valley in Chile, to help wine producers live in balance with the natural world.
Each expedition has only a limited number of spaces available, so act now!
visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS
1. AMAZON RIVERBOAT EXPLORATION
Travel aboard a restored and remodelled river boat while working alongside a team of skilled Peruvian biologists. During your journey along the Amazon River, you’ll collect information about the wildlife populations in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. You’ll also spend time in a motorized canoe surveying dolphins, fish, and turtles while counting macaws and conducting land surveys of monkeys, tapirs, deer, and game birds. At night, safely search for caimans (alligator cousins) with a spotlight.
SCIENTIST: Dr Richard Bodmer, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology
LOCATION: Pacaya Samiria, Peru
DURATION: 8–15 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, March, August, September, November, December
4. BLAZING THE BIODIVERSITY TRAIL IN BRAZIL
The Araguaia River connects the Amazonian rainforest with the Cerrado grasslands. Along the river lies Emas National Park, where jaguars, pumas, maned wolves, tapirs, and giant anteaters roam. Help determine whether expanding sugarcane plantations create barriers for these animals as they move across the land. Record and map species, help install camera traps, and work with trained dogs to seek out animal tracks.
SCIENTIST: Dr Leandro Silveira, Jaguar Conservation Fund
LOCATION: Araguaia River, Central Brazil
DURATION: 12 days
FIELDING MONTHS: July, October, November
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
READY TO BOOK?Visit earthwatch.orgor call us on (0)1856 318838 for more info.
OUR EXPEDITIONS
2. ANIMALS OF MALAWI IN THE MAJETE WILDLIFE RESERVE
Poaching, logging, and burning have destroyed the fragile ecosystem of today’s Majete Wildlife Reserve in Malawi. As a volunteer, you’ll help answer critical questions about the outcomes of a major animal reintroduction program. Your work will include animal tracking and counting, camera trapping, assessing predator–prey relationships, and even game capture and release.
SCIENTIST: Dr Alison Leslie, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
LOCATION: Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi
DURATION: 12 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, July, August, September, October, November, December
Along the pristine east coast of Australia in World Heritage temperate rainforests, nine species of frogs—about 5% of all Australian frog species—have disappeared in the past two decades, while 20 species have declined alarmingly. You will monitor frogs to determine why these populations are declining, camping alongside mountain streams and working into the night when most frog species are active. Four past Earthwatchers even discovered new species!
SCIENTIST: Dr Michael Mahony, University of Newcastle
LOCATION: Barrington and Watagan Ranges, NSW, Australia
DURATION: 7 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January
FROM:
£1,650FROM:
£2,300
WHY DO SOME FROG SPECIES THRIVE? 3. AUSTRALIA’S VANISHING FROGSWILDLIFE &
ECOSYSTEMS
5. CARNIVORES OF MADAGASCAR
One of the most ferocious predators on Earth, the cat-like fosa is found only in Madagascar. Its habits and population status are virtually unknown and its habitat is nearly gone. Help preserve the fosa and its habitat by hiking up to 12 miles a day through the forests of Madagascar while setting fosa traps, checking trap lines, and measuring trapped and sedated carnivores. You’ll stay at a tented research station in Ankarafantsika National Park.
SCIENTIST: Dr Luke Dollar, Duke University
LOCATION: Ankarafantsika, Madagascar
DURATION: 13 days
FIELDING MONTHS: July, December
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FROM:
£1,875FROM:
£1,850
FROM:
£1,450
Earthwatch volunteers have discovered a number of new species and continue to investigate the issues facing wildlife in today’s evolving landscape.You can conserve lions in Africa, think with elephants in Thailand, and rescue baby turtles in Costa Rica.
Where will you inspire change?
visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
Farmers in this region view leopards, hyenas, and monkeys as threats to their livestock and crops, which endangers the survival of these animals and in turn the biodiversity of the region. Help scientists understand the behaviour of these species and their impact on people’s livelihoods so they may improve the relationship between farmers and wildlife. You’ll collect data on carnivores from camera trapping, GPS collars, and scat analysis and observe primates by following them during the day.
SCIENTIST: Dr Russell Hill, Durham University
LOCATION: Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa
DURATION: 12 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, July, September, October, December
HOW ARE MONKEYS ANGERING FARMERS? 7. CONSERVING LEOPARDS AND MONKEYS IN SOUTH AFRICA
FROM:
£1,675
8. FOLLOWING DARWIN’S FINCHES IN THE GALÁPAGOS NEW
In the Galápagos, you can almost see evolution in action. Take Darwin’s finches. These birds evolved to have a tight link between beak size and size of seeds they eat, a link that’s essential to their survival. But evolution may now be weakening this link in response to human-introduced foods, like rice—with unpredictable results. You’ll help study how new foods are changing finch beak size by surveying finch populations, catching them in mist nets, collecting blood samples for genetic analyses, and investigating available food in different habitats. In the grand tradition of Galápagos field researchers, you’ll share a room in the dorms at the Charles Darwin Foundation field station.
SCIENTIST: Dr Luis Fernando De León, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología
LOCATION: Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador
DURATION: 10 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, February
FROM:
£1,895
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6. CONSERVING KOALA COUNTRY
Great Otway National Park in Australia hosts a thriving koala population. To conserve koalas, we must understand their response to climate change and the impacts of overpopulation on their habitat and behaviour. On this expedition, you will work closely with koalas to safely capture and handle them and use radio-tracking devices and cameras to record their movements. You’ll stay in cabins in the Otway National Park surrounded by koalas.
SCIENTIST: Dr Desley Whisson, Deakin University
LOCATION: Great Otway National Park, Victoria, Australia
DURATION: 10 days
FIELDING MONTHS: February, September, November
FROM:
£1,895
9. INVESTIGATING THREATS TO CHIMPS IN UGANDA
The lush Budongo Forest in Uganda is home to a large population of chimpanzees and other primates that rely on fruiting trees for their survival. Now, the trees are bearing less fruit and chimps are raiding nearby farms, causing conflict between humans and wildlife. Help researchers determine what is causing the fruit to dwindle and how this impacts the primates. You will track chimps and other primates through the forest to collect information on their diet and behaviour, monitor the fruiting patterns of trees, and trap and identify insects to investigate changes in pollinator populations. Your work will help determine how primates can better survive in a changing climate.
SCIENTIST: Dr Fred Babweteera, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
LOCATION: Budongo Forest, Western Uganda
DURATION: 12 days
FIELDING MONTHS: February, April, June, July, August, October
FROM:
£1,650 10. EXPLORING LIONS AND
THEIR PREY IN KENYA NEW
On Kenya’s savannahs, zebra populations are flourishing while other large herbivores, like waterbucks and hartebeests, have begun to decline. Join this innovative effort to find out if domestic cattle can help save these species. By manipulating the relationships between cattle, zebras, and lions and other predators, researchers hope to entice predators away from rare herbivores so their populations can grow. Help by tracking lions and checking camera traps for evidence of other animals. The team will stay in bandas—round stone huts with thatched roofs—in the wildlife-rich Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where a cook will prepare meals with an international flavour.
SCIENTIST: Dr Jacob Goheen, University of Wyoming
LOCATION: Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Laikipia District, Kenya
DURATION: 14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, July, August, September
FROM:
£2,450
WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMSOUR EXPEDITIONS
visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
14. ON THE TRAIL OF GIANT PANDAS IN CHINA
Scientists are studying panda behaviour to determine which individuals will be good candidates for reintroduction to the wild. Working at the Ya’an Bifengxia panda base in a famous tourist area of stunning wild beauty in the mountains of Sichuan Province, you will help monitor and record the daily behaviour of captive and semicaptive pandas to support their effective management and contribute to the long-term goal of releasing pandas into the wild.
SCIENTIST: Prof. Zhang Hemin, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
LOCATION: Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
DURATION: 7 days
FIELDING MONTHS: May, June, July, August, September, October, November
FROM:
£2,250
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13. MAMMALS OF NOVA SCOTIA
How is climate change affecting wildlife in the Acadian forest of Nova Scotia? To find out, you will learn how to trap and release small mammals such as mice and voles (the basis of the predatory food chain) and use evidence from field signs and camera trapping to study deer, beavers, porcupines, raccoons, bobcats, and other more elusive mammals. This research will help us understand the implications of climate change for forestry, hunting, and tourism, which are vital to the local economy.
SCIENTIST: Dr Christina Buesching, Wildlife Conservation Unit, University of Oxford
LOCATION: Cherry Hill, Nova Scotia, Canada
DURATION: 7–14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: May, June, July, August
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,250
WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMSOUR EXPEDITIONS
Help scientists determine the spill’s impact on a large group of loons in Louisiana. Or, you can choose to follow this same group of loons to their summer grounds in Saskatchewan. At both locations, you’ll help capture birds to tag them, and take measurements and blood samples and use a GPS unit and a compass to record the location of individual birds. From boats, you’ll make behavioural observations and use radio telemetry to locate signals from loons with transmitters.
SCIENTIST: Dr Jim Paruk, Center for Loon Conservation at the Biodiversity Research Institute
LOCATION: Port Sulphur, Louisiana, USA, or Saskatchewan, Canada
DURATION: 7–14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: February, March, June, July
HOW HAVE LOONS FARED SINCE THE 2010 OIL SPILL? 11. LOONS AND THE GULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILL 12. LOONS OF THE CANADIAN PRAIRIE
FROM:
£1,425
TEEN TEAMSSome of our expeditions have been specially tailored for teens. Find out more on page 33.
16. PUERTO RICO’S RAINFOREST
Can we reduce rainforest destruction by changing the way we harvest trees? To find out, researchers cut long slots through the forest, as if a canopy tree had fallen. They plant tree seedlings in each slot and harvest the trees years later with minimal disturbance to the surrounding forest. You will help determine which planting methods are working best, and how they are impacting the surrounding forest. You’ll also measure trees, count lizards, identify vine species, and even join a night expedition to count frogs and birds.
SCIENTIST: Dr Mark Nelson, Institute of Ecotechnics
LOCATION: Patillas, Puerto Rico
DURATION: 10 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, July, December
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,350
15. SCOUTING FOXES, BADGERS, AND HEDGEHOGS IN ENGLAND NEW
Are foxes, hedgehogs, and badgers friends or foes to people? Help researchers understand how people perceive these furry and prickly city dwellers and how we can better coexist with them. You’ll patrol patches of land for fox and badger dens and count the animals you see. To get a sense of hedgehog numbers, you’ll set up camera traps and monitor tracking tunnels, and have the chance to interview locals about how often they see these small mammals in their gardens. Your team will stay in comfortable hotels or university dorms and will share picnics, barbeques, and meals in local restaurants.
SCIENTIST: Dr Dawn Scott, University of Brighton
LOCATION: Reading and Brighton, United Kingdom
DURATION: 3–14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, July, August
FROM:
£275
visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
“ I could go on for days about how phenomenal the expedition was. It truly opened my eyes to a different and beautiful world and I’ve come to see the complexity and incredible ambition of conservation as a whole.”
Sara Thornburg, Walking with African Wildlife
20. TRACKING BEAVERS THROUGH GERMAN WATERS NEW
Next to people, beavers can change their environment more thoroughly than any other species. In Germany’s Lower Rhine, these construction whizzes only recently returned after hunters nearly wiped them out. Researchers need to know the population size, where the beavers live, and how they’re reshaping the landscape. From boats or on the shore, search picturesque ponds and streams for signs of beaver life and look for evidence of beaver damage to dikes or crops. You’ll also take soil and water samples. Teams will stay at comfortable local accommodations and can look forward to regional specialties like sausage and cheese.
SCIENTIST: Dr William Megill, Rhine Waal University of Applied Sciences
LOCATION: Cleves District, Lower Rhine Region, North Rhine-Westphalia State, Germany
DURATION: 7–13 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, August, September
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,350
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WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMSOUR EXPEDITIONS
18. SOUTH AFRICA’S HYENAS
Carnivore scavengers are essential to functioning ecosystems, but their role is little understood. Deploy camera traps and monitor brown hyenas and jackals to help provide a better understanding of their role in South Africa. You’ll talk to locals about the presence of carnivores in the area and conduct spotlight counts at night, where you may even encounter lions and leopards. Stay in the heart of the Mankwe Wildlife Reserve in a small house or a walk-in safari tent.
SCIENTIST: Dr Dawn Scott, University of Brighton
LOCATION: Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa
DURATION: 12 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, May, July, August, October, November TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£2,05017. RESTORING PREHISTORIC
LANDSCAPES ON EASTER ISLAND
Help recreate this storied island’s ancient agricultural practices and rebuild its endangered forests. Searching for prehistoric gardens, livestock fields, and farms, you’ll help conduct experiments to evaluate how effective the prehistoric mulching system was in feeding the inhabitants of the island. You’ll prepare soil to better sustain native plants and help create a botanical garden. You’ll also participate in reforesting critically eroded areas of the island. You’ll stay in cosy double rooms at a small family hotel.
SCIENTIST: Sonia Haoa Cardinali, Virginia Department of Historic Resources
LOCATION: Hanga Roa, Easter Island, Chile
DURATION: 14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: July, August, September, December
FROM:
£2,325
DOES AN ELEPHANT REALLY NEVER FORGET?21. THINKING LIKE AN ELEPHANT IN THAILAND
We know elephants in Thailand are endangered, but what we don’t know is a lot about their behaviour and needs. Your participation will help future wild elephant conservation initiatives. Working up close with elephants, you’ll collect data on their behaviour and intelligence, help in food preparation, and assist elephant caretakers in their daily routines. You’ll collect and input data, help with analysis, and assist in educational initiatives for Thai, U.S., and other internationally based communities.
SCIENTIST: Dr Joshua Plotnik, Mahidol University
LOCATION: Chiang Saen, Thailand
DURATION: 10 days
FIELDING MONTHS: May, June, July, August, September, October
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
19. SPOTTING SONGBIRDS IN THE ROCKIES
Many songbird populations in the Jackson Hole area are declining, and you can help researchers study these birds and their habitats in an effort to stop the decline. Search for migratory birds’ nests and record the location of colour-banded birds to provide key information on seasonal survival rates and productivity. Some teams will have a chance to observe birds up close as staff removes them from nets and band them. Other teams will assist with vegetation measurements. You’ll stay in rustic cabins at the Kelly Campus of the Teton Science Schools.
SCIENTIST: Dr Kevin Krasnow, Teton Science Schools
LOCATION: Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA
DURATION: 9 days
FIELDING MONTH: June
FROM:
£1,300
FROM:
£2,025
visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
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OUR EXPEDITIONS
Visit a place where lions and cheetahs still stalk the grasslands and packs of wild dogs roam. This is the Kavango-Zambezi Transboundary Protected Area (KAZA), a swath of protected land that spans five countries and is one of Africa’s best hopes for preserving its wilderness and its declining predator species. The welcoming country of Botswana will be your home as you monitor camera traps, sort the images they capture, and survey vegetation. You may even help track lions and other predators, fit them with tracking collars, and take tissue samples for genetic analysis. Stay in a spacious safari tent and enjoy home-cooked southern African cuisine.
SCIENTIST: Anthony J. Giordano, Society for the Preservation of Endangered Carnivores and Their International Ecological Study (SPECIES)
LOCATION: KAZA, Tamafupa Region, Botswana
DURATION: 8 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, July, September, October
HOW CAN WE PROTECT AFRICA’S MOST ICONIC SPECIES? 22. TRACKING PREDATORS OF THE AFRICAN SAVANNAH NEW
FROM:
£2,495
24. WILDLIFE OF AUSTRALIA’S RAINFORESTS
The Wet Tropics of northern Queensland are the last remaining area of Australia’s primeval forest. This unique ecosystem is home to cassowaries, parrots, pythons, possums, tree kangaroos, and primitive-looking reptiles. You’ll work with a world-renowned ecologist to help shape our understanding of how changes in our climate are altering the landscape and what this means for species in the area. Your work will include bird, lizard, and frog surveys, nocturnal wildlife spotting, and insect collecting.
SCIENTIST: Prof. Stephen Williams, James Cook University
LOCATION: Wet Tropics, Queensland, Australia
DURATION: 7–15 days
FIELDING MONTHS: March, June, October
FROM:
£1,65023. TRACKING COSTA RICA’S
MAMMALS NEW
Conservation doesn’t just happen on protected land. In many places, crops and forests grow alongside each other, so farmers need to be engaged to make any conservation plan a reality. In Costa Rica, farmers receive payments for planting trees and protecting stretches of private forests. Help find out if this plan is working by monitoring vegetation changes and tracking mammals that roam areas of land shared by farmers and animals. You’ll check camera traps and hair traps for evidence of sloths, tapirs, monkeys, and other exotic mammals. Teams will stay in cabins surrounded by lush Costa Rican forest.
SCIENTIST: Dr Thomas Lacher, Texas A&M University
LOCATION: Paso de Las Nubes Biological Corridor, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
DURATION: 10 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, July, August TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,675
25. WALKING WITH AFRICAN WILDLIFE
Help protect the diversity of wildlife species in one of Africa’s oldest reserves. Walk with an armed guard four to six miles per day through woodland, bush, and forest, starting at dawn to track rhinos, giraffes, elephants, and zebras, among many other species. This is a rare chance to walk through scenery most people only see from a Land Rover, while collecting data that will help support conservation plans.
SCIENTIST: Dr Dave Druce, Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife
LOCATION:Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa
DURATION: 16 days
FIELDING MONTHS: July, August, September
FROM:
£2,500
RELATED EXPEDITIONSee our Archaeology of the Mongolian Steppe expedition on page 28.
WILDLIFE & ECOSYSTEMS
26. WILDLIFE OF THE MONGOLIAN STEPPE
For years, Earthwatch teams have worked to conserve Mongolia’s wildlife, including the argali, the largest mountain sheep in the world. Their findings have been used to develop conservation policies and expand the protected area. Now, you can join researchers in remote, spectacular areas of Mongolia to study the behaviour of argali, Siberian ibexes, vultures, hedgehogs, and prey species, from lizards to snakes and marmots. Team members share quarters in traditional Mongolian huts and will be treated to a traditional Mongolian barbecue cooked with hot rocks. Interested volunteers may also have the opportunity to work with another local Earthwatch Expedition focused on archaeology.
SCIENTIST: Gana Wingard, Denver Zoological Foundation
LOCATION: Ikh Nart Wildlife Reserve, Mongolia
DURATION: 14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: May, June, August, September
FROM:
£2,150
visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
READY TO BOOK?Visit earthwatch.orgor call us on (0)1856 318838 for more info.
OUR EXPEDITIONS OCEAN HEALTH
HOW IS WHALING AFFECTING WHALES AND DOLPHINS IN NORWAY? 29. INVESTIGATING WHALES AND DOLPHINS OF THE NORWEGIAN ARCTIC
OCEAN HEALTH
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FROM:
£1,450
“ There are no words to describe the feeling you get when you witness it all in person. Being part of this cycle of life that has been occurring for thousands of years is incredible.”
Mary Doak, Costa Rican Sea Turtles
Dive in to answer key questions about preserving marine life and take critically important steps to protect the world’s oceans.
FROM:
$2,995
You can help save penguins in South Africa, protect whales and dolphins in Costa Rica, and swim with turtles in the Bahamas.How will you protect our largest resource?
27. CORAL COMMUNITIES IN THE SEYCHELLES
Curieuse Island hosts some of the world’s most beautiful reefs and serves as home to hundreds of giant tortoises, a marine park, and the iconic coco de mer palm. Scuba-certified divers will use digital photography to measure biodiversity and coral growth and to identify biodiversity hot spots, areas of reef degradation, and areas that are more resistant to environmental change. Your data will help to identify the most important sites for protection and the species that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
SCIENTIST: Prof. David Smith, University of Essex
LOCATION: Curieuse Island, Seychelles
DURATION: 12 days
FIELDING MONTH: April
FROM:
£1,950
28. COSTA RICAN SEA TURTLES
Leatherback sea turtles are an ancient species, growing up to six feet long and weighing up to 1,500 pounds. Along the most important leatherback nesting beaches left in the world, you’ll monitor, protect, measure, and tag these critically endangered creatures. During your nights on the beach, you’ll count eggs to determine what factors influence nesting success. Depending on the season, you may relocate threatened nests to the hatchery, protect hatchlings as they crawl seaward, excavate nests to determine hatching success rates, and rescue stragglers.
SCIENTIST: Dr Frank V. Paladino, Indiana-Purdue University
LOCATION: Tamarindo, Costa Rica
DURATION: 9 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, February, October, November, December
FROM:
£1,750
In the Arctic waters of Norway, whaling and fishing are important industries. You’ll learn about Arctic whales and help protect marine mammals by collecting data from whale-watching boats and the Andenes lighthouse observation station. You’ll learn to identify whale species, count groups, and collaborate with the crew to collect data on wind, temperature, and sea state. You’ll also learn to interpret behaviour and communication between killer whales while assessing human impacts on whales and dolphins.
SCIENTIST: Dr Iva Kovacic, Marine Research and Education Fund of Andenes
LOCATION: Vesterålen region, Norway
DURATION: 8 days
FIELDING MONTHS: July, August, November, December
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Orpheus Island, a stunningly beautiful tropical island within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, lies off the coast near Townsville, Australia. Even in this pristine area, coral diseases threaten reef ecosystems. As a scuba-certified member of this expedition, you’ll perform underwater surveys, counting new coral colonies and tagging and photographing diseased areas that will be monitored over time to assess the condition of the coral. In the aquarium, you will conduct experiments to determine the impact that light, temperature, pH, and nutrient contents of the water have on diseased corals.
SCIENTIST: Dr David Bourne, Australian Institute of Marine Science
LOCATION: Orpheus Island, Townsville, Australia
DURATION: 8 days
FIELDING MONTHS: March, September
CAN WE SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF CORAL DISEASE IN AUSTRALIA?31. RECOVERY OF THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
FROM:
£2,000
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OUR EXPEDITIONS
32. SAFEGUARDING WHALES AND DOLPHINS IN COSTA RICA
This Costa Rican gulf is home to a large and vulnerable community of whales and dolphins. To protect these marine mammals, researchers must first collect information about the habitat, the animals, and their interactions. Observe and record whale and dolphin behaviour and environmental conditions aboard a motorboat while taking photos to provide the basis for a photo ID catalogue. You’ll also hike along rivers to collect information about nearby mangrove forests and palm oil plantations. Stay at El Chontal, an ecolodge run by a local family.
SCIENTIST: Lenin Enrique Oviedo Correa, University of Hong Kong
LOCATION: Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica
DURATION: 9 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, February, June, July, August, December
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,22533. SHARK CONSERVATION
IN BELIZE
Do marine reservations really protect sharks and other ocean life? Help deploy and operate baited remote underwater cameras to capture footage of sharks. Work on research boats to conduct snorkel surveys, and help capture, measure, tag, and safely release reef, nurse, great hammerhead, and tiger sharks. Gather information on local Belizean and tourist perceptions of sharks and marine reserves using questionnaires and short video interviews to help establish protected areas.
SCIENTIST: Dr Demian Chapman, Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, Stony Brook University
LOCATION: Glover’s Reef or South Water Caye, Belize
DURATION: 8 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, June, July
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,750
30. PROJECT MANTA
Gentle manta rays are incredibly vulnerable to fishing practices, but so little is known about them that it‘s difficult to develop a conservation strategy. The Manta Identification Database is working to identify individual rays and then track them to understand their behaviour and environmental needs. As an Earthwatch scuba diver, you’ll photograph rays in their natural habitat and add them to the database. You will also assist with plankton sampling and analysis, and may even take part in filming manta rays. You’ll stay at the only ecoresort on Lady Elliot Island in Australia’s famed Great Barrier Reef.
SCIENTIST: Dr Kathy Townsend, University of Queensland
LOCATION: Lady Elliot Island, Australia
DURATION: 8 days
FIELDING MONTHS: February, June, September
FROM:
£2,350
OCEAN HEALTH
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36. SWIMMING WITH SEA TURTLES IN THE BAHAMAS NEW
Sea turtles outlasted the dinosaurs, but they may not survive humans. Snorkel and boat through tropical waters to find out how we can protect two species: the green and hawksbill sea turtle. You’ll explore the habitats where they forage in their juvenile years, taking measurements and recording their behaviour to learn what these ancient creatures need to thrive. You’ll also help tag turtles so scientists can track their long-term movements. Teams stay at the Cape Eleuthera Institute, steps away from beaches and coral reefs, and share buffet-style meals that feature fresh, locally sourced Caribbean and American food.
SCIENTIST: Annabelle Brooks, Cape Eleuthera Institute
LOCATION: Eleuthera Island, the Bahamas
DURATION: 10 days
FIELDING MONTHS: February, April, July, August, September, October, November
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,71537. WHALES AND DOLPHINS
UNDER THE CALIFORNIA SUN
Share the waters of California’s Santa Catalina Island with whales, and help determine how recreational boating, pollution, and shipping lanes affect marine mammal populations along the coast. Work on the water photographing whales, recording GPS coordinates, video-recording behaviour, and taking water samples. From the shore, you’ll help spot both whales and boats using binoculars, track their movements, and video-record their activities. You’ll use GIS technology to examine relationships between marine mammals and humans. Summer teams will stay in a dorm-style townhouse, and winter teams will stay at a local hotel.
SCIENTIST: Dr Lei Lani Stelle, University of Redlands
LOCATION: Dana Point or Palos Verdes, California, USA
DURATION: 3–14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, February, March, June, July
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£625
34. SNORKELLING TO PROTECT REEFS IN THE BAHAMAS
Critical fish habitats are under threat from climate change, overfishing, and development. Your research will determine what characteristics create better marine reserves. Snorkel to identify fish species, record their sizes, and observe their behaviour, and help maintain fish nets on the coral reef. Measure water flow rates at mangrove creeks, and tag, measure, and monitor fish.
SCIENTIST: Dr Alastair Harborne, University of Exeter
LOCATION: Cape Eleuthera, the Bahamas
DURATION: 10 days
FIELDING MONTHS: March, June, July
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,650
Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, is home to one of the largest colonies of African penguins on the planet. Help scientists determine whether oil shipping lanes and fisheries in the area are having an impact on the penguin population. You will monitor seabirds to help reduce threats to this fragile environment, conduct penguin population surveys to determine breeding success and survival rates, and test a new system that detects and recognizes individual penguins as they pass by cameras. You’ll share rooms in a simple, comfortable island house, right near the penguin colony.
SCIENTIST: Prof. Peter Barham, University of Bristol
LOCATION: Robben Island, South Africa
DURATION: 12 days
FIELDING MONTHS: March, April, May, June, July, August
CAN WE SAVE THE SECOND LARGEST COLONY OF AFRICAN PENGUINS? 35. SOUTH AFRICAN PENGUINS
FROM:
£1,750
OUR EXPEDITIONS OCEAN HEALTH
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CLIMATE CHANGE
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The more we know about climate change, the more we can do to slow and manage its impact on our planet.
CLIMATE CHANGE
You can help measure carbon stored in permafrost at the Arctic Circle, study how climate change affects caterpillars in Ecuador, and venture into an active volcano in Nicaragua. What will you do to help slow climate change?
38. BUTTERFLIES AND BEES IN THE INDIAN HIMALAYAS
Kullu Valley, nestled in the Himalayas, is famous for its apple orchards and farms. But the apple-growing range is shifting north due to warmer temperatures, and invasive species are choking out native flowering plants. That, combined with high pesticide use, has caused pollinators like butterflies and bees to die off. Help find out how this region can maintain its tradition of sustainable agriculture by counting the insect pollinators in the area, observing when plants flower and bear fruit, assessing plant diversity, and sampling soil. You’ll stay in a comfortable hotel near shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions.
SCIENTIST: Dr L.M.S. Palni, G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development
LOCATION: Upper Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh State, India
DURATION: 12 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, August, October
FROM:
£2,050
39. CLIMATE CHANGE AND CATERPILLARS IN COSTA RICA
Explore the impact of climate change on the caterpillar and parasite population in Costa Rica. Caterpillars are a model species and your findings may help provide the key to understanding many complex species interactions. Collect caterpillars and their host plants, observe their reproduction, and analyse toxins caterpillars get from plants to ward off predators. Your findings will help answer key questions about the impact of climate change.
SCIENTIST: Dr Lee Dyer, University of Nevada, Reno
LOCATION: Heredia Province, Costa Rica
DURATION: 11 days
FIELDING MONTH: December
FROM:
£1,750
40. CLIMATE CHANGE AT THE ARCTIC’S EDGE
41. CLIMATE CHANGE AT THE MACKENZIE MOUNTAINS
The not-so-perma-frost of the Arctic is thawing. As this occurs, greenhouse gases are released that rise and trap more heat, leading to even more thawing. Measuring this ugly feedback loop is essential to tackling the climate change crisis. Help this effort in one of two starkly beautiful Canadian locations. You’ll collect soil and permafrost samples, monitor the tree line, and record information on native plants. In the evenings, you’ll return to the comfort of either a cosy cabin (in the Mackenzie Mountains) or a bustling research centre (in Churchill).
SCIENTIST: Dr Steve Mamet, University of Saskatchewan
LOCATION: Churchill, Canada, or the Mackenzie Mountains, Canada
DURATION: 11 days
FIELDING MONTHS: February, June, July, August, September
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£2,050
OUR EXPEDITIONS
42. WILDLIFE OF THE FRENCH PYRENEES NEW
Immerse yourself in one of the world’s most fragile, beautiful habitats: the high slopes of the French Pyrenees. Climate change has already driven some species farther up the mountains, but the question of how it will alter this Alpine world is far from being solved. While trekking through this striking landscape, your team will capture, weigh, and measure small mammals; spot tawny owls and other birds; observe bumblebees on their rounds; and conduct an array of other activities that will shed light on how this ecosystem works now and how it might change.
SCIENTIST: Dr Bernat Claramunt López, Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications
LOCATION: Central Pyrenees, France
DURATION: 7 days
FIELDING MONTHS: July, September
FROM:
£1,875
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OUR EXPEDITIONS
43. CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE WOODS OF ENGLAND
England’s serene forests store huge amounts of carbon, a crucial service as the climate becomes warmer and less predictable. But how will climate change and urban sprawl change these forests, and what does that mean for the carbon they remove from the atmosphere and store? You’ll help map and measure the diameters of oak, ash, cherry, and other tree species. You’ll help quantify carbon storage in the forest by taking measurements of trees, deadwood, and leaf litter. You’ll be greeted with coffee, tea, and snacks on arrival, and can return home or to the hotel of your choice when the research day ends.
SCIENTIST: Dr Martha Crockatt, Earthwatch
LOCATION: Wytham Woods, Oxford, U.K.
DURATION: 1 day
FIELDING MONTH: September
FROM:
£7544. CLIMATE AND LANDSCAPE
CHANGE IN BORNEO’S RAINFORESTS
Can Borneo’s astoundingly diverse rainforests survive and thrive in the face of climate change and logging? Volunteers will assess the ability of the forest and soil to manage the impact of climate change. Collect plant specimens, measure seedling survival and growth rates, and collect and analyse soil samples. Your findings could mean the difference for the survival of Sumatran rhinos, clouded leopards, pygmy elephants, and thousands of other plants and animals.
SCIENTIST: Dr Glen Reynolds, Royal Society SE Asia Rainforest Research Programme
LOCATION: Malua Field Centre, Borneo
DURATION: 10 days
FIELDING MONTH: October
FROM:
£1,350
CLIMATE CHANGE
HOW DOES A VOLCANO SHAPE THE WORLD AROUND IT?45. EXPLORING AN ACTIVE VOLCANO IN NICARAGUA
FROM:
£1,525
Explore life in the shadow of an active volcano in Nicaragua. Hike the active Masaya Volcano and survey the surrounding areas to help determine the effects of volcanic activity on plant, animal, and human communities. You’ll use GPS technology, monitor volcanic gases, and deploy instruments to collect data on gravity, magnetic fields, temperature, and other features. You’ll also dig holes to collect soil and water samples and conduct butterfly surveys.
SCIENTIST: Prof. Hazel Rymer, Open University
LOCATION: Masaya, Nicaragua
DURATION: 7–14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: February, March
“After coming home to the realities of everyday life, I am
trying to hold on to the glow of a trip that was fantastic from
pickup to drop-off.”Colleen Casey, Exploring an Active Volcano in Nicaragua
46. EXPLORING SAN FRANCISCO’S URBAN FOREST
47. EXPLORING BOSTON’S URBAN FOREST
Live in a city? Those trees outside your window aren’t just pretty: they provide a wealth of benefits, from keeping temperatures cool to filtering storm water. But caring for the urban forest can be tough for cities with tight budgets. Help assess the forests in two cities: San Francisco, California and Cambridge, Massachusetts. While strolling the streets, you’ll record the species, trunk diameter, and other characteristics of each tree. Armed with this information, researchers can show why it’s important to protect our urban forests. You’ll get lunch in the field and can return home or to a hotel when the research day ends.
SCIENTIST: Kelaine Vargas Ravdin, Urban Ecos; Gitte Venicx, Earthwatch
LOCATION: San Francisco, CA, or Cambridge, MA, USA
DURATION: 1 day
FIELDING MONTHS: July, August
FROM:
£5049. PROTECTING THE RIVERS
OF CALIFORNIA
50. PROTECTING THE VINEYARDS OF CHILE’S WINE REGION NEW
California and Chile both yield great wine. Their wine producers are also known for their focus on sustainability, which is lucky for everyone who wants to keep getting great wine as climate change reshapes the land it comes from. While exploring the life-rich rivers and vineyards of Northern California and Central Valley or Chile’s Colchagua Valley, you’ll survey vegetation, spot birds, and identify pollinators. Help scientists understand how the health of the rivers is connected to the health of the agriculture and how we can help preserve these regions for the future. Stay in a hotel at either location and, of course, sample some of the best wine in the New World.
SCIENTIST: Dr Josh Viers, Pacific Agroecology
LOCATION: Colchagua Valley, Chile, or Northern California, USA
DURATION: 3–8 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, September, October
FROM:
£1,575
48. OF MOUNTAINS AND MARMOTS: CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE FRENCH ALPS
What characteristics influence a species’ ability to cope, or not cope, with climate change? To find answers, examine the biology of Alpine marmots by catching them in traps and taking measurements and samples from them. Film the behaviour of these small mammals, observe and identify family groups, help test new noninvasive behavioural experiments, and monitor the presence of other mountain flora and fauna such as the majestic ibex. You’ll stay in a beautiful Alpine chalet overlooking the lake of Tignes, one of the most famous ski resorts.
SCIENTIST: Dr Aurélie Cohas, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and CNRS
LOCATION: La Sassière Reserve, France
DURATION: 7–14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: May, June, July
FROM:
£1,450
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ARCHAEOLOGY & CULTURE
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Safeguard our future by uncovering our past. Unearth the remains of ancient cultures to find out how our ancestors lived and to help us make informed decisions today.
ARCHAEOLOGY & CULTURE
You can dig up Roman remains in Tuscany, excavate a fort in England, and unearth Colorado’s ancient civilization.How will you help us to better understand our past?
OUR EXPEDITIONS
HOW DID HUMANS LIVE 10,000 YEARS AGO? 53. ENCOUNTERING THE PREHISTORIC PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO
FROM:
£1,875
“ The scientists clearly made the connection between the goals of the expedition and the work we did. It also helped that we were working in a fantastically beautiful place!”
Robert Biglin, Encountering the Prehistoric People of New Mexico
FROM:
$2,995
Participate in the first excavations ever conducted at the obsidian quarries in the Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico. You’ll help excavate and analyse ancient obsidian artefacts, a volcanic glass used to make tools. The aim of the project to is to understand how humans adapted to and transformed the landscape over 10,000 years. Your work will help preserve the cultural heritage of the region. You’ll stay at the preserve’s own comfortable lodge.
SCIENTIST: Dr Anastasia Steffen, Valles Caldera National Preserve
LOCATION: Jemez Springs, New Mexico, USA
DURATION: 10 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, September
51. ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE MONGOLIAN STEPPE
The Ikh Nart Reserve in Mongolia is a model for wildlife conservation and is also a significant archaeological site. As a team member, you will identify, inventory, and document potentially important archaeological finds, including Buddhist rock art, burial landmarks, and ancient campsite tools, some of which have not been used by humans for more than 2,000 years. Your descriptions, drawings, and maps will help to guide future archaeological excavations. You’ll live in traditional Mongolian huts or tents. You may also have the opportunity to work with a nearby Earthwatch team investigating local wildlife (see Wildlife of the Mongolian Steppe on page 17).
SCIENTIST: Dr Joan Schneider, California Department of Parks and Recreation
LOCATION: Ikh Nart Wildlife Reserve, Mongolia
DURATION: 14 days
FIELDING MONTH: June
FROM:
£2,150
52. EXCAVATING THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN BRITAIN
At Arbeia, a large Roman fort first excavated in the 1870s, survey the remains of ancient British and Roman cultures to help reconstruct Britain’s past. You’ll help map pre-Roman and Roman settlements by excavating jewellery, armour, game pieces, and ceramics. You’ll also rotate among many other tasks, including recording site data, site surveying and photographing, and cleaning and processing finds. Your team will stay in a guesthouse close to the site in this pleasant coastal resort town.
SCIENTIST: Dr Paul Bidwell, Tyne and Wear Museums
LOCATION: South Shields, United Kingdom
DURATION: 3–14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: May, June, July, August
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£950
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31
The famed Ice Age sinkhole in Hot Springs, South Dakota, has been under excavation for more than 30 years, and has yielded the remains of 60 mammoths. Excavate, record, and preserve bone fragments from 26,000-year-old remains, and then map your finds. You’ll share your knowledge with the many visitors to the site, now a $2.1 million museum and a national natural landmark.
SCIENTIST: Dr Larry Agenbroad, Northern Arizona University
LOCATION: Hot Springs, South Dakota, USA
DURATION: 15 days
FIELDING MONTHS: June, July
WHAT CAN THESE 26,000-YEAR-OLD REMAINS TEACH US? 54. MAMMOTH GRAVEYARD IN SOUTH DAKOTA
FROM:
£2,050
OUR EXPEDITIONS ARCHAEOLOGY & CULTURE
55. ORIGINS OF ANGKOR
The village of Ban Non Wat in northeast Thailand is a key archaeological site for understanding the origins of the Angkor Empire. Help search for new prehistoric sites and identify the location of resources like salt and potting clay. You’ll participate in ongoing excavations at Ban Non Wat and possibly other nearby sites. You’ll also process finds from excavations to help reveal how Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Iron Age peoples were affected by their environment, changing climates, the development of agriculture, technological advances, and contact with those from other lands. You’ll stay at the Phimai Inn, with a large swimming pool, air-conditioned rooms, and delicious Thai meals.
SCIENTIST: Dr Nigel Chang, James Cook University
LOCATION: Ban Non Wat, Thailand
DURATION: 7–14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: January, February
FROM:
£1,40057. UNCOVERING THE MYSTERIES
OF COLORADO’S ANCIENT CIVILIZATION
Between A.D. 500 and 725, the Basketmaker people lived in today’s Mesa Verde, Colorado, laying the groundwork for the future Pueblo society. Researchers are now excavating to provide insight into the transformation of Southwestern hunter-gatherer societies into agricultural economies. Assist in the excavation of a Basketmaker site and wash, sort, catalogue, and label artefacts. Evening programs will include an introduction to Crow Canyon’s research and presentations by staff archaeologists or guest lecturers on current research in Southwestern archaeology. Volunteers will stay in Navajo-style log cabins with wireless Internet access.
SCIENTIST: Dr Susan Ryan, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
LOCATION: Indian Camp Ranch, Colorado, USA
DURATION: 7–14 days
FIELDING MONTHS: July, August, September
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,35056. UNEARTHING ANCIENT
HISTORY IN TUSCANY
One of the most important archaeological sites in Tuscany, Populonia is home to a rich record of Etruscan, Roman, and medieval cultures. As a member of the team, you will help reconstruct the history of local cultures by digging with archaeologists, documenting finds through use of photography and drawing, and carrying out experimental archaeology. You will assist in surveying the area surrounding the dig site to collect, clean, and document artefacts such as pottery shards, mosaics, frescoes, metal objects, and coins. You’ll stay in an apartment in the quiet village of Populonia Stazione and have a chance to visit nearby medieval villages.
SCIENTIST: Dr Carolina Megale, Archeodig Project
LOCATION: Populonia, Italy
DURATION: 7–13 days
FIELDING MONTHS: May, June, July, August, September, October
TEEN TEAM AVAILABLE
FROM:
£1,150
30 visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
EXPEDITION TYPESSTANDARD EXPEDITIONSOur standard expeditions are appropriate for adult volunteers of all ages. Participants aged 15 to 17 are also welcome when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENS Earthwatch Teen Expeditions, mentored by scientists and assisted by Earthwatch facilitators, allow teens aged 15 to 18 to perform hands-on scientific research in all corners of the globe.
Find more information at earthwatch.org/teenteam
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOL GROUPSTeachers can lead their students on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and discover what it means to be a working scientist engaged in field research that helps protect and conserve our natural world.
Find more information at earthwatch.org/groups
CUSTOMIZED GROUP EXPEDITIONSEarthwatch works with universities, community organizations, businesses, zoos, and aquariums to design specialized group expeditions. These expeditions offer valuable in-the-field science training and team-building, and serve as a complement to classroom and workplace learning.
Contact [email protected] to start exploring the possibilities.
ADDITIONAL PROJECT EXPERIENCES
VISIT US ONLINE
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSHOW LONG WILL I BE THERE? Earthwatch Expeditions typically run for about two weeks, which allows volunteers the opportunity to get involved with hands-on research, often with teaching and community interaction. We also have shorter expeditions, involving volunteers in meaningful research when they can spare only a week or 10 days, or even just a weekend.
WHO AM I TRAVELLING WITH? Perhaps you’re travelling alone, as a couple, or with friends. Or maybe you know a teen who is eager to travel to the ends of the earth. From retirees to high school students, Earthwatch Expeditions are a unique vacation alternative, and we’re sure to have an expedition to suit your needs.
WHERE WILL I SLEEP?Are you happiest sleeping in a tented bungalow, surrounded by the sounds of the jungle? Or do you prefer a small inn, run by a local family and offering modern facilities? Earthwatch Expeditions feature a wide range of accommodations, including standard hotels, local inns, guesthouses, safari-style tented bungalows, research stations, rustic camping, and dorm-style shared rooms and baths.
HOW PHYSICALLY ACTIVE IS THIS EXPEDITION?Earthwatch Expeditions cater to a variety of fitness abilities. From hiking miles through a cloud forest, scuba-diving a coral reef, or drifting down a coastal river aboard a motorboat, you can choose the level of physical exertion that’s right for you.
HOW IS EARTHWATCH COMMITTED TO MY SAFETY?Every Earthwatch Expedition is subjected to a rigorous safety process by our international program team, and all project staff is trained in appropriate emergency response procedures and field safety standards. All projects have comprehensive risk assessment and emergency response plans, including emergency communications and transportation to major medical facilities. We are committed to the safety and welfare of our volunteers around the globe.
WWW.EARTHWATCH.ORGMore than 50 expeditions all over the world, but just one destination online. Head to the newly redesigned earthwatch.org to book an expedition, interact with other volunteers, and learn how you can change the planet.
CONTACT USIf you have any questions about Earthwatch or an expedition, please call us. Our knowledgeable staff is here to assist you.
WEB: earthwatch.org
EMAIL: [email protected]
PHONE: (0)1856 318838
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34 35visit earthwatch.org follow us on twitter @earthwatch_org call us on (0)1856 318838 find us on facebook.com/earthwatch
51 ArchaeologyoftheMongolianSteppe Mongolia Dr.JoanSchneider 28 14days £2,150 52 ExcavatingtheRomanEmpireinBritain England Dr.PaulBidwell 29 3-14days £950 53 EncounteringthePrehistoricPeopleofNewMexico USA Dr.AnastasiaSteffen 29 10days £1,875 54 MammothGraveyardinSouthDakota USA Dr.LarryAgenbroad 30 15days £2,050 55 OriginsofAngkor Thailand Dr.NigelChang 30 7-14days £1,400 56 UnearthingAncientHistoryinTuscany Italy Dr.CarolinaMegale 31 7-13days £1,150 57 UncoveringtheMysteriesofColorado’sAncientCivilization USA Dr.SusanRyan 31 7-14days £1,350Ar
chae
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35 SouthAfricanPenguins SouthAfrica Prof.PeterBarham 22 12days £1,750
27 CoralCommunitiesintheSeychelles Seychelles Prof.DavidSmith 18 12days £1,950 28 CostaRicanSeaTurtles CostaRica Dr.FrankPaladino 19 9days £1,750
33 SharkConservationinBelize Belize Dr.DemianChapman 21 8days £1,750 34 SnorkellingtoProtectReefsintheBahamas TheBahamas Dr.AlistairHarborne 22 10days £1,650
36 SwimmingwithSeaTurtlesintheBahamas TheBahamas AnnabelleBrooks 23 10days £1,715 37 WhalesandDolphinsUndertheCaliforniaSun USA Dr.LeiLaniStelle 23 3-14days £625
29 InvestigatingWhalesandDolphinsoftheNorwegianArctic Norway Dr.IvaKovacic 19 8days £1,450 30 ProjectManta Australia Dr.KathyTownsend 20 8days £2,350 31 RecoveryoftheGreatBarrierReef Australia Dr.DavidBourne 20 8days £2,000 32 SafeguardingWhalesandDolphinsinCostaRica CostaRica LeninOviedoCorrea 21 9days £1,225
Oce
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h 4 BlazingtheBiodiversityTrailinBrazil Brazil Dr.LeandroSilveira 9 12days £1,875 3 Australia’sVanishingFrogs Australia Dr.MichaelMahony 9 7days £1,450
5 CarnivoresofMadagascar Madagascar Dr.LukeDollar 9 13days £1,850
10 ExploringLionsandtheirPreyinKenya Kenya Dr.JacobGoheen 14 14days £2,450 11 LoonsandtheGulfofMexicoOilSpill USA Dr.JimParuk 12 7-14days £1,425 12 LoonsoftheCanadianPrairie Canada Dr.JimParuk 12 7-14days £1,425
2 AnimalsofMalawiintheMajeteWildlifeReserve Malawi Dr.AlisonLeslie 8 12days £2,300
14 OntheTrailofGiantPandasinChina China Prof.ZhangHemin 12 7days £2,250
7 ConservingLeopardsandMonkeysinSouthAfrica SouthAfrica Dr.RussellHill 10 12days £1,675 8 FollowingDarwin’sFinchesintheGalapagos Ecuador Dr.LuisFernandoDeLeon 11 10days £1,895 9 InvestigatingThreatstoChimpsinUganda Uganda Dr.FredBabweteera 11 12days £1,650
13 MammalsofNovaScotia Canada Dr.ChristinaBuesching 12 7-14days £1,250
15 ScoutingFoxes,Badgers,andHedgehogsinEngland England Dr.DawnScott 13 3-14days £275
17 RestoringPrehistoricLandscapesonEasterIsland Chile SoniaHaoaCardinali 14 14days £2,325 18 SouthAfrica’sHyenas SouthAfrica Dr.DawnScott 14 12days £2,050 19 SpottingSongbirdsintheRockies USA Dr.KevinKrasnow 15 9days £1,300 20 TrackingBeaversThroughGermanWaters Germany Dr.WilliamMegill 15 7-13days £1,350 21 ThinkingLikeanElephantinThailand Thailand Dr.JoshuaPlotnik 15 10days £2,025 22 TrackingPredatorsoftheAfricanSavannah Botswana AnthonyGiordano 16 8days £2,495
25 WalkingwithAfricanWildlife SouthAfrica Dr.DavidDruce 17 16days £2,500 26 WildlifeoftheMongolianSteppe Mongolia GanaWingard 17 14days £2,150
1 AmazonRiverboatExploration Peru Dr.RichardBodmer 8 8-15days £1,650
# 2014EarthwatchExpeditions Country Scientist Alsofor Page Duration Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov DecFrom
Expeditioncontributions,dates,durations,andscientistsaresubjecttochange.Pleaseseewebsiteformostup-to-dateinformation.
6 ConservingKoalaCountry Australia Dr.DesleyWhisson 10 10days £1,895
23 TrackingCostaRica’sMammals CostaRica Dr.ThomasLacher 16 10days £1,675
16 PuertoRico’sRainforest USA Dr.MarkNelson 13 10days £1,350
24 WildlifeofAustralia’sRainforest Australia Prof.StephenWilliams 16 7-15days £1,650
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40 ClimateChangeattheArctic’sEdge Canada Dr.SteveMamet 25 11days £2,050
38 ButterfliesandBeesintheIndianHimalayas India Dr.L.M.S.Palni 24 12days £2,050 39 ClimateChangeandCaterpillarsinCostaRica CostaRica Dr.LeeDyer 25 11days £1,750
41 ClimateChangeintheMackenzieMountains Canada Dr.SteveMamet 25 11days £2,050 42 WildlifeoftheFrenchPyrenees France Dr.BernatClaramuntLopez 25 7days £1,875 43 ClimateChangeintheWoodsofEngland England Dr.MarthaCrockatt 26 1day £75 44 ClimateandLandscapeChangeinBorneo’sRainforest Borneo Dr.GlenReynolds 26 10days £1,350
46 ExploringSanFrancisco’sUrbanForest USA KelaineVargasRavdin 27 1day £50 45 ExploringanActiveVolcanoinNicaragua Nicaragua Prof.HazelRymer 26 7-14days £1,525
47 ExploringBoston’sUrbanForest USA GitteVenicx 27 1day £50 48 OfMountainsandMarmots:ClimateChangeintheFrenchAlps France Dr.AurelieCohas 27 7-14days £1,450 49 ProtectingtheRiversofCalifornia USA Dr.JoshViers 27 3-8days £1,575 50 ProtectingtheVineyardsofChile’sWineRegion Chile Dr.JoshViers 27 7days £1,575
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