here - Operation Wallacea

Transcription

SCHOOLS BROCHURE 2014
www.opwall.com
WHAT IS OPERATION WALLACEA?
OPTIONS FOR SIXTH FORM/HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Operation Wallacea is an organisation funded by tuition fees that runs a
series of biological and conservation management research programmes that
operate in remote locations across the world. These expeditions are designed
with specific wildlife conservation aims in mind - from identifying areas
needing protection, through to implementing and assessing conservation
management programmes. What is different about Operation Wallacea is that
large teams of university academics, who are specialists in various aspects
of biodiversity or social and economic studies, are concentrated at the target
study sites giving students the opportunity to work on a range of projects.
The surveys result in a large number of publications in peer-reviewed
journals each year, have resulted in 30 vertebrate species new to science
being discovered, 4 'extinct' species being re-discovered and $2 million
levered from funding agencies to set up best practice management examples
at the study sites. These large survey teams of academics and volunteers that
are funded independently of normal academic sources have enabled large
temporal and spatial biodiversity and socio-economic data sets to be
produced, and provide information to help with organising effective
conservation management programmes.
Groups of sixth form/high school students can join these biodiversity survey
expeditions as long as they are accompanied by a teacher. The school
groups (known as General Surveyors) are required to collect data for at
least part of their expedition which helps with the research objectives and
publications for that site. During their 2 week expeditions the school groups
also have the opportunity to work alongside a range of different field
scientists and learn about the survey techniques and species encountered.
There are lecture series at each site which provide background information
about the habitats and species and which are tied in to many of the
concepts learned in pre-university biology, geography and environmental
science courses.
The expedition programmes are led by university academics and have
numerous students from around the world completing PhD or Masters studies
as well as a large number of undergraduates either gathering data for an
independent research project for their degree or gaining research experience
of working on a wide range of biodiversity assessment projects. In addition
there are doctors or other qualified medical staff at each of the sites.
The two week expeditions have slightly different structures in each country
and Manuals outlining the programme of skills training, academic lectures
and practicals to demonstrate the differing types of surveys being undertaken
and the field research to be carried out are provided to the students in
advance of the expeditions and are available to download from the Opwall
website (www.opwall.com). Training is also given in how to prepare for the
expedition and how to fundraise.
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Teachers who accompany the expeditions may have the opportunity to earn
Professional Development hours or Continuing Education units while in the
field. The ways in which this is implemented varies enormously between
countries and states. For example, in the US Professional Development or
Continuing Education Unit requirements tend to be state-specific.
(see http://www.iedseminars.org/ceu or info.cfm for details by state). In
Australia, the Professional Standards for Queensland Teachers (December
2006. Standards 6,7 and 9) may apply (see http://www.qct.edu.au).
For UK based teachers there is an excellent pdf to download:
http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/13832/1/tda0530.pdf
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WHAT IS OPERATION WALLACEA
HEALTH, SAFETY AND FITNESS
The first concern of all activities undertaken as part of Operation Wallacea
expeditions is to gain an understanding of the environments we will be
working in and from this, to reduce risk to health and safety as far as is
possible. All the expeditions provided by Operation Wallacea meet the
requirements of BS8848 Specification for the provision of visits, fieldwork,
expeditions and adventurous activities outside the UK. In addition, Opwall
has been audited and awarded a Learning Outside the Classroom badge for
taking students on overseas expeditions. Safety auditing is also performed at
each of the sites during the research programmes.
On the Opwall website (www.opwall.com) for each country you can find
details of the risk assessments and risk amelioration measures for each risk,
how the expedition meets and exceeds each clause of BS8848, the
information needed for the Learning Outside the Classroom Badge for
overseas expeditions, the medical and evacuation report and a summary of
the accidents and illnesses at each site in the previous year. Looking at the
statistics from each site it is apparent that joining an Opwall expedition is
less risky than most sports tours and considerably less risky than activity
type trips such as skiing.
Fitness levels required
The forest projects, particularly Honduras and Ecuador and to a lesser extent
Indonesia, Guyana, Mexico and Madagascar as well as the Egyptian and
Transylvanian expeditions require reasonable levels of fitness. The survey
work can be physically demanding and on top of that the working conditions
may be hot, humid and/or tiring. A useful guide to fitness levels is given
below and for some of the more physically demanding projects the group
will need to assess their fitness prior to the expedition starting against the
criteria below so we can help advise you on the best choice of sites:
Grade level
1
2
3
4
Definition of fitness and health risk
Capable of trekking up mountains over rough
ground for 5 hours with a 15kg rucksack and
no health problems that would require medical
assistance in remote camps.
Capable of trekking up mountains over rough
ground for 3 hours with a 15kg rucksack and
no health problems that would require medical
assistance in remote camps.
Capable of trekking for up to 2 hours on well
defined footpaths with a 15kg rucksack and no
health problems that would likely require
medical assistance.
Lower fitness levels than any of the above
definitions or with a medical condition that
could reduce ability in the field or require
emergency evacuation.
Photo credits
ADEPT, Caroline Acton, Cahyo Alkantana, Ariel Amir, Dr Jorge Angulo Valdes, Tom
Avent, Kaci Bain, Andrew Barker, Jake Bicknell, Joe T Bourne, Dr Mark Bowler, Dr
Robin Brace, Matthew Brown, Russel Cain, Canopy Access Ltd, Sara Carlson, Steven
Christian, Andy Clarke, James Coates, Dr Tim Coles, Dwi Coles, Tim Colston, Emily
Cook, Coral Divers, Felipe Alfonso Cortes, Jocelyn Curtis-Quick, Rachel Daniels,
Alison Darlington, Dr Caine Delacy, Juan de Dios Morales, Pippa Disney, Carys
Edwards, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Ben Evans, Dr Dan Exton, Rachael
Forster, Nathalie Fuentes, Oyaima Gonzalez, C Hamilton, Dr Justin Hines, Danielle
Hines, Ashley Holland, Tim Hurst, Eleanor Jew, Jennifer Johnson, Tigga Kingston,
Jon Kolby, Joao Krajewski, Dan Lazell, Dr Roger Lennard, Danielle Locke-Wheaton,
Dave Lockie, Manuel Loeffler, Gerhard Lorist, Jeni Love, Fred Manata, Paolo Mascos,
Andy Milne, Natasha Maw, Niall McCann, Dr Steve McDonald, Tom Mullier, James
Nifong, Klaus Nigge, Nathalie Novak, George Paul, Dr Rob Pickles, Kerry Pitcher, Dr
Roger Poland, Adam Powell, Dr Nancy Priston, Dan Pupius, Marc Rabenenadrasan,
Adam Radage, Lyndsay Rankin, Bruno Raveloson, Dr Neil Reid, Pelayo Salinas de
Leon, Dr James Saunders, Kevin Schafer, L H Sindel, Dr Kathy Slater, Professor
Dave Smith, Andrew Snyder, Lucas Sorbara, Dr Martin Speight, Robin Springett,
Hannah Thomas, Roy Toft, Alex Tozer, Jorge Valdez, Pearl Vas, Will Vincent, Dr Ben
Vivian, Dr Graham Watkins, Michele Westmarland, Matthew Whiteley, Salma Zalat,
Dr Samy Zalat, Christian Ziegler.
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FEEDBACK QUOTES FROM THE 2012 SEASON
For a full listing of participating schools and more feedback please
visit www.opwall.com/feedback
First class scientific staff who were very enthusiastic and interactive with the
students. I know that all of our students will have taken away a great deal from
the expedition, especially field science in action, but also from the local
guides and boatmen and women from Surama.
Stan Lampard, Teacher, King Edwards VI School for Boys, UK:
Guyana Expedition
Outstanding! I have had the time of my life. Academic content was great I have learnt a great deal and hungry for more... if you get the opportunity you
should grab it! It is truly a life changing experience. Fantastic!
Bob Gerrard, Teacher, Newcastle under Lyme college, UK:
South Africa Expedition
High School students side by side with top biodiversity researchers
participating in critical research, helping find endemic species, quantifying
carbon content in the tropical forest…truly awesome opportunity!
Dean Birdsall, Teacher, Litchfield High School, US: Honduras Expedition
Really good teaching and lectures, staff very passionate and know their field.
Amazing experience, learnt something every day. Different and more
exciting than other holidays.
Holly Williams, Student, Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College, UK:
Madagascar Expedition
The best school field trip I have ever been on
James Farrelly, Teacher, Epsom College, UK: Indonesia Expedition
A life changing experience, wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
Would definitely come back, fantastic staff, totally amazing!
Helena Prosser, Teacher, Royal Wolverhampton School, UK:
Mexico Expedition
Opwall’s Cuba project is a fantastic learning opportunity and life experience
for young people interested in life sciences and marine biology. It is made
possible by a highly motivated group of staff from field leaders from all
around the world to local experts.
Matt Wilkes, Teacher, Lancing College, UK: Cuba Expedition
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GENERAL SURVEYOR OPTIONS
An experience in a wilderness classroom with incredible science
(biological/conservation) access is something money cannot buy.
For many a life-changing experience and a new educational path to follow.
Thanks again!!
Grant Elliot, Teacher, Coburg DCI (East), Canada: Peru Expedition
Intellectually, physically and emotionally challenging – but a fantastic
opportunity to learn real science (and geography) in fantastic places. It was
great to see our students growing as a team and learning to get on with people
from other countries and cultures. Thank you!
Simon Smith, Teacher, Littlehampton Academy, UK: Honduras Expedition
I have learnt more in the past week than I have in years, the guides had a
wealth of information and knowledge about every aspect of the experience.
A truly amazing experience in an area of stunning beauty and majesty.
Joanne Bandurak, Teacher, South Wolverhampton and Bilston Academy, UK:
South Africa Expedition
Really impressed at every stage. The science programme was of the highest
quality. I was really inspired by the knowledge and skills of the supervisors
and the thoroughness of the organisation. It couldn’t have better – I loved
every second and can’t wait to come back.
Sahil Deepak, Student, King Edwards VI School for Boys, UK:
Guyana Expedition
A stunning experience- perfect for A level Skills for Geography
Cerys Cadwallader, Teacher, Royal Wolverhampton School, UK:
Mexico Expedition
Excellent experience and learned lots from tremendously knowledgeable staff.
Loved how passionate the staff were about their research.
Suzan Loose, Teacher, Jersey College for Girls, UK: Madagascar Expedition
Excellent - a great experience of scientific research up close. Hands on
science in the wild.
Sarah Jackson, Teacher, Kings of Wessex,UK: Indonesia Expedition
I highly recommend this Opwall program for anyone interested in biology,
animals, the environment or a grand adventure. Amazing staff, surveys
and sun
Ilana Steinberg, Teacher, Toronto Waldorf School, Canada: Peru Expedition
LINKS TO EXAMS, COURSE WORK AND UNIVERSITY ENTRY
Aside from the obvious value of going on an expedition, such as contributing
to conservation, the challenge and a sense of adventure, the experience can
also benefit a student by increasing their chance of gaining entry to university
or applying for a job after school in four main ways:
1. Enhancing understanding of biology, environmental science or
geography syllabuses
2. Completing course work essays or field investigation components
3. Gaining additional research related qualifications
4. Enhancing your university application and interview
The sections below give examples of how syllabuses, course work
requirements and additional research related qualifications can be mapped
against an Opwall expedition. There are many other opportunities in addition
to those described below in different education systems around the world that
have not been covered in these examples. Advice on how particular exam
syllabuses, course work requirements or additional external qualifications can
be linked to different expeditions can be obtained by contacting your nearest
Opwall office.
ENHANCED UNDERSTANDING OF SYLLABUS
United Kingdom
Many students going on an Operation Wallacea expedition are likely to be
studying Biology or Geography at A-level or the equivalent. A significant
amount of what is being learnt at A-level can be experienced first-hand whilst
on an expedition and the Opwall office can show you which topics in each of
the main examining boards for England and Wales (AQA, EdExcel, OCR,
WJEC), Northern Ireland (CCEA) and Scottish Highers (SQA) for Biology and
Geography are covered in an Opwall expedition. Students will experience
these topics when they become involved in collecting data, observing
scientists at work and following a series of ‘activity’ lectures and an
appropriate ecological course specific to each country.
One section of many courses requires the student to experience field sampling
techniques such as those using transecting methods and quadrats. All of the
research sites employ such methods and it is an ideal opportunity to experience
these methods first-hand and really appreciate the importance of gathering such
important data: it is genuinely an example of ‘How Science Works’.
Experience has shown that those studying other subjects also benefit greatly
from the experience and you do not necessarily have to be a ‘scientist’ to go
on an expedition. At many of the sites the students have the chance to
practice foreign languages (e.g. Spanish, Portuguese, French).
North America
Many students going on an Operation Wallacea expedition are likely to be
studying Biology or Environmental Science as their elective science subject.
A significant amount of what is being learnt in the classroom can be
experienced first-hand whilst on an expedition and approximately 44% of
the College Board AP Biology curriculum matches across to the lectures,
field practicals and experience of working alongside academics experienced
on an Opwall expedition.
Australia
In Queensland, those going on an Operation Wallacea expedition might be
studying Senior Biology. A significant amount of what is being learnt in the
classroom on this course can be experienced first-hand whilst on an expedition.
COURSE WORK ESSAYS OR FIELD INVESTIGATIONS
IB (International Baccalaureate)
An increasing number of schools world-wide are adopting the IB course. Within
this award are the EP (extended project) and the CAS (Creativity, Action and
Service) components which can be incorporated into an Opwall expedition.
EP: This involves a 5,000 word essay based on a research question chosen
by the candidate. Operation Wallacea have produced over 150 research
questions relevant to specific expedition sites that give a starting point for
their EP project.
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CAS: All students follow the CAS element which involves doing 50 hours of
something creative, 50 hours of service and 50 hours of something active.
The diving element has been used by a number of students for their action
section and their conservation contribution for their service work.
participating in a biodiversity monitoring program. All students will need to
learn how to sample in the field, record data accurately and reliably and then
consider its value and how it is analysed. This experience would fit well with
the requirements of the syllabus.
Quote from a teacher who took a group of students to South Africa with
Operation Wallacea.
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH RELATED QUALIFICATIONS
‘Perhaps the most important part of the IB course that is relevant to the Opwall
trip is the Extended Essay which every IB student has to do - this is like a minidissertation and is a topic of the students own choosing - I have had some
students doing their essays on topics from their trips - 'The over population of
elephants in Kruger National Park' and 'The impact of elephants on the habitat
in Kruger'. Another student is doing something on manatee deaths (from the
Cuba trip last summer). The essay must have a clear biological research
question and the best essays involve them carrying out some research or
collecting some data as part of a bigger project like one of Opwall’s
biodiversity monitoring programmes: the data needs to be evaluated and
interpreted and not simply restated.’.
United Kingdom
A number of examining boards (e.g. EdExcel) and other courses (many
BTECs) require a written report on a visit to a suitable ‘scientific site’ and there
are many opportunities available to achieve this whilst on expedition.
Australia - Senior Biology
Many of the activities experienced from an expedition could contribute towards
the assessment techniques required for the Extended Response Task (ERT) or
the Extended Experimental Investigation (EEI) component of a subject (7.6
Category 2) and could involve investigating one of the site research questions.
Section 6.5.1 requires a minimum of 10 hours spent in the field (excluding
preparatory work or follow-up activities and travel time). The experience
should be an opportunity to observe and experience, at first hand, the
operation of basic biological principles in real situations. It is recommended
that at least 5 hours is spent in a natural ecosystem and would involve
identifying organisms, sampling techniques and methods to measure
environmental data. At each Opwall terrestrial site the students will be
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In some countries there are additional research related qualifications that can
be obtained partly or wholly by participating in an Opwall expedition and a
few examples are given below. If you would like to do any of these additional
qualifications then your school needs to organise a visit by an Opwall
representative to go through the requirements of the various schemes before
making a final decision.
United Kingdom – EPQ – Extended Project Qualification
EPQ is a stand alone qualification and is a single piece of work that requires
research skills and presentation. The EPQ is supervised and tutored by your
school and the role of Opwall is to help you observe your research topic when
you go on your expedition. Opwall can provide a relevant list of research
questions for each expedition site using the 150 questions described for the
IB section above. It is worth between 20 and 70 UCAS points depending on
the quality of the final dissertation. The qualification has a similar
commitment to CoPE although the School will also provide some hours of
support teaching. The report is either 5,000 words or 1,000 words plus a
presentation (150 hours).
A student from Sevenoaks School in Kent, won the 2012 Norwegian
Young Scientist of the Year award based on her EPQ project from an
Opwall expedition in southern Madagascar
United Kingdom – Universities Award (UA)
This is awarded by ASDAN and is given automatically to any student who
completes an Opwall expedition. Opwall has a customized agreement with
ASDAN that ensures that each student has followed a set of challenges. The
award which costs £20 per student is well recognized by UCAS and allows a
student to demonstrate a range of personal skills.
United States - National Honor Society
All schools are strongly encouraged to fundraise for their expeditions and
each school group must have a fundraising Chairperson. This role provides
an opportunity for the elected student to gain leadership experience to be
used in their National Honor Society application.
United Kingdom – Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE)
The CoPE certificate is awarded by ASDAN and tests 6 skills based on a
number of challenges that students will meet whilst preparing for and going
on an expedition. It is a demanding vocational qualification and requires 150
hours of study and the production of a portfolio which is moderated by
Opwall. It costs £85 (non- refundable) and is worth 70 UCAS points (an A
grade at AS level). Note: students wanting to do CoPE as part of their
expedition must apply to Opwall by 20 December in the year preceding their
expedition. A student either passes or fails and there are no in-between
grades. The scheme is recognized by UCAS and some universities actively
encourage the adoption of CoPE. CoPE may be unsuitable if the university
you apply to offers grades as opposed to points. It is an important motivator
for going on an expedition but does require significant support from the
school tutor and Opwall.
UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS AND INTERVIEWS
United States - University course credit
Students participating in Operation Wallacea expeditions can earn university
course credit from University of West Florida. The course credit is based on
exam results, a field diary, a research project essay and an assessment of
student performance in the field. Whilst the UWF course credits are only
accepted toward Marine Biology or Biology degrees at UWF, you can submit
a summary of the course completed and your completion certificate with
grade (which will be provided by the university) when applying for relevant
degrees at other US universities and they may or may not count it as relevant
credit towards your degree.
One of the best uses of the expeditions is to enhance your application for
university entry. In the UK every potential University student has to write a
UCAS Personal Statement as part of the UCAS process and this is quite often
followed up by a University entrance interview. Many students will be able to
relate their experiences gained on the field research programme and working
alongside academics. This will be something that makes you stand out from
other similarly qualified students. In the US, the college entry essay and
college interviews are the main opportunities for students to express
themselves beyond their high school transcript, test scores and
extracurricular activities. You may choose to reference your time on
expedition to demonstrate your independence and global efficacy, while the
unique opportunity to meet academics from universities around the world
will also set you apart from other applicants.
BIODIVERSITY SCIENCE
Opwall is the publisher of Biodiversity Science
(www.biodiversityscience.com) that is a quarterly on line journal that
describes advances in biodiversity monitoring, new species discoveries
and advances on conservation management. Articles are peer reviewed
by a team of editors from Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge,
McMaster and Essex Universities, Scottish Wildlife
Trust and the Royal Geographical Society. If you are
not receiving the quarterly journal then please log
onto the Biodiversity Science website and sign
up for the free quarterly issues.
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Operation Wallacea works with academic specialists in numerous
fields from a range of universities and research institutions in Europe,
North America and elsewhere. There are more than 200 academics in
total involved in the research programme. A sample of the academics
are listed below that have been involved in recent years in the field
research programmes for publications, supervising PhD students who
form part of the programme or are involved in data analysis or
conservation management outputs from the research.
Conservation Management Scientists
Dr Julian Clifton
Dr Angela Benson
Dr Richard Bodmer
Dr Keri Brondo
Dr Jeri Fox
Chris Majors
Dr Ruth Malleson
Dr Bob Payne
Dr Richard Phillips
Dr Sarah Pilgrim
Dr Selina Stead
Prof Ian Swingland
Dr Chui Ling Tam
Dr Katharine Vincent
Dr Ben Vivian
Dr Atiek Widayati
Dr Tony Whitten
Dr Kathy Velander
University of Western
Australia
University of Brighton
University of Kent
Memphis University
University of New England
Operation Wallacea Trust
Social and Economic
Consultant
Lakehead University
University of Liverpool
University of Essex
University of Newcastle
Calgary University
University of
Witwatersrand
Northumbria University
Flora and Fauna
International
Napier University
Genetics, Oceanography and Geology Scientists
Dr Kim Hunter
Sylvie Bardin
Stephen Burrows
Dr Greg Cowie
Dr Alan Dykes
Barry Ferguson
Dr Leanne Hepburn
Dr Tom Horton
Dr Ben Horton
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Salisbury University
University of Ontario
institute of Technology
Clark University
University of Edinburgh
Kingston University
University of East Anglia
University of Essex
SUNY ESF
UPenn
Dr Richard Hunter
Dr John Milsom
Dr Mark Tibbett
Dr Cathy Walton
Dr Moyra Wilson
Dr Gerd Winterleitner
Salisbury University
University College London
University of West
Australia
University of Manchester
University of Durham
Royal Holloway, University
of London
Invertebrate (terrestrial and freshwater) specialists
Dr Martin Speight
Sarah Beynon
Dr Patricia Chow-Fraser
Professor James Cook
Dr Sammy de Grave
Dr Francis Gilbert
Andy Godfrey
Dr Ian Hendy
Dr Merlijn Jocque
Dr Mary Kelly-Quinn
Dr Stuart Longhorn
Dr Kenneth McCravy
Dr José Nuñez-Mino
Dr Mary Kelly-Quinn
Dr Graham Rotheray
Dr Roy Wiles
Dr Keith Willmott
University of Oxford
McMaster University
University of Reading
Oxford Natural History
Museum
University of Nottingham
Consultant Entomologist
University of Portsmouth
University of Leuven
University College Dublin
NUI Maynooth
Western Illinois University
ZSL
University College Dublin
National Museum
of Scotland
University of Glamorgan
Florida Museum of Natural
History
Ornithologists
Dr Nicola Marples
Dr Robin Brace
Dr Simon Butler
Dr Bruce Byers
Dr Nico Dauphine
Dr Nicola Goodship
Dr Martin Jones
Dr Dave Kelly
Dr Tom Martin
Trinity College Dublin
University of Reading
Umass Amherst
University of Georgia,
Athens
Wetlands and Wildfowl
Trust
Manchester Metropolitan
University
University of Lancaster
Martin Meads
Mark Miller
Dr Joel Prashant Jack
Fabiola Rodriguez
Dr Wael M Shohdi
Matthew White
Dr Nurul Winarni
Dr Rueven Yosef
Sparsholt College
BirdLife International
Environmental Protection
Institute, India
Universidad Nacional
Autonoma de Honduras
Al-Azhar University, Egypt
BirdLife International
World Conservation
Society
Ben Gurion University
Herpetologists
Dr Steve Green
Dr Graeme Gillespie
Dr Scott Boback
Dr Jeff Burkhart
Jon Kolby
Dr Scotty Kyle
Dr Bjorn Lardner
Dr Chad Montgomery
Dr Randall Morrison
Dr Eridani Mulder
Dr Silviu Petrovan
Dr Bob Reed
Operation Wallacea
University of Melbourne
Dickinson College
University of La Verne
James Cook University
KZN Ezemvelo
USGS
Truman State University
McDaniel University
Central Queensland
University
University of Hull
USGS
Botany, Plant Sciences and Forestry Specialists
Dr Bruce Carlisle
Dr Jon Cocking
Dr Daniel Kelly
Dr Grace O'Donovan
consultant
Dr Pascale Poussart
Dr Andrew Powling
Dr Andrew Smith
Dr Peter Thomas
Dr Clay Trauernicht
Dr Samy Zalat
Northumbria University
JCA Ltd
Independent ecology
Princeton University
University of Portsmouth
University of Keele
University of Hawaii
Nature and Science
Foundation for Egypt
Marine Scientists
Professor Dave Smith
Dr Gabby Amadia
Prof Jorge Angulo Valdes
Dr Arthur Anker
Dr Richard Barnes
Dr James Bell
Dr Wayne Bennett
Dr Paul Bologna
Dr Isabelle Cote
Professor James Crabbe
Dr Simon Cragg
Dr Leanne Cullen
Dr Sarah Curran
Dr Jocelyn Curtis-Quick
Dr Caine Delacy
Dr Teresa Fernandes
Dr Andy Gill
Dr Ben Green
Dr Emma Hayhurst
Dr Sebastian Hennige
Dr Jess Jaxion Harm
Dr Magnus Johnson
Dr Tim Johnson
Dr James McDonald
Dr Steve McMellor
Dr Ed Morgan
Dr Clare Peddie
Dr Alan Pinder
Dr Johanna Polsenberg
Dr Dai Roberts
Dr Pelayo Salinas de Leon
Dr James Saunders
Dr Patric Scaps
Dr Jon Shrives
Dr Tim Smith
Dr Edd Stockdale
University of Essex
Texas A & M
University of Havana
Museum Nationa
d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris
University of Cambridge
Victoria University
of Wellington
University of West Florida
Montclair State University
Simon Fraser University
University of Bedfordshire
Portsmouth University
University of Essex
Fremantle
University of Essex
Australia
Heriot-Watt University
Cranfield Institute
University of Essex
University of Essex
University of Vienna
University of Hull
Rutgers University
University of Essex
University of St Andrews
Dalhousie University
US House of
Representatives
Queens University Belfast
Victoria University
Wellington
Operation Wallacea
University of Perpignon
Jersey State Fisheries
Department
WEI, South Africa
Dr Dave Suggett
Prof Chris Todd
Dr Richard Unsworth
Dr Kyle Young
Australia
University of Essex
Universidad de los Lagos,
Chile
Mammal Specialists
Dr Kathy Slater
Dr Kirsten Bohn
Dr Mark Bowler
Professor Mike Bruford
Jill Carpenter
Dr Ruth Cox
Dr Christian Dietz
Dr Nigel Dunstone
Dr Abdul Haris Mustari
Dr Justin Hines
Andrew Jennings
Dr Tigga Kingston
Juliet Leadbeater
Prof Aubrey Manning
Professor Mike Perrin
Dr Rob Pickles
Dr Abigail Phillips
Dr Nancy Priston
Dr Neil Reid
Dario Rivera
Dr Steve Rossiter
Dr Adrian Seymour
Dr Myron Shekelle
Dr Andrew Smith
Dr Kym Snarr
Dr Peter Taylor
Operation Wallacea
Whitman College
Cardiff University
Independent bat
consultant
Liverpool John Moores
University
University of Tuebingen
Natural History
New Zealand
IPB, Bogor
Operation Wallacea
IUCN/SSC Small
Carnivore Specialist Group
Texas Tech University
University of Chester
University of KwaZulu
Natal
Institute of Zoology
London
University of Birmingham
Oxford Brookes University
University of Queensland
Queen Mary University of
London
Independent wildlife
film maker
National University
of Singapore
Anglia Ruskin University
University of Toronto
University of KwaZulu
Natal
Professor Stewart Thompson
Dr David Tosh
Jeremy Truscott
Dr Phil Wheeler
Dr C.B Wood
Dr Anne Zeller
Sheffield Biodiversity
Steering Group
University of Hull
Providence College
University of Waterloo
Fisheries Scientists
Dr Dan Exton
Dr Dave Bird
Dr Emmanuel Frimpong
Professor Tim Gray
Dr Peter Henderson
Piotr Kalinowski
Dr Duncan May
Joel Rice
Dr Rodney Rountree
Dr Jason Vokoun
University of Essex
England
Virginia Polytechnic
Newcastle University
Fisheries consultant
University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
GIS and Statistical Analysis
Dr Peter Long
Dr Craig Beech
Peace Parks Foundation
Jesse Blits
Dr Natalie Cooper
Dr Bella Davies
Dr Richard Field
Dr Fiona Hemsley Flint
Dr Alan Jones
Dr Marco Lusquinos
Dr Lisa Manne
Dr Peter Randerson
Dr Allister Smith
Professor Kathy Willis
University of Amsterdam
Havard University
University of Sheffield
Imperial College London
CUNY
Cardiff University
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INDONESIA
Expedition structure
Sulawesi and the surrounding smaller islands were identified as a unique
bio-geographic region by the naturalist Sir Alfred Russel Wallace. These
islands are now known as the Wallacea region of Indonesia and formed their
unique fauna due to their isolation from other landmasses by the deep ocean
channels that surround the islands. Sulawesi has a high percentage of
endemic species with 127 known mammals, of which 62% (79 species)
are endemic; 700 species of bird (36% endemic); and 74 species of
herpetofauna (38% endemic). Despite such high numbers of endemic
species in these forests, the Wallacea region remains one of the least
biologically studied areas in the world and one of the most likely places to
discover vertebrate species that are new to science. The reefs in this part of
the world are the most biologically rich of any reefs and form part of the
Coral Triangle – reefs with the highest richness of hard coral genera.
The first week of the expedition is spent either in the Lambusango forests in
the south or the north Buton forests at Ereke. The teams will be helping to
collect data on the carbon, biodiversity and community benefits of the forest,
which are then being used as part of a submission under the Reduction in
Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+ scheme), for
funding the protection of the Lambusango forests. The second week will be
spent at the Hoga Marine Research Centre which has an outstanding research
publication record and a large number of marine scientists.
Forest week
The school groups will be staying in one of the forest field camps and will
complete:
• Jungle skills training (dangerous animals and plants, health issues, living
in fly camps, trekking and navigation, how to find food and water). In
addition the students can opt to replace one of these half day options with
a short course on learning how to ascend into the canopy. Canopy access
training costs £90 (approx $145) extra for this optional additional course.
10
COUNTRIES - INDONESIA
• Forest measurements. After one session of training the students will
then be working in teams each completing measurements of 20m x 20m
quadrats to collect data on the diameter at breast height of all woody
species, canopy height, quantity of vegetation at different heights from
a touch pole, light penetration to forest floor using a canopy scope,
evidence of disturbance (e.g. cut stumps) and sapling density.
• Learning about biodiversity monitoring techniques and helping with
surveys. This consists of a lecture course on Wallacea Forest Ecology
including: Biodiversity and endemism in Wallacea forests (Alfred Russel
Wallace, why the Wallacea region has unique species), birds (Wallacea
endemic species, survey techniques), amphibians and reptiles (snakes
and lizards endemic to Wallacea region), Sulawesi mammals (sympatric
speciation of bats, macaque social structure, estimating anoa populations)
and conservation synthesis (REDD schemes, ethical product pricing
schemes). The practical sessions will include:
• Bird transect or point count surveys and mist net sampling for birds.
Students will also see how mist nets are used and captured
birds identified.
• Joining pitline/trapping surveys. The students will be helping
with the checking of pitline catches for amphibians, reptiles and small
mammals and also emptying small mammal traps.
• Scan search sampling for herpetofauna. The students will practice
transect sampling on trails and watercourses searching for reptiles
and amphibians on either side of the transect line.
• Night time frog and reptile transects. This practical will involve
spotlight surveys of river after dark with a herpetologist to assess
frog communities and opportunistically sighted reptiles.
• Invertebrate surveys. This practical will involve working with the
invertebrate scientist on completing pollard walks for butterflies,
emptying pitfall traps for dung beetles and checking light traps
for moths.
• Megafauna survey. This survey will involve trekking quietly along a 3
km transect and recording the presence of macaque troops, signs of
large mammals such as anoa or wild pig and bird indicators such as
the two hornbill species. The practical will teach how distance
sampling and patch occupancy analysis can be used to estimate
populations.
• Bat netting. This practical will involve working with the bat scientist
in the evening to set and empty mist nets.
Marine week
During their marine week the school will be completing one of the following
options:
• PADI Open Water dive training course
• Completion of an Indo-Pacific reef ecology course consisting of lectures
and in water practicals either by diving (if a qualified diver) or snorkelling.
The lectures cover an introduction to coral reef ecosystem (reef
formation, why Indo Pacific reefs are so diverse), coral and algal species
(growth forms and common species), mangrove and seagrass ecology
(habitat connectivity), economically important invertebrates (lobster
fishery, sea cucumber fishery), identification of coral reef fish (main reef
fish families), reef survey techniques (quadrats, transects, stereo video),
threats to reefs (climate change, fisheries, invasive species) and marine
conservation (marine protected areas in Indonesia, fisheries
registration scheme).
• Completion of a PADI Open Water referral course (students need to arrive
having completed their theory and pool training) and then on site they
complete dive elements of the full PADI Open Water which takes the first
3 days and they then join the Indo Pacific reef ecology course.
Alternatively they can take the PADI Scuba Diver qualification which
takes 3 days and then move onto the reef ecology course.
Facilities
The forest week is spent in one of the forest camps that have been installed
at various points in the Lambusango to North Buton forests to incorporate
different forest types and disturbance levels. The camps are set up with
hammocks, tents and communal eating areas. Field toilets are built at each
of the camps and shower systems are built into waterfalls on the rivers next
to each of the camps.
The marine week is spent at the Hoga Island Marine Research Station.
Students will be living on an idyllic tropical island surrounded by white
sandy beaches and pristine coral reefs. Traditionally-built wooden houses
serve as accommodation on the island and are complete with their own
bathroom and private balcony. The station’s main building contains a large,
open-air study area, a computer laboratory, email and extensive library
facilities. It also contains a restaurant area and bar downstairs. There are
also extensive wet and dry lab facilities and a lecture theatre where the Coral
Reef Ecology course and regular scientific talks are presented. There is a
fully operational dive centre where visitors to the research base can rent
dive equipment.
Example research questions for IB, EPQ or CoPE
Why are species in the Wallacea region so different to surrounding areas?
How can the REDD+ scheme be used to conserve forests?
Why are fig trees so important for the forest fauna?
What differences are there between using mist nets and harp traps
for sampling bats?
Describe the human wildlife conflict with macaques and how these
can be mitigated
How can you estimate populations of large but difficult to see
forest mammals?
What did Sir Alfred Russel Wallace contribute to biology?
11
HONDURAS
Expedition Structure
The Honduras expedition is run in the endemic rich cloud forests of the
Cusuco National Park. The students spend their first week in a forest camp and
will be on site with an international team of academics who are collecting data
on the carbon, biodiversity and community benefits of the forest.
These data are then being used as part of a submission under the Reduction
in Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD + scheme)
for funding the protection of the Cusuco forests.
The second week will be run from one of the two marine research sites run
by Operation Wallacea – Utila or Punta Sal, Tela. The main research objective
at these sites is to complete annual monitoring of the coral and reef fish
communities so the effectiveness of the management strategies at the two
sites can be assessed.
Cloud forest week
During their cloud forest week each school needs to choose or be allocated
one of the following options:
• Base Camp for 3 days and Cantiles field camp for 3 days
• Buenos Aires mountain village for 3 days and Guanales field camp
for 3 days
• Santo Tomas mountain village for 3 days and El Cortecito field camp for
3 days (most remote)
At all of these options the itinerary is the same and the students will complete:
species, canopy height, quantity of vegetation at different heights from a
touch pole, light penetration to forest floor using a canopy scope, evidence
of disturbance (e.g. cut stumps) and sapling density.
• Learning about biodiversity monitoring techniques and helping with
surveys. This consists of a lecture course on Neotropical Ecology
including: rainforest structure and biodiversity (distribution of cloud
forests, biodiversity gradients and hotspots), adaptations and co-evolution
(cryptic coloured species, warning colouration, Batesian mimicry),
amphibians and reptiles (endemic amphibians in Cusuco, chytrid fungus,
dangerous snakes), cloud forest birds (large game birds, hole nesting
species, humming birds), cloud forest mammals (Great American faunal
exchange, howler monkey social structure, cat predators) and conservation
synthesis (threats to Cusuco Park, REDD scheme, ethical priced products).
The practical sessions will include:
• Bird point counts and mist net sampling for birds. The students
will be able to join an early morning bird point count and learn how the
technique works. Students will also see how mist nets are used and
captured birds identified and ringed/banded.
• Scan search sampling for herpetofauna. The students will practice
transect sampling by walking along a transect line in the forest and
searching for reptiles and amphibians on either side of the transect line.
Many of the transect lines connect with a stream. While at the stream
they will use systematic scan searching of amphibians. All animals
caught along the transect line or in the stream will be identified. Skin
swabs of amphibians will also be collected as part of the ongoing
monitoring of the chytrid fungus and GPS point logged.
• Jungle skills training (dangerous animals and plants, health issues,
living in fly camps, trekking, navigation and how to find food and water).
In addition the students can take a short course on learning how to ascend
into the canopy. This course is run by Canopy Access and costs £90
(approx $145) extra but is an optional course.
• Small mammal trapping. This session involves checking previously
baited traps for small mammals, identifying any individuals caught and
marking them before release (Mark Release Recapture).
• Forest measurements. After one session of training the students will
then be working in teams each completing measurements of 20m x 20m
quadrats to collect data on the diameter at breast height of all woody
• Light trapping and pitline surveys for invertebrates. A light trap will
be set to monitor nocturnal invertebrates such as moths and jewel scarab
beetles. Pitfall traps baited with dung need checking and emptying daily.
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COUNTRIES - HONDURAS
• Bat mist netting. This practical will involve working with the bat
scientist in the evening to set and empty mist nets.
Marine week
During their marine week the school can opt to be based at either the Utila
research station or the Punta Sal research station depending on availability.
At both sites the students will be completing one of the following options:
• PADI Open Water dive training course.
• Completion of a Caribbean reef ecology course consisting of lectures
The lectures cover an introduction to coral reef ecosystem
(reef formation, Meso-American barrier reef), coral and algal species
(growth forms and common species), mangrove and seagrass ecology
(differences between Utila and Cayos Cochinos reef fish as a result of
mangrove changes, tourism development impacts on Utila mangroves),
ecologically important invertebrates (lobster fishery, conch fishery),
identification of coral reef fish (main reef fish families), reef survey
techniques (quadrats, transects, stereo video), threats to reefs
(climate change, fisheries, invasive species) and marine conservation
(Meso-American barrier reef conservation strategies).
having completed their theory and pool training) which takes the first
3 days and they then join the Caribbean reef ecology course.
Facilities
If you choose the Base Camp/Cantiles option then accommodation at Base
Camp will be in tents and there are toilets and showers in the camp. This is
where all the data from the various survey teams are collated and there is a
DNA lab on site. From Base Camp it is a 4 hour trek to Cantiles field camp
where accommodation is in hammocks or tents (depending on availability)
and with the river as the shower facility. For those choosing the Buenos
Aires/Guanales option, they will be based for part of the week in the buffer
zone village of Buenos Aires. Accommodation is in local houses in this
Honduran mountain community whilst at the Guanales camp in the core zone
of the Park the group will be staying in hammocks or tents. On the western
side of the park, the surveys are co-ordinated from the small mountain
village of Santo Tomas. Accommodation at this picturesque site is in tents
and special toilets and showers have been built for use by the survey teams.
From Santo Tomas, Cortecito camp in the remote western core zone forest
can be accessed via a 6 hour trek. Santo Tomas/Cortecito is the toughest
trekking option but provides the most remote experience.
For the marine week there is the choice of crossing to Utila Island and
staying at the Opwall Marine Research Centre, based at the Coral View Hotel.
Accommodation is in shared rooms with fans and the hotel is situated
between some of the best reefs and the largest mangrove-lined lagoon
system on the island. The alternative marine location is on the mainland at
the Honduras Shores Plantation located on a beach in the Bay of Tela.
Accommodation is in dormitory style rooms set back from the beach and
there is a small dive centre, swimming pool and lecture facilities in the
adjacent hotel.
Example research questions for IB, EPQ and CoPE
Has deforestation in Central America slowed?
Why are there so many species in Central American forests?
How do Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance schemes benefit
local communities?
How do you estimate tapir populations?
Describe the social structure of howler monkeys.
What is the impact of Chytrid fungus on amphibian populations?
How does DNA bar coding of species work?
Why are cloud forests so important from a biodiversity viewpoint?
How can you quantify levels of forest disturbance?
13
SOUTH AFRICA
The South African expeditions are run in the Kruger National Park which covers
over 2 million ha and is widely regarded as the leading National Park in Africa.
The school groups will be based in the Balule reserve which is one of the
privately owned Reserves that make up the eastern-most section of the
Greater Kruger National Park. The school teams are using identical monitoring
methods to those being used by university teams in other reserves around
South Africa and together these projects have the following objectives:
• To quantify the impact of elephants at different densities on
habitat structure.
• To utilise these data to calculate carrying capacity of reserves for elephants.
• To assist with data collection on the distribution of large herbivores
and predators.
• To complete annual surveys of winter bird community structure and density
in areas of habitat with differing levels of elephant impact.
At the end of the first week the groups will move to a marine training centre
in Sodwana Bay, South Africa.
Bush week
During week 1 the groups will spend half their time in the bush either in
game view vehicles or on foot with armed guards and half their time in the
large fenced camps learning about bush skills (safe distances for viewing
game, tracks and signs of large mammals, how to use GPS and compass
for navigation, how to respond if a large herbivore or predator is encountered)
and having lectures on savannah ecology: Africa’s biodiversity (formation of
biomes in South Africa), southern African birds (classification, sample
techniques, conservation), herbivores of Southern Africa (adaptation in rhinos,
buffalo, impala, nyala, wildebeest, zebra), predators (niche separation in lion,
leopard, cheetah, wild dog and hyena), managing elephant populations
(social structure, impact on habitat, methods of controlling elephant
numbers), African conservation issues
14
COUNTRIES - SOUTH AFRICA
(fenced reserves, maintaining balanced herbivore and predator communities,
fire management) and a conservation synthesis (calculating elephant
carrying capacity).
The groups will also be involved in the following field based surveys:
• Bird point counts. The students will be able to join an early morning
bird count and learn how the technique works.
• Elephant impact surveys. Each group will need to complete habitat
surveys on 20 x 5m x 5m sample points within hectare blocks with
differing levels of elephant feeding densities. In each plot grass volume is
estimated from pasture metre readings, the size structure of all trees and
shrubs measured, total bush coverage calculated and levels of elephant
damage to each tree and shrub estimated using the standardised
Walker scale.
Marine week
The students will spend their second week in Sodwana Bay in South Africa
and will be completing one of three options:
• Completion of an Indian Ocean reef ecology course consisting of lectures
The lectures in Sodwana Bay cover an introduction to coral reef ecosystem
(characteristics of a reef, distribution of reefs in east Africa), coral and
algal species (growth forms and common species), megafauna (whales,
sharks, manta rays), mangrove and seagrass ecology (importance of
connective systems, threats to mangroves), economically important
invertebrates (lobster fishery, aquarium trade), identification of coral reef
fish (main reef fish families), reef survey techniques (quadrats, transects,
stereo video), threats to and conservation of reefs (protected marine areas
in South Africa).
Completion of a PADI Open Water referral course (students need to
arrive having completed their theory and pool training) which takes
the first 3 days and they then join the Indian Ocean reef ecology course.
Facilities
Students will be staying in the Struwig section of Balule in either the
Main Camp on the bank of the Olifants River or in the rustic Bush Camp in
the middle of the bushveld. The main camp has electricity and a consistent
supply of hot water. There is a communal area where lectures and meals
are taken, a small tuck shop and a swimming pool overlooking a resident
raft of hippo on the river. Students here will be staying in single-sex 6-bed
dormitories.
The bush camp offers an amazing wilderness experience.
There is only hot water if students keep the fire going under the ‘donkey’
water heating system and showers are glorified buckets with an attached
shower head. Students here camp out in large single-sex army tents.
Both camps are surrounded by electric fences.
Contrast the social structure and niche separation of lions,
leopards and cheetahs.
What methods are used to estimate populations of large herbivores
in reserves?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of controlled burning
in savannah reserves?
Is hunting of large herbivores and predators justified?
Does ecotourism provide a significant incentive for conservation
in South Africa?
Sodwana Bay training facilities have been developed at an existing dive
centre located within iSimangaliso World Heritage Wetlands Park.
Accommodation is in tents situated in a shaded bush camp. There is a toilet
and shower block, meals are served in a separate dining area.
How is the carrying capacity for elephants in a reserve calculated?
What are the main species of mammal that pose significant threats
to humans on foot in the bush?
How do you determine safe distances to approach large herbivores
and predators?
How are elephant herds structured?
What strategies are being used to prevent elephant herds causing
too much damage in fenced reserves?
What are the contrasting habitat requirements of black and white rhinos?
15
PERU
During the two weeks of the expedition the students will be based on research
ships in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve which is the second largest
protected area in Peru, spanning over 20,000 km2 of tropical rainforest and is
a truly exceptional wilderness area. There are two main objectives of the
research programme:
• To collect data on the sustainability of forest resource use by the Cocama
Indians within the Reserve
• To provide information on the impacts of climate change and
anthropogenic disturbance in the Amazon. The second objective is made
possible by long-term datasets that are gathered using standardised
methods and effort. Flooded forests are more sensitive to climate change
than non-flooded forests, so the Samiria is a perfect site to study the
impacts of both climate change and exploitation on wildlife and
overall biodiversity.
Dolphins are being used as indicators of the aquatic hydroscape, macaws
as indicators of the terrestrial landscape, fish as indicators of the impact of
fisheries management, primates and other terrestrial wildlife as indicators of
wildlife management of bushmeat, caimans as indicators of the recovery of
species after excessive overhunting and turtles as indicators of intensive
restocking management. Expeditions from late June until August are in the
middle of the low water season. In this season, surveys of three sites will be
completed on the Samiria River – the mouth, Tacshcocha and Huisto. During
their two weeks in the Amazon the students will be undertaking three main
tasks; helping with the biodiversity surveys, completing an Amazonian Wildlife
and Conservation course and completing research to make a presentation on
one of a series of Amazonian related research topics.
Accommodation will be on the one of the research ships where students are in
shared cabins with fans. There are flush toilet and shower facilities on board
and electricity for charging computers and other items for part of the day.
Living on a research ship in the heart of the biodiverse rich Amazon is a truly
memorable experience.
16
COUNTRIES - PERU
Biodiversity Monitoring
Students will be split into groups and will have the opportunity to take part
in the following research projects over the two weeks. Each student will be
expected to join one of the morning and one of the afternoon activities and
to participate in data entry.
• Primate, Large Mammals and Bird Transects. Census trails between
2-5 km in length are surveyed repeatedly at each of the three sites.
Information registered on a census includes: day, site, species, number of
individuals and perpendicular distance from the individual to the transect
line, habitat, time, distance travelled and weather conditions. The method
and theories behind distance sampling will be explained to students and
they will be taught how to recognise different species and the main
identification features.
• Macaw Surveys. Eight or nine sample points have been identified at each
site separated by 500m. Fifteen minutes will be spent at each point with
censuses carried out twice a day. Within the 15 minute counts, all macaw
species either perched or flying are noted and the time of observation and
distances of the birds from the observer estimated.
• River Dolphin Transects (includes turtles when appropriate river levels).
Five kilometre transects at each site are travelled twice daily along the
centre of the river using a boat. Information collected includes: species,
group size, group composition, behaviour (travelling, fishing, playing),
time and any additional observations. During these surveys students will
be taught how to record the distribution and behaviour of both pink and
grey river dolphins. The turtle monitoring method consists of travelling
with the current of the river on a boat and registering the number of
individuals sighted, either sunbathing or swimming. Students will be
taught how to differentiate between the two turtle species found in
the reserve.
Fish Surveys. Students will be able to witness and learn how gill-net
surveys are implemented. They will also take part in surveys using
fishing lines. All fish caught are measured, weighed and identified.
• Night-time Caiman Surveys. This practical involves spotlight surveys
of the river after dark to locate and identify caiman species in order to
estimate population size and distributions. Noosing is used to capture
caiman to obtain data on morphological measurements, sex and age.
Amazonian Wildlife and Conservation course
The Amazonian Wildlife and Conservation course comprises lectures
and related activities/discussions on Amazon geography and biodiversity
(definition of biodiversity, formation of the Amazon, white and black water
rivers), flooded forest and upland forest ecology (terrestrial, arboreal and
aquatic wildlife of upland and flooded forests), conservation strategies in
the Amazon (protected areas, community based conservation, certification
strategies), survey methods (theory of survey techniques and how the data
are used), Pacaya-Samiria bird (macaws, togons and kingfishers, toucans,
sexual selection in birds), mammals of Pacaya-Samiria (anteaters, sloths,
cats, dolphins and manatees), Amazonian fish (species richness, piranha,
electric eels, arapaima), amphibians and reptiles (poison dart frogs,
dangerous snakes, caiman, turtles), wildlife monitoring and conservation
of Amazonian forests (summary of best practice examples). During the
course the students will also get the opportuntiy to visit a Cocama
Indian community.
Research questions
Each of the students will also be asked to complete the background
research on one of a series of research questions and on the return journey
at the end of the expedition will be asked to give a short presentation to
the others on the boat. Time is available between practicals and in the
evening to complete the background research on these questions and
prepare the presentations. The presentations can be done in small
groups or individually.
Example research questions (can also be used for IB, EPQ or CoPE)
Can ecotourism provide a viable alternative income for Indian communities
in the Amazon?
Describe the social structure of one of the primate species in Pacaya-Samiria.
How can camera traps be used to monitor large cat populations?
How do caiman species separate their niches?
What is community based conservation and is it effective?
What is the impact of the bush meat trade on mammal and ground birds
in Pacaya-Samiria?
Facilities
Volunteers will spend their expedition based on one of the research boats
used by Operation Wallacea and their partners, AmazonEco, to make working
in one of the most remote parts of the Amazon a relatively comfortable
experience. The main boat used for the research expeditions is the Rio
Amazonas which is a large boat with several decks. There are a mixture of
dormitory rooms and smaller bedrooms sleeping between 2 and 10 people
and there are shared bathroom facilities (showers, toilets, etc). The boat also
has lecture and dining rooms.
17
MADAGASCAR
Madagascar has some of the most spectacular biodiversity in the world
(lemurs, tenrecs, baobabs and over half of all known chameleon species),
much of which is endemic. The schools have the choice of two itineraries:
• Mahamavo dry forests in the north for one week and then a transfer to
Nosy Be marine site for one week
• Mandrare Valley spiny forests and then in the south for one week followed
by a week long overland lemur and chameleon trail through the eastern
rainforests.
In the Mahamavo forests the Opwall teams are working with Oxford University on
gathering data on carbon, biodiversity and community economics to submit the
forests for funding using the REDD scheme. The Mandrare Valley in the SE
corner of Madagascar is being proposed as a new Biosphere Reserve and the
Opwall research is aimed at providing support data needed for this application.
Forest week
In both forest sites the teams will split their time between the forest surveys
and completing a Madagascar Wildlife and Culture course. The practical
sessions will include (depending on site):
• Herpetofauna routes (both sites). A small group of students led by
a herpetologist walk slowly along forest sample routes scanning the
vegetation and ground carefully for reptiles and amphibians since many
species particularly chameleons are quite cryptic. Spotlight surveys are
also done in the evening.
• Lemur routes (both sites). Groups walk slowly along the route with a
lemur specialist scanning the canopy closely for groups of lemurs.
When a group is detected we record the location, the species, the group
size and the distance from the route centreline. These transects are
completed both during the day and at night using spotlights.
18
COUNTRIES - MADAGASCAR
• Bird point counts and mist netting (both sites). Students join an
ornithologist completing point counts in the early morning. Teams form
an outward facing circle and record all the birds seen or heard over a 10
minute period. Mist nets are also used for cryptic species and when birds
are caught, the ornithologist will demonstrate how they are removed from
the net, handled and morphometric measurements recorded.
• Wetland birds by boat (Mahamavo only). This boat based survey
follows a route through mangroves and out into an estuary with mud flats
recording all the wetland bird species.
• Small mammal trapping (all sites). Small mammal traps are baited
and set in the evenings and students will then check traps and help
process any captures in a morning session.
• Bat mist netting (Mahamavo only). Mist nets are used to sample the
bat communities and all bats captured will be identified.
• Forest structure plots (Mahamavo only). The aim of making
measurements in a stratified sample of 20m x 20m plots in the forests is
to estimate the amount of carbon stored in woody vegetation. In addition
this activity monitors trends in some indicators of forest physical
parameters (canopy cover, sapling density).
• Vegetation plots (Mandrare only). This involves mapping rare and
threatened species and invasive species in the high and low spiny thickets
and measuring species diversity and forest structure.
At each site the groups will also complete a Madagascar Wildlife and Culture
course with lectures on Introduction to Madagascar (diversity of Madagascar
wildlife, people and cultures), biogeography and evolution of Madagascar
wildlife (why so many species are endemic, distribution of major habitats),
species concept (endemic amphibian, reptile bird and mammal species in
Madagascar, what is a species?), biodiversity conservation in Madagascar
(National Park system, human impacts on wildlife), people in Madagascar
(major cultures and languages) and conservation synthesis (how the data
from Mahamavo and Mandrare are being used).
Marine week at Maradoka, Nosy Be – Mahamavo expedition only
During their marine week the school will be based at the Nosy Be marine
camp and will be completing one of the following options:
• Completion of a Indian Ocean reef ecology course consisting of lectures
The lectures cover an introduction to coral reef ecosystem (reef formation
east Africa reef distribution), coral and algal species (growth forms and
common species), marine megafauna (whale shark migrations, whales of
southern Africa), ecologically important invertebrates (lobster
fishery,mollusc fishery), identification of coral reef fish (herbivores,
piscivores, omnivores and specialists such as cleaner fish), reef survey
techniques (quadrats, transects, stereo video), threats to reefs (climate
change, fisheries, invasive species) and marine conservation
(Madagascar marine protected areas).
having completed their theory and pool training) which takes the first 3
days and they then join the Indian Ocean reef ecology course.
Lemur and chameleon hunt - Mandrare expedition
Instead of going to the Nosy Be marine site the Mandrare valley option takes
the group overland on a lemur and chameleon hunt in week 2 ending up at
Antananarivo. Each day combines some time on the road travelling in a Tata
bus. There will be visits to spectacular natural ecosystems, rural farms and
villages and to several of the iconic protected areas, such as the Ranomafana
National Park (which is a World Heritage Site) and the sacred mountains of
Anja in the heart of Betsileo country. The journey will end each day in a
basic campsite with views out over the Malagasy landscape and at several of
the stopovers a night walk is also offered to allow you to observe the
nocturnal mouse and dwarf lemurs. The objective is to see species such as
Indri’s, Black and White Ruffed Lemurs, Bamboo lemurs Ring-tailed lemurs
and as many species of Malagasy birds and chameleons as possible.
Facilities
For the Mahamavo expedition, students will be based in a camp near to
Mariarano village. Accommodation is in tents next to a building converted for
use as a field laboratory with a library, computers running the biodiversity
database, GIS and statistics software. There are jungle showers and toilets in
the camp. In addition to the camp at Mariarano, a tented forest camp will
also be used adjacent to Matsedroy lake. This group will then move to Nosy
Be Island for the marine week where accommodation is in tents next to the
beach in a walled camp at Maradoka village.
Expeditions to the spiny forest are run from the village of Ifotaka. You will
be staying in a dedicated camp site in the village, which has tents, bucket
showers and flush toilets. There is also a small education centre with lecture
facilities, which will be used for the Malagasy wildlife ecology course.
In addition more remote camps based further into the spiny forest have been
established to access some of the more remote survey areas. Here
volunteers will sleep in tents by a river and use basic jungle toilet and
shower facilities. On the overland, Tata bus journey wil be used to maximise
the habitats seen and accommodation will be in tents.
How do bird communities of Madagascar compare with those found
on the African mainland?
What is different about the Madagascar herpetofauna compared
to the rest of Africa?
How does the 2003 Dreamworks movie depiction of Madagascar
wildlife differ from the real fauna?
What are the main characteristics that make chameleons successful?
How can satellite images help conservation efforts in Madagascar?
What are the main threats to Madagascar wildlife?
Can conservation in Madagascar succeed?
Why are lemurs thriving in Madagascar?
Why are the tenrecs of Madagascar so unusual?
19
EGYPT
On the edge of Africa, Egypt is a country that holds a historical fascination for
many people. Home to the world renowned Pyramids and Mount Sinai, where
Moses is said to have received the Ten Commandments, Egypt is the setting
for Operation Wallacea's only desert expedition. The schools teams are
working with the Egyptian Nature & Science Foundation to produce one of the
first biodiversity atlases for the country and will be spending much of the first
week in the high mountain deserts. The objectives for the research are:
• To complete data collection on target higher plant species in a series
of 10km squares.
• To complete assessments of grazing pressure in a series of 10km squares.
• To completed biodiversity surveys of reptiles, birds and mammals in a
series of 10km square.
For the second week the teams will be at a camp outside Dahab on the Gulf of
Aqaba and will be completing a dive training or Red Sea reef ecology course.
Mountain desert week
The students will start by completing a three day course on desert survival and
arid zone ecology. The skills element of this will teach about dangerous plants
and animals in the desert, disease and health issues in the desert, how to
navigate and find water and how to select a safe camp site in the desert and the
practices associated with living safely in the desert including water sterilisation
and preventing heat exhaustion. The arid zone ecology course will have the
following lectures: Introduction to Sinai and biodiversity (biogeography of the
Sinai region, importance in biodiversity terms), Sinai atlas surveys to date
(summary of data collected and gaps in knowledge), evolution and
classification (adaptations of desert species), desert survey techniques (sample
design, quadrat surveys for plants, transect surveys for birds and reptiles, mist
net and trap surveys) and Bedouin culture and conservation of the Sinai
(introduction to main Bedouin tribes and their culture, conservation issues for
the Sinai including grazing pressure and water extraction for tourism).
For the next 3 days the teams wil be trekking in the high mountains of the
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COUNTRIES - EGYPT
Sinai and will be living in temporary Bedouin camps. The group is divided
into teams and the various teams rotate between each of the following
biodiversity surveys:
• Higher plants. An identification guide for the target plant species is
provided and the team will assess the overall cover of each target plant
species in each of the quadrats. The number of individual plants of target
species are counted and the condition and reproductive state are recorded.
• Birds. The bird team complete an early morning transect with an
experienced ornithologist to identify all bird species seen or heard and
their distance from the transect.
• Reptiles and mammals. Standard search patterns are used to estimate
reptile abundance and mammals are surveyed from spoor and scat. To
quantify the levels of grazing in an area the quadrat team also record the
levels of dung from domesticated animals in each quadrat. This will enable
an assessment of the relative grazing levels by domestic versus wild
animals and important element in conservation planning.
• Bats. In the evening mist nets are put up to survey the bat communities
and surveys using a bat detector are also completed.
Marine week
During their marine week the students will be completing one of the following
options:
• Completion of a Red Sea reef ecology course consisting of lectures and in
water practicals either by diving (if a qualified diver) or snorkelling.
The lectures cover an introduction to coral reef ecosystem (characteristics
of a reef, Red Sea reefs), coral and algal species (growth forms and
common species), ecologically important invertebrates (sponges,
molluscs, crustaceans), identification of coral reef fish (guilds of
herbivores, piscivores or omnivores), pelagic species encountered on the
reef (sharks, jacks, trevallys and fusiliers), reef survey techniques
(quadrats, transects, stereo video), threats to reefs (climate change,
fisheries, invasive species) and conservation of reefs (Red Sea marine
protection system).
What are the main human pressures on the St Katherine Protectorate
fauna and flora?
days and they then join the Red Sea reef ecology course.
Describe the life history and conservation status of the World’s smallest
butterfly, the Sinai Baton Blue.
Facilities
The expedition starts at the Fox Bedouin camp which is situated on the edge
of the town of St Katherine in the heart of the World Heritage part of
the South Sinai Protectorate. Fox camp consists of a mixture of Bedouin
tents and stone built accommodation. Volunteers staying at this camp will be
in twin bed rooms with shared bathroom facilities. There is running water
with toilets and a shower system on site. There are large colourful tent areas
with cushions and carpets where the teams gather in the evenings. Meals
prepared by a team of Bedouin cooks are taken in these areas on low tables
or at a more traditional dining table. During the desert treks the survey teams
will be staying in temporary camps set up by the Bedouin support teams.
Volunteers at these camps will be sleeping out under the stars in sleeping
bags and there are field toilet and washing facilities. There are
4 x 4 vehicles and/or camels supporting the teams and a Medical
Officer working with each team.
Why is the biodiversity of desert regions lower than other biomes?
How is global warming affecting the wildlife of the Sinai?
How are desert plants adapted for life in arid regions?
Describe the bird fauna of the Sinai mountains.
Is there any conflict between Bedouin culture and conservation of the Sinai?
For the marine week the students will be based in a camp on the coast of the
Gulf of Aqaba just outside Dahab. The camp consists of a mixture of Bedouin
tents and simple bamboo rooms. Volunteers will be staying in the Happy Life
hotel in air conditioned rooms. The dive training and reef ecology courses will
be run from the NSF camp and meals will also be taken at this camp in a
central tent on low tables.
21
GUYANA
The Guyana research project is run in the heart of the vast Guiana Shield
forests that make-up Northern South America. This 2-week expedition gives
students the opportunity to see much of the stunning wildlife of the Guiana
Shield and to help with data collection for a biodiversity assessment survey.
The Guyana expedition is one of the most remote of the expeditions organised
by Opwall and takes students into the heart of the one of the last strongholds
of intact tropical rainforest left on the planet. The teams will start at the
beautiful Iwokrama field station on the banks of the Essequibo River and after
2 days will travel to one of the field camps in the Iwokrama/Surama forests
where they will spend the rest of the first week. During the second week the
groups will be completing a five day boat survey along the Burro-Burro River
through the centre of the Iwokrama Forest where there is a realistic chance of
encountering large animals such as anacondas, pumas and giant river otters.
Students contribute to the data collection by working with the teams gathering
data on the population density of large mammals, birds, bats, invertebrates,
reptiles and amphibians to enable better understanding of forest community
dynamics and their responses to climate change and human impacts.
In the first week the volunteers will gain some forest survival skills such as
how to live in field camps in hammocks, navigation and trekking skills as well
as the main risks posed by animals and diseases in the forests and rivers and
how to reduce those risks. They will also have lectures and associated
practicals on Guiana Shield forest ecology which will give them some
background information on the ecology in the area and teach them how to
identify some of the commoner species. After a couple of days of this initial
training the students will move to the first satellite camp to help the science
teams with bird, bat, amphibian, reptile and large mammal surveys.
In the second week the team will be travelling in boats down the Burro-Burro
river through the heart of the Iwokrama rainforest, from the village of Surama
in the savannahs to the south of Iwokrama. This is a deep forest experience
and the teams will be setting up camp on the river bank in hammocks each
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COUNTRIES - GUYANA
night and helping the boat drivers and guides porter the boats around rapids
and to navigate around fallen trees. The purpose of this second section of the
trip is to gather standardised data on the water birds and large mammals
encountered as well as various indicators of human disturbance.
Forest week
During the first week, which is split between the Iwokrama Research Centre
and the first field camp, the students will complete the following activities:
• Introduction to the Guiana Shield forests.
• Jungle skills training.
• Learning about biodiversity monitoring techniques and helping with field
surveys. This consists of a lecture and field practical based ecology
course on Guiana Shield Forest Ecology comprising lectures on
Amazonian geography and structure (worldwide biodiversity hotspots,
formation of Guiana Shield, development in Guyana, El Niño), survey
methods (census surveying and DISTANCE sampling) taxonomy
and evolution (classification systems, birds, amphibians and reptiles), bats
(adaptation, bat diversity and identifying the commoner families) large
mammals (primates, anteaters, peccaries and deer, cats and otters), birds
(lekking species, antbirds, hole nesting species) and conservation
synthesis (the importance of conservation, human disturbance, the
importance of monitoring, threats to Guyana’s forests, REDD scheme).
The practical sessions will include:
• Mist net sampling for birds and learning how to identify birds in the
hand and take morphometric measurements.
• Scan search sampling for herpetofauna from forest transects and scan
searching water bodies for amphibians.
• Large mammal and bird transect surveys. When a mammal or bird
(named on the target species list) is detected the species, number of
individuals, distance travelled along the transect and perpendicular
distance of the mammal to the observer will be recorded.
• Mist netting for bats, identification skills and learning how to take
morphometric measurements.
• Pit fall sampling, light trapping and scan sampling for invertebrates.
• Spotlight surveys for amphibians and reptiles to assess frog
communities and opportunistically sighted reptiles. Species
encountered will be identified and the main identification
features explained.
Can reduced-impact logging be used as a tool for biodiversity conservation
in tropical forests?
The effect of selective logging on wildlife communities in Guiana
Shield forests.
Burro-Burro week
During the Burro-Burro week the students will be:
The role of bats and birds in forest regeneration and maintaining
forest biodiversity.
• Conducting standardised surveys of water birds.
The role of large mammals in forest regeneration and maintaining
forest biodiversity.
• Conducting surveys of giant otter status and distribution.
The main research objective of these surveys is to complete annual
monitoring of key wildlife indicators of the health of the river. The teams will
sleep at camps on the banks of the river each night and will slowly navigate
the river in the daytime, searching for wildlife. Records of target bird and
mammal species will be noted by the students, providing the yearly
monitoring data.
How can standardised wildlife surveys be used to effectively monitor
changes in forest community dynamics?
Facilities
Expeditions begin at the beautiful Iwokrama River Lodge, set on the banks of
the Essequibo river. Here accommodation is in dormitories with normal
washing facilities. There is a well equipped research centre with a lecture
room and restaurant overlooking the river. After a couple of days of induction
and training the groups will head out to the more remote field camps.
In these camps, accommodation will be in hammocks with bashas and
integral mosquito nets. There are temporary field toilets and washing will
be done in the rivers. For the river survey based week the groups will be in
hammocks in temporary overnight camps. This is the most remote of all
the expeditions.
23
CUBA
The Cuba expedition is run on the reefs of the Punta Frances National Park in
the southern Island of Youth. The first week is spent learning to dive and
learning how to identify the reef fish and coral communities. The second week
is then spent helping with the stereo video field surveys, analysing the stereo
video data and helping with the manatee monitoring programme. The research
objectives are:
• To quantify the reef fish communities in the Punta Frances National Park
and identify any significant changes from previous years.
• To quantify coral cover and community structure in the Punta Frances
National Park and identify any significant changes from previous years.
• To identify the manatee population and preferred feed areas in the southern
Isle of Youth.
Training week
The purpose of the first week is to get the students trained up so they can help
with the reef surveys in week two. The students will be split into 3 groups.
Those who are completing their PADI Open Water dive training course
in full.
Those who have already completed their theory and pool training in their
home country and will be doing their open water dives followed by inwater practicals designed to prepare them for the marine surveys.
Those who are already dive trained (or snorkelling) and will be taking part
in the reef ecology course.
Students will have the following lectures; Introduction to coral reef systems
(characteristics of reefs, reef formation, reef distribution), macroinvertebrates
(sponge guilds, anemone guilds, mollusc guild), coral identification (main
coral species found in Punta Frances), reef fish (herbivore guild, piscivore
guild, omnivore guild), marine survey methods (stereo video surveys,
underwater visual census methods, benthic surveys) global threats to reefs
(fisheries, coastal development, global warming) and marine conservation
(marine protected areas in Cuba, management techniques).
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COUNTRIES - CUBA
Research week
In week 2 the teams will be divided into three groups, with two days spent in
each of the following activities:
Manatee monitoring
Those joining the manatee surveys will be briefed by the scientists on the
survey techniques and manatee ecology. Data are gathered daily by
30 minute point counts and transects from the research boat. In the narrow
mangrove channels and lagoons, side scan sonar surveys are used to identify
the position of any manatees. The GPS position of all manatee sightings over
the 7 week survey period are logged and environmental data (salinity,
temperature, aquatic vegetation) will be collected at each site to determine
the importance of freshwater upwellings and vegetation communities in
affecting the distribution of manatees. Indirect evidence of manatees like
faecal samples will be reported and collected for further analyses. There are
several lectures given during the manatee monitoring period covering the
following:
• Introduction to manatees, their habitat, and the background for this project.
• Classification and distribution of manatees.
• General characteristics and threats to manatees.
• How to assess habitat use and feeding habits of manatees.
• How to use the side scan sonar equipment for manatee studies.
Reef monitoring
For these two days the students will be staying overnight on the Felipe Poey
research ship but stay on the ship. During the day the students will be
helping with the stereo-video surveys of the reef fish communities.
In addition they will be diving with the teams recording benthic communities
from video transects.
Stereo video data analysis
For these two days the students will be based in the hotel and will be
involved in analysing the footage which is displayed on a computer screen
with the footage from the left and right videos synchronised. All species
filmed need to be identified and the length estimated by clicking on the
screen on the front and tail of each fish on the left screen and again on the
right. The software then calculates the length of the fish and this needs to be
recorded in an Excel table against each species name. Only fish within the
2.5m x 2.5m x 50m study cuboid are recorded.
In the evenings and during free time between stereo video analysis sessions
the students working in small groups will be expected to complete
background research on one of a given series of research questions and
prepare a joint presentation.
Facilities
All the teams will be staying in the Colony Hotel which has air conditioned
rooms a swimming pool and showers. Breakfast and dinner are taken at the
hotel with packed lunches provided for the field team. The marina is where
the three research boats are based. The manatee and dive boats will be
returning to the marina on a nightly basis but the Felipe Poey research
vessel, which is being used as the platform for the reef video and photo
surveys, will be moored in the Punta Frances National Park on some nights
so students will stay overnight on the ship when working on this project. The
Felipe Poey has berths both above and below decks, though most people
choose to sleep under the stars on the top deck (under
a mosquito net).
What are the benefits of mangroves to marine ecosystems?
How will climate change affect coral reefs?
How can you most accurately assess fish and benthic communities on reefs?
What is a symbiotic relationship and what examples can be found on reefs?
How can manatee populations be assessed?
What are the main Marine Protected Areas in Cuba and how are
they managed?
25
MEXICO
The Mexican research project is run in the vast Mayan Jungle (Selva Maya)
that covers the southern section of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and
extends into the neighbouring state of Chiapas to the east and the Petén region
of Guatemala to the south. This dense jungle is the largest expanse of tropical
forest outside of the Amazon. In addition to a large collection of Ancient
Mayan ruins, the Selva Maya is one of the largest remaining strongholds of
endangered mammals such as jaguar and tapir. The Operation Wallacea
research project is based in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve which is an
UNESCO World Heritage Site. The data collected by students will be used to
apply for long-term funding to protect the Calakmul forests and wildlife from
deforestation and hunting under the Reduction in Emissions from
Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+ scheme).
The specific research objectives are:
• To ecord data on tree diversity and tree volume in order to calculate reliable
estimates of the carbon biomass contained in Calakmul, which will
determine the extent of funding that can be obtained from REDD.
• To assist in the biodiversity surveys of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and
birds completed by specialists, which will also determine the extent of
funding that can be obtained from REDD.
• To ascertain population density of large mammals to enable creation
of sustainable hunting quotas for buffer zone communities.
The second week of the expedition will be run from the marine research site
operated by Operation Wallacea in Akumal. Akumal is a popular tourist
destination due to the beautiful beaches, coral reefs and permanent presence
of turtles in Akumal Bay. However, if not carefully managed, tourism will start
to impact on the coral reef ecosystem causing irrevocable damage. The main
research objective at Akumal is to complete annual monitoring of the coral
and reef fish communities and to measure water quality as a means of
determining how water contamination and sedimentation affect the coral reef
system. During this week the students will mainly be completing dive training
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COUNTRIES - MEXICO
or the Caribbean reef ecology course (if already dive certified or wishing only
to snorkel) but they will also contribute to some ongoing data collection.
During in-water practicals (diving or snorkelling) students will assist with
abundance surveys of lion fish (an invasive species) and sea urchins
(important grazers that maintain coral health). In their spare time, students
will be helping with surveys to determine the annual abundance and
distribution of turtle nesting sites, abundance and health of juvenile turtles
in the sea grasses of Akumal Bay and tourist surveys used to determine the
carrying capacity of the bay.
Forest week
The teams will spend their time in the jungle field camps distributed across
the Calakmul reserve but with a day visit to the Calakmul archaeological site.
During their week in the Mayan jungle the students will complete 12 half days
of activities as follows:
• Introduction to the Ancient Maya. This introduction to the Ancient Maya
includes a museum tour, a guided tour of the breathtaking Calakmul
ruins and information relating to the effect of Ancient Mayan agro-forestry
on tree and wildlife diversity in the reserve.
• Jungle skills training. Mayan forest ecology and conservation lectures.
This lecture course on Mayan Forest Ecology consists of 6 lectures
covering the following topics: Biodiversity, (evolution and classification),
Endemism, (biodiversity hotspots and forest structure in Calakmul
Biosphere Reserve), Herpetofauna and adaptation (reptile and amphibian
diversity in Calakmul, snake teeth and venom, Batesian mimicry,
herpetofauna survey methods), Neotropical birds (bird identification and
ecology, birds as indicators of forest health, bird survey methods),
Neotropical mammals (effect of forest disturbance on bat diversity, forest
ungulates and seed predation, spider monkey social structure, jaguar
ranging patterns in Calakmul, mammal survey methods) and Conservation
synthesis (the use of Opwall datasets to monitor changes to forest cover
and biodiversity over time, GIS and modelling species distribution
patterns, sustainable hunting of peccary and deer, REDD scheme).
• Carbon biomass and habitat surveys. Students will work
alongside the habitat survey team to mark and then survey 20m x 20m
forest quadrats. Surveys will involve numbering all trees for subsequent
species identification, measuring the diameter at breast height (DBH) and
height or each tree, measuring all dead wood (because even dead wood
contains carbon) and counting the number of the saplings in the quadrat.
Biodiversity surveys. Students will work alongside a range of specialist
teams to complete surveys on:
• Mist net surveys for birds (includes learning how to identify birds in
the hand and take morphometric measurements).
• Scan search sampling for herpetofauna from forest transects.
• Pitfall trap surveys for herpetofauna next to aguadas (temporary lakes).
days and they then join the Caribbean reef ecology course.
Students can also participate in the following additional activities:
• Lion fish and sea urchin monitoring.
• Turtle nesting site monitoring.
• Tourist surveys in the bays and lagoon.
Facilities
At Calakmul the students will be staying in hammocks or tents at one of the
jungle camps with field type bathroom facilities. The second week is a bit
more comfortable with students based in shared dormitories from 2 - 8
people close to the marine research centre in Akumal.
• Mist netting for bats.
How can carbon stock of forests be calculated and linked to REDD
payments?
• Dawn point counts for birds.
Describe the social structure of spider monkeys.
• Large mammal transect surveys based on visual encounters
(e.g. primates and deer) and tracks (e.g. jaguar and tapir).
Marine week
During their marine week the students will be completing one of the
following options:
• Completion of a Caribbean reef ecology course consisting of lectures and
in water practicals either by diving (if a qualified diver) or snorkelling.
The lectures cover an introduction to coral reef ecosystem (characteristics
of a reef, reef formation), coral and algal species (growth forms and
common species), mangrove and seagrass ecology (importance of
connective systems, threats to mangroves), economically important
invertebrates (lobster fishery, aquarium trade), identification of coral reef
fish (main reef fish families), reef survey techniques (quadrats, transects,
stereo video), threats to and conservation of reefs (Akumal case study,
other marine protected areas in the Caribbean).
Describe how camera trapping is used to estimate jaguar, puma and tapir
population levels.
How are large mammal stocks estimated in the Mayan forests and used
to set hunting quotas?
Describe the structure of the ancient Mayan city of Calakmul.
What are the main nest habitat requirements for Loggerhead, Green
and Hawksbill turtles?
Can the growth of tourism at Akumal be achieved whilst still protecting
the turtle populations?
27
TRANSYLVANIA
This expedition is different to the others in that the teams are mobile
throughout the two weeks and will be spending a few nights in a series of
picturesque Saxon villages in the foothills of the Carpathians within the
Tarnava Mare Natura 2000 Area. This area comprises 85,000 ha of
particularly rich landscape and is one of Europe’s last medieval landscapes,
with probably the most extensive flower-rich grasslands remaining in lowland
Europe as well as the continent’s last lowland bears and wolves. The
landscape still presents a medieval land-use pattern - forested ridges and
gullies, pasture and hay meadows on gentler slopes and terraces and arable
land and smaller meadows on the flat valley bottoms near villages.
Inclusion of the area in the EU Natura 2000 network enables funding to be
obtained to maintain the low input traditional based farming that has created
such a high biodiversity. The Opwall teams are completing an annual survey of
the effectiveness in maintaining the traditional farming practices and in
protecting the biodiversity in this outstanding area. The work is being
completed with ADEPT, a Romanian based NGO, Oxford University Biodiversity
Institute that are responsible for the satellite monitoring of change in habitats
and farming practices (e.g. crops, field size, hedgerow length), with the
Opwall teams providing annual data on a series of biodiversity performance
and farming criteria that can need monitoring on the ground.
Itinerary for Tarnava Mare surveys
The 15 study villages have been grouped into clusters of 3 villages each and
over the course of the expedition each group of students will spend 3 - 4 days
surveying in each of the target valleys and will then trek over the hills to the
next village. In each valley the students will be split into one of four groups
and over the course of the two weeks will have the chance to participate in
each of the study teams for two days.
Butterfly and plant team
This team will concentrate on target butterfly and 30 target plant species that
are good indicators of grassland types or have medicinal use. Transects will
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COUNTRIES - TRANSYLVANIA
be completed on lowland hay meadow, lowland cattle grazing pasture, upland
hay meadow and upland sheep grazing pasture to record all the target species
and their abundance. There will also be standard sweeps with nets to take
samples of the grasshopper species.
Birds and woodland structure.
This team will complete an early morning bird transect where all birds will be
identified and their distance from the transect line estimated using a range
finder. Particular attention will be paid to raptor abundance (Lesser Spotted
Eagle, Short-toed Eagle, Honey Buzzard) and woodpeckers. The middle part
of the day will be spent completing woodland structure samples on 20m x
20m sample areas to obtain data on species and age class structure and
levels of regeneration.
Mammals and Herpetofauna.
This team will complete a long transect starting as close to dawn as possible
to record bears (sightings and signs) and to install/check camera traps for
sightings of other mammals. In addition cover boards will be checked for
snakes and lizards and wetlands checked for amphibian species. Note this is
one of the most species rich areas for amphibians in Europe with threatened
species such as Yellow-bellied Toad being widely distributed.
Farm team.
A few farms from each village will be selected for annual monitoring. The
leader of the farm team will produce detailed maps of each of the study farm
with features of wildlife interest annotated whilst the team will collect data on
livestock numbers owned by the farmer (cattle, sheep, goats), numbers of
sheep in pendulation, meadow mowing regime and data on cattle milk yields.
In addition on some nights after dark there will be the opportunity to join one
of the following teams:
• Light trapping for moths. Light traps will be run for a standard number
of hours of darkness in each village and all large moth species identified
to species.
• Mist netting and using a bat detector to determine the bat communities.
• Taped calls in the hour before nightfall to determine numbers of
corncrake. After dark spotlight transect surveys of a woodland transect
will be completed to quantify owl species contacts.
• Observations of bear and wild boar in the wild at dusk or dawn from
hides positioned near bear den sites.
The students will also be completing a Transylvanian Ecology course
comprising the following lectures: Saxon history, management of the
landscape and threats to this landscape (settlement of Saxons, farming
strategies), plant and invertebrate diversity (Great Burnet plant. Large Blue
butterfly and ant interdependence, indicator species of ancient hay
meadows), herpetofauna of Europe (amphibians snakes), birds of eastern
Europe (corncrakes, owls, woodpeckers), bears, wolves and cats of
Europe (brown bear management, wolf ecology, cat species in Europe)
and conservation strategies in Transylvania (Habitats and Bird Directives,
ecotourism, traditional products).
Facilities
The students will be staying in tented camps or local houses during the
surveys. When trekking between villages, heavy bags will be transported by
ox cart. Note this project involves a reasonable amount of trekking and
staying in local Saxon villages in a remote part of Carpathia.
How are European brown bear populations estimated?
Can wolf populations be sustained within Europe?
How do the nine woodpecker species of Europe separate their niches?
Why is Transylvania such a hotspot for European amphibian diversity?
Describe the relationship between the Great Burnet plant, the
Large Blue butterfly and ants.
Are European Union farm subsidies a threat or benefit to nature conservation?
Do the Habitat and Birds Directives make a difference to nature?
29
ECUADOR
This Ecuador expedition is a challenging expedition that runs in two very
different forest types: Andean tropical cloud forest and lowland tropical forest.
The first week is run high in the species-rich cloud forest of Santa Lucia
Reserve famous for its diversity of bird species and a part of the ChocóAndean protected forest corridor in NW Ecuador. Students will spend their
first week at the Santa Lucia lodge, a 2 hour trek up into the Andean forests,
with an international team of researchers who are collecting data on the
carbon, biodiversity and also assessing the health of the forest. The data
collected will contribute to a submission of the forests to be funded and
protected under the Reduction in Emissions from Deforestation and forest
Degradation (REDD schemes). The first week will also prepare students for the
adventures of heading into the lowland jungle camp.
The second week involves a transfer and a strenuous trek deep into the
Chocóan tropical lowland forests of NW Ecuador to a jungle camp. This site
has recently been identified by our scientific team as maintaining one of the
last healthy populations of the critically endangered brown-headed spider
monkey, Ateles fusciceps, other primates and species now rare or absent
throughout most of Ecuador such as the jaguar, Panthera onca. The 2014
Operation Wallacea will be part of a team at this biodiversity hotspot site that is
collecting information on these endangered species and their habitat with the
aim of submitting the forests to be managed as a community protected reserve.
Cloud forest week
During the forest week the students will complete:
Jungle skills and fieldwork practices – students will gain an awareness
of dangerous plants and animals; awareness of disease and health issues
working in a tropical rainforest; safe working practices in remote locations.
This will prepare you for the different forest types – both cloud forest and
lowland jungle forest.
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COUNTRIES - ECUADOR
Forest measurement. Students will be trained to collect habitat
measurements within our forest plots that aim to understand the role of
disturbance in maintaining such a high diversity of tree species in tropical
rainforests.
Carbon monitoring plot. Students will work in teams to establish carbon
dynamics plots. These hectare plots contribute to a global network of
forest plots that aim to understand the impact of global climate change on
tropical forests. These are the first plots established for the Western
Ecuadorian Andes. Students will work in 20m x 20m subplots to collect
data on woody species, the diameter at breast height of all woody species
and fit dendrometers that measure the growth rates of trees.
Biodiversity measurement and monitoring techniques. Students will
gain an understanding of survey techniques for a range of fauna and help
with various long term surveys, this is likely to include:
Bird point counts. Where the students will be able to join an early
morning bird point count and learn how the technique works.
Camera trapping survey. Involving setting camera trap sites,
conducting a habitat survey at each site, collection and processing
of collected data (images).
Establishment of pitfall traps for herpetofauna. The students
will practice setting up pitfall traps used to survey for reptiles
and amphibians.
Small mammal trapping. This session involves checking previously
baited traps for small mammals, identifying any individuals caught and
marking them before release (Mark Release Recapture).
Light trapping for invertebrates. A light trap will be set to monitor
nocturnal invertebrates.
Bat survey and monitoring techniques. This practical will introduce
students to techniques used to survey and monitor bats. They will be
introduced to bat netting and electronic bat detectors. In the evening
they will compare bat densities in a range of habitats to familiarise
themselves with the techniques.
Lowland Forest Week
The Brown-headed Spider Monkey is considered a ‘flagship’ species as it
can focus conservation attention on the area. It is also an ‘umbrella species’
as it requires pristine forest to survive hence protecting the habitat of this
species also protects a myriad of others with less demanding habitat
requirements. Students will work with our team of international scientists and
‘parabiologists’ (indigenous and community members trained in collection
of scientific datasets) to:
Habituate a group of spider monkeys and collect behavioural and
movement information to understand their habitat requirement.
Collect data from a network of 10x100m forest plots used to study fruiting
phenology to determine the carrying capacity of the forest system and
guide reserve design.
Map forest types to ground truth satellite imagery for reserve design.
Establish and maintain a network of camera traps to build an inventory
of mammals.
Help with biodiversity surveys of invertebrates, herpetofauna, birds and
mammals using the techniques learned in the cloud forest site.
Facilities
In the cloud forest week students will be staying at the Santa Lucia lodge
which is extremely comfortable and provides sleeping accommodation in
a mix of double and shared rooms. There are shared bathrooms with hot
showers and in addition to ordinary toilets the lodge has compost toilets to
minimise contamination. Eating is a communal activity and meals, cooked
by reserve staff, combine traditional Ecuadorian and international recipes and
where possible staff will use organic produce from the garden. The scientific
team are building a field laboratory at Santa Lucia with lecture space that will
be ready for the 2014 season. The second week in the lowland forest will be
based in a remote jungle camp where the students will be sleeping in
hammocks or tents. Working at pioneering field research sites in new areas
such as this one is a very different experience and is much tougher than the
cloud forest week! Toilet facilities are ‘back to nature’ earth closets with
washing with biodegradable soap takes place in curtained off cubicles where
you can pour water over yourself.
Optional Galapagos week
There is the option to swap the second jungle week, or add an extra week,
and travel to the Galapagos Islands. Based on San Cristóbal Island (or
Chatham Island) you will have the opportunity to see some of the unique
species that inspired Darwin. Trips include the opportunity to visit famous
marine snorkelling sites to see schools of hammerhead sharks, eagle rays,
scorpion fish, harlequin wrasse and Galapagos sharks. Please note getting
and staying on the Galapagos Islands is not cheap and there is a substantial
additional cost over and above the costs of the Opwall expeditions – please
check with your local Opwall office for the costings.
Example research questions for IB, EPQ and CoPE
How can you best design a protected area to conserve primates?
Why are there so many species in Neotropical forests?
How can you quantify the effects of forest disturbance on species?
Why can a little bit of disturbance be good for species diversity?
How can you estimate the population number of tropical forest cats?
What is community-based ecotourism and what are its benefits
to conservation?
What are the impacts of climate change to lowland and cloud forests?
Can the new REDD scheme make forests valuable enough
to stop deforestation for timber?
31
ORGANISING A SCHOOL EXPEDITION
School expeditions (students aged 16-18) need to be organised by teachers
from the school who will accompany the group in the field. There is one free
place (does not include flights, internal travel, park fees, dive learning
materials or dive hire) for a teacher for each group of 8 paying students or part
thereof. Thus, if there is a group of 20 students interested, then there will be
2 free teacher places and an additional teacher could join for 50% of the
costs. Note, in Canada where the whole expedition is packaged by Victor
Travel, the free teacher places are included in the package. The teachers’
role is to ensure the groups get to the start and end points of the expeditions
safely. During expedition Opwall staff are responsible for the activities and
safety of the group. The teachers will join in with the research programmes
and are responsible only for pastoral (personal welfare) issues relating to their
group. Please note that school students cannot join the research expeditions
unless they are part of a team led by a teacher.
Groups take between 10 and 20 months to organise their expedition from
initial meeting to going into the field. As a teacher there are various stages
to organising an expedition which are described below:
Initial meeting
This is normally a 10 – 20 minute introductory meeting at school between
interested teachers and Opwall education staff, so that they can be introduced
to the research programmes, safety systems and educational benefits. If at the
end of this meeting, the teachers are interested then a date and time are
arranged for an evening presentation to explain the programme to students
and their parents along with the interested staff members. Note there is no
commitment in arranging an evening presentation and if at the end of the talk
the decision is that a group will not be going from the school, then there are
no costs payable.
After this initial meeting, the teacher chooses their preferred expedition
destination and selects a favoured project with a possible back up country to
32
be given at the evening presentation. Opwall then forwards all the relevant
health and safety documentation regarding the preferred expeditions so the
process of approval can be started.
Evening presentation
This is shortly after (1 – 2 months) the initial meeting. Once the preferred
country has been selected and the health and safety issues have been
considered. The presentation to students, parents and the interested teachers
describes the research objectives, facilities, timetable for the group and the
learning objectives of the schools proposed expedition.
Some expedition weeks are very popular so it is advisable for a school to hold
places on particular expeditions before their evening presentation and for up
to 1 month after the presentation, with no financial commitment. If the held
places are not needed the school just cancels them and they are allocated to
another school waiting to hold places on that expedition.
Making a booking
From the date of the evening presentation the group have a month to secure
their place. If they are going then the lead organiser at the School completes
the booking form with the group names. All student group members then pay
a non refundable deposit for the preferred expedition dates. Opwall then
issues an invoice to the school with a schedule of agreed installments with
the final payment being made 3 months before departure. Any teacher costs
will be invoiced the April before the expedition starts. Payments can be made
via cheques or BACs transfer (bank transfer).
Fundraising meeting
If the group wants to fundraise for part or all of the expedition costs then
Opwall will arrange for a professional fundraiser to meet with the interested
students and parents as soon as possible after the evening presentation. The
purpose of the meeting is for the fundraiser to explain what activities, events
and other fundraising ideas schools can use to reach their fundraising target
and the likely income from each of these activities. The objective is for the
group to develop a fundraising plan with details of activities and events to be
completed and the estimated income from each. It is extremely beneficial if
the parents can stay involved with the fundraising. If the students are doing
external qualifications such as CoPE, this planning and implementation of a
fundraising plan is part of their qualification and an assessor will be sent to
review their progress later in the process.
Organising travel
Once the school is booked on then we have a Bookings Team based at
Opwall who will liaise with travel agents and obtain the best quotes for the
international flights for the school. We will be using Round the World
Experts RTWE (www.roundtheworldexperts.co.uk) as the preferred travel
agency for most countries except where we have specialist travel agencies
(e.g. Special Delivery for Maltese departures) or there are low cost airlines
(e.g. Wizz Air for UK departures to Transylvania) RTWE have numerous
offices around the World and can provide competitive prices for departures
from most European countries, US, China and Australia. Once the school is
satisfied the best international flight quote has been obtained then they can
make the booking directly with the travel agency in their country.
Round The World Experts:
email: opwall@rtwexperts.co.uk
Tel: 08444 535956
International contact: +44(0)203 056 1130
In the US the flights are being organised through Liberty Travel, that
have a network of offices in each of the US states but are headquartered
in Ramsey, New Jersey
email: opwall@libertytravel.com
In Australia the flights are being organised through Student Flights:
email: opwall@studentflights.com.au
In China the flights are being organised through
email: opwall@flightcentre.com.hk
The in-country travel can be handled through the Opwall office making it
much simpler for the school to arrange their travel to and from the start and
finish points of the expedition. Once the group have their international flights
booked, the Bookings Team will organise the transfers to and from the start
and finish points of the expedition using the in-country travel agents and
NGO’s that have organised these transfers for the last few years for Opwall
expeditions. Payments for these internal transfer packages can be made
directly to your local Opwall office so there is no need to make international
bank transfers.
Note for Canadian schools, the travel and expedition are packaged together
through Victor Travel (Tel: 1-866-699-0199
email opwall@cwtvictortravel.ca).
Insurance
Opwall provides £1 million medical and evacuation insurance cover for all
participants in the expedition. We do this through the Bluefin Group and
detailed medical and evacuation plans are sent to their evacuation and
medical emergency team provided by CEGA in advance of the expeditions.
Thus, if there are any medical issues on the expeditions, then all the costs
have been agreed in advance and there are no delays in any additional
medical support needed or evacuations. This medical and evacuation
insurance also includes the period covering travel to and from the site.
In addition to this medical cover then please check the school insurance
cover for participants on school trips also include:
• If any of the group have an existing medical condition that may be
exacerbated by the expedition and require additional medical treatment
in hospital other than that provided by the Opwall medical staff in the
field at each site, or may even require repatriation in severe cases then the
Opwall medical and evacuation cover will not cover the costs of this
additional medical treatment and evacuation. If the school policy does not
cover pre-existing medical conditions then specialist insurance cover can
be obtained from companies such as the following:
www.allcleartravel.co.uk, www.medicitravel.co.uk,
www.insurancewith.com, www.free-spirit.com, www.essentialtravel.co.uk
33
• Need to cancel the expedition and flights because of a death of a member
of the travel party, call for jury duty of one of the accompanying teachers,
or adverse weather conditions making it impossible for the group to reach
the departure point for the trip.
• Costs of re-booking connecting flights, boat or overland transfers to the
start and from the finish points of the expedition in the event of delays
caused in connecting flights or overland transfers due to delayed flights,
ferries or buses because of mechanical breakdown of transport or adverse
weather conditions, strikes, industrial action, riot or civil commotion, bomb
scares, criminal or terrorist acts, etc.
• Loss of personal baggage, clothing or items such as cameras or
electronic items or the costs of having to buy replacement items
if baggage is delayed.
If the school policy does not include these items then a policy which dovetails
into the medical and evacuation insurance cover already purchased for the
group by Opwall can be obtained from the Bluefin Group (01245 291167 or
travel.enquiries@bishopskinner.com) and please advise that you are travelling
with Operation Wallacea. Note travel insurance which covers some or all of
these points can be purchased from a number of sources but please check
that any insurance purchased includes all the activities for which the students
will be participating on their Opwall expedition (e.g. some policies exclude
diving). If you are joining the expedition from outside the UK and do not have
a UK address then you can contact the Bluefin group for advice on local
insurance agents in your country that would sell the top up cover. Note: for
Canadian schools joining the expeditions all the travel insurance elements
described above are included in the package provided by Victor Travel.
34
Information collection
In November/December before the expedition starts the teacher will need to
check that all the students have passports with more than 6 months left on
them before the return date of the expedition (if not they need to order
replacements immediately). In addition, the teacher will need to check that all
students have the required vaccinations for their country of visit. Whilst the
travel arrangements are being made the Bookings Team will need to collect
the details of each participant in the school group (passport numbers,
nationality, passport expiry, health issues, dietary issues etc). If the group is
diving the PADI forms (health, assumption of risks and liability forms) will
need to be completed by the students and signed by their parents (and
doctors if necessary). These forms will need to be collected ahead of the
expedition and copies sent to Opwall. The originals of the forms are retained
by the teacher and taken into the field with them.
Expedition preparation
A few months before your expedition the Opwall team running the research
programme in the country where your group will be going will contact you to
organise a meeting or webinar (online presentation) to help the students
prepare for the expedition. It is an important meeting that ensures you are fully
prepared for your expedition. Most schools will have their own internal
meeting with parents and students (often on the same day as the training
day). It can prove to be a vital meeting to go over details, costs, fundraising,
health and safety issues, travel etc.
Costs
The cost of all the expeditions payable to Opwall is £1,150 (UK and
Europe), US $1,850 (US, China, Hong Kong), Can $1,850 (Canada),
Aus $1850 (Australia). This cost covers all the transport around the sites
from the start and finish points of the expedition at all sites except northern
Madagascar. The cost also covers food, accommodation, training courses
that form part of the schools programmes (e.g. PADI Open Water dive
training), diving or snorkelling, participation in the various science projects,
safety and medical cover and medical and evacuation insurance cover.
In addition one teacher goes free for each group of 8 students.
The travel costs to and from the start and finish point of the expeditions
are not covered. The Bookings Team at Opwall will research the best
international airfare quotes for the group and the school will then book
the flights directly with the travel agent. Once the international flights are
organised the Opwall Bookings Team will then organise the travel from arrival
in country to the start and back from the finish of the expeditions and this
will be charged separately to the school.
The international and in-country travel costs vary enormously depending
in which country the school is based and the distance/cost of travel once
in-country. For some countries (e.g. Transylvania, Honduras, Mexico) the
start of the expeditions is not far from the international arrival point, whereas
for others (e.g. Madagascar, Ecuador/Galapagos) the travel is much more
extensive. When deciding which of the expeditions would be of most
interest please ask your local Opwall office for an estimate of the total costs
including international flights. It is best to slightly overestimate the total
costs when the school decides on the total sum each student will need to
pay because of uncertainties over the costs of international flights.
INDONESIA
The start point of the expeditions is Labundo on Buton Island in SE
Sulawesi on Thursday at 0800hrs and the end point of the expedition is
Hoga Island in the Wakatobi Marine National Park on Wednesday at
0600hrs. The groups need to be in Makassar (known locally as Ujung
Pandang on airline schedules) by the Tuesday before their expedition starts
and can organise their international flights from Makassar back home from the
Thursday after their expedition finishes.
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
START DATE IN
LABUNDO
FINISH DATE
IN HOGA
1
Thursday 19 June 2014
Wednesday 02 July 2014
2
3
Thursday 03 July 2014
4
5
6
Wednesday 06 August 2014
7
8
Thursday 07 August 2014
In addition to the dates for the main season there are smaller survey teams on
site from Sunday 1 December 2013 to Saturday 21 December 2013 and
from Sunday 9 March to Saturday 26 April 2014 dates when school
groups can join the survey teams. Note the academic teams are smaller at this
time of year and you would need to contact your local Opwall office for a
detailed description of the research that would be undertaken.
In Canada, all travel costs will be included in the pckage price quoted
at the evening presentation.
35
HONDURAS
SOUTH AFRICA
Expeditions start in San Pedro Sula on Wednesday at 0700hrs and finish in
La Ceiba or Tela on Tuesday at 0800hrs. The groups need to be in
San Pedro Sula on the Tuesday before their expedition start and can arrange
for flights from San Pedro Sula from 1600hrs on the Tuesday of the expedition
finish date.
The expeditions start on a Saturday at 0800hrs at one of the Kruger or
KwaZulu Natal reserves and finish on a Friday at 0800hrs at Sodwana Bay.
The groups will need to arrive in Johannesburg on the Thursday afternoon so
they stay overnight or very early on the Friday morning before 0900hrs of their
start date. Flights back from Johannesburg can be arranged from 1900hrs on
the Friday of the expedition finish date.
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
START DATE IN
SAN PEDRO SULA
FINISH DATE IN
LA CEIBA/TELA
1
Wednesday 11 June 2014
Tuesday 24 June 2014
2
Tuesday 01 July 2014
3
4
5
6
7
Tuesday 05 August 2014
8
In addition to the dates for the main season there are also survey teams on
site from Saturday 9 March to Sunday 17 March 2013 dates when school
groups can join the survey teams. These dates are open for school groups but
you would need to contact your local Opwall office for a detailed description
of the research that would be undertaken and how it differs from the
main season.
36
PRICES AND DATES
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
START DATE IN KRUGER OR
KWAZULU NATAL RESERVE
FINISH DATE IN
SODWANA BAY
1
Saturday 14 June 2014
Friday 27 June 2014
2
Friday 04 July 2014
3
Friday 11 July 2014
4
Saturday 05 July 2014
Friday 18 July 2014
5
Friday 25 July 2014
6
Friday 01 August 2014
7
8
Saturday 02 August 2014
In addition to the dates for the main season there are also survey teams on
site from Saturday 30 November 2013 to Friday 20 December 2013
and from Saturday 8 March to Friday 25 April 2014 dates when school
groups can join the survey teams. Note this is during the South African
summer so there is more emphasis on biodiversity monitoring at this time
of year and less on the impacts on vegetation. These dates are open for
school groups but you would need to contact your local Opwall office for
a detailed description of the research that would be undertaken and how it
differs from the main season.
AMAZONIA (PERU)
MADAGASCAR
All expeditions start at the Casa Moray, Iquitos on a Sunday at 1200hrs
and finish at the same location on a Friday at 2000hrs. Groups need to
arrive in Iquitos on the Saturday before their expedition start date and to book
their return flights from the Saturday after their expedition.
The Mahamavo expedition in northern Madagascar starts on the Sunday at
1600hrs at Mariarano village and finishes on the Saturday at 0800hrs
at Nosy Be airport. Groups joining this project need to arrive in Antananarivo
by the Friday before their project starts. Note Madagascar Air that has
exclusive use of the internal Madagascar routes has a habit of switching
schedules at the last minute so plenty of time is required if travelling in
Madagascar so there is the option of going overland. On this expedition the
group has to pay for the overland transfer between Mariarano and Nosy Be at
the end of week 1. The group can fly back from Antananarivo on the Sunday
after their project finishes.
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
START DATE
IN IQUITOS
FINISH DATE
IN IQUITOS
1
Sunday 15 June 2014
Friday 27 June 2014
2
Sunday 29 June 2014
Friday 11 July 2014
3
Sunday 13 July 2014
Friday 25 July 2014
4
Sunday 27 July 2012
In addition to the dates for the main season there are survey teams on site
from Sunday 1 December 2013 to Friday 20 December 2013 and from
Sunday 9 March to Friday 25 April 2014 dates when school groups can
join the survey teams. Water levels at these times of year differ from the
main season and during high water times then surveys such as those on the
fish are not possible. You should contact your local Opwall office for a
detailed description of the research that would be undertaken and how it
differs from the main season.
The Ifotaka expedition starts on Sunday at 0800hrs at Ifotaka village and
finishes on Saturday at 0800hrs at Antananarivo airport. The costs of
internal travel in Madagascar for this expedition are lower than for the northern
option since only a single flight to Fort Dauphin is required .The groups need
to arrive in Antananarivo on the Friday before their expedition start date and
can fly back on the Saturday at the end of their expedition after 1200hrs.
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
START DATE IN
MARIARANO OR IFOTAKA
FINISH DATE IN NOSY BE
OR ANTANANARIVO
1
Sunday 22 June 2014
2
Sunday 29 June 2014
3
Sunday 06 July 2014
4
Sunday 13 July 2014
5
Sunday 20 July 2014
6
Sunday 27 July 2014
7
Sunday 03 August 2014
37
EGYPT
GUYANA
The expeditions start from the Fox Camp in St Katherine on
Sunday at 1400hrs and finish on a Saturday at 0800hrs at Dahab.
Groups need to arrive in Sharm el Sheikh by 1000hrs on the Sunday of the
start date of their expedition and organise their return flights from Sharm
el Sheikh for after 1400hrs on the Saturday.
The expeditions start on a Tuesday at 1500hrs at the Iwokrama Research
Centre and finish on a Monday at 0800hrs at Surama Village. Groups need
to arrive in Georgetown by the Monday evening before their expedition starts
and to arrange homeward flights from Georgetown on the Tuesday after the
expedition finishes.
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
START DATE AT
ST KATHERINE
FINISH DATE
IN DAHAB
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
EXPEDITION START DATE
IN IWOKRAMA
EXPEDITION FINISH DATE
IN SURAMA
1
Sunday 29 June 2014
1
Monday 30 June 2014
2
Monday 07 July 2014
2
Sunday 06 July 2014
3
Sunday 13 July 2014
3
Monday 14 July 2014
4
Sunday 20 July 2014
4
Monday 21 July 2014
5
Sunday 27 July 2014
5
Monday 28 July 2014
6
Monday 04 August 2014
7
CUBA
The expeditions start on a Friday at 1200hrs at the Colony Hotel, Isla de la
Juventud and finish on a Thursday at 1400hrs at the same location. Groups
need to arrive in Havana on the Thursday before their expedition starts and to
arrange flights from Havana for the Friday after their expedition ends.
38
PRICES AND DATES
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
START DATE IN
ISLE OF YOUTH
FINISH DATE IN
ISLE OF YOUTH
1
Friday 13 June 2014
2
Friday 20 June 2014
3
Friday 27 June 2014
4
Friday 04 July 2014
5
Friday 11 July 2014
6
Friday 18 July 2014
MAYAN FORESTS, YUCATAN (MEXICO)
TRANSYLVANIA (ROMANIA)
The expeditions start on a Monday at 1300hrs at Calakmul Biosphere
Reserve in the Yucatan peninsular of Mexico and finish at Akumal on a
Sunday at 1200hrs. Groups need to arrive in Cancun by 1400hrs on the
Sunday before their expedition starts and to organise flights leaving Cancun
after 1800hrs on the Sunday of the last day of their expedition.
The expeditions start in Sighisoara on a Wednesday at 1500hrs and
finishes at the same point on Tuesday at 1400hrs. The groups need to arrive
at Tirgu Mures by 1300hrs on the start date of the expedition and to arrange
return flights for the Wednesday after the expedition finishes.
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
START DATE
IN CALAKMUL
FINISH DATE
IN AKUMAL
1
Monday 23 June 2014
Sunday 06 July 2014
2
Monday 30 June 2014
Sunday 13 July 2014
3
Monday 07 July 2014
Sunday 20 July 2014
4
Monday 14 July 2014
Sunday 27 July 2014
5
Monday 21 July 2014
6
Monday 28 July 2014
7
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
START DATE
IN SIGHISOARA
FINISH DATE
IN SIGISHOARA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
ECUADOR
The expeditions start on a Tuesday at 1800hrs at the Santa Lucia Cloud
Forest Reserve and finish on a Monday at 0900hrs at the Tesoro Escondido
Forest Reserve. The group need to arrive in Quito on the Tuesday of their
expedition start date and organise flights back from Quito leaving on the
Tuesday after the expedition finishes.
2014 EXPEDITION
NUMBER
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
START DATE IN SANTA LUCIA
FINISH DATE IN TESORO
CLOUD FOREST RESERVE ESCONDIDO FOREST RESERVE
Monday 23 June 2014
Monday 30 June 2014
Monday 07 July 2014
Monday 14 July 2014
Monday 21 July 2014
Monday 28 July 2014
39
OPWALL OFFICES:
UK HEAD OFFICE:
Wallace House
Old Bolingbroke
Lincs PE23 4EX
UNITED KINGDOM
e: info@opwall.com
t: +44 (0)1790 763194
US OFFICE
P.O.Box 461
Point Pleasant
NJ 08742
USA
e: usa@opwall.com
t: +1 (973) 920-0487
CANADA OFFICE
P.O.BOX 43, Whitby
Ontario L1N 5R7
CANADA
e: canada@opwall.com
t: +1 (905) 231-2095
AUSTRALIA OFFICE
PO Box 651
The Gap
Queensland, 4061
AUSTRALIA
e: australia@opwall.com
t: +61 (42) 0379 005
CHINA OFFICE
39 Landianchang
South Road, Haidian District
Beijing 100097
CHINA
e: china@opwall.com
t: +86 10 8885 9088
SOUTH AFRICA OFFICE
262 Charles Street
Brooklyn, Pretoria 0181
SOUTH AFRICA
E: southafrica@opwall.com
t: +27 12 346 0272
SE ASIA OFFICE
PARTNERS: We have a number of partners in each country but the principal ones for each country are listed below:
Jalan Bintara No 7C
Bau-Bau, Sulawesi Tenggara
93717
INDONESIA
e: seasia@opwall.com
t: +62 (0)8124 572 4054
MEDITERRANEAN OFFICE
75 Old Railway Track
St Venera, SVR9016
MALTA
e: mediterranean@opwall.com
t: +356 21 48 40 75
As a member of the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT), Operation Wallacea has provided a Bond to meet the requirements of the
Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992. In the event of the Company’s insolvency this Bond provides security for all non flight
inclusive packages provided by Operation Wallacea. In the above circumstances, the following will apply:
• a refund of your pre-payments if you have not yet travelled; or
• if you are already on expedition the transport costs back to the start point of the expedition and costs incurred in changing your
return tickets plus refund of the percentage of the expedition payment for the cancelled part of the expedition.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The details of the expedition programmes described in this brochure are correct at the time of going to print. However, note that you
will be joining a real scientific expedition and that on occasions the work carried out on individual projects will differ from that described in order to
respond to scientific priorities. Please keep checking our website www.opwall.com for the most up-to-date information about the expeditions.

here - Operation Wallacea

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