Expeditions For Sixth Form Groups

The various biodiversity surveys being run as part of the Operation Wallacea programme are mostly carried out by university academics and university undergraduates acting as Research Assistants or completing dissertations or Senior Theses. However, there are some tasks that need a much greater amount of manpower than available just from university students. These tasks are being carried out by groups of sixth form groups from the UK, and senior High School students in the US and Canada. The groups will join the mixed teams of scientists and undergraduates but will undertake their own training programme before completing the survey tasks for which they have been trained. There are a number of different options available (see PowerPoint presentation of all sites) 

In Honduras the groups are helping with forest structure monitoring in the cloud forests of the Cusuco National Park as well as providing additional manpower for the biodiversity surveys. The second week is spent on a dive training or reef ecology course on the reefs of the Cayos Cochinos Islands or Utila (see PowerPoint presentation for details).  Honduras CoPE

In Indonesia the groups are helping with quantifying the degree of forest disturbance and helping with the biodiversity surveys on the endemic rich forests of the Wallacea region. The second week is spent on a dive training or a reef ecology course in the most biologically diverse reef systems on the plant (see Powerpoint presentation for details).

In South Africa the groups are helping with quantifying the level of elephant damage and the impact of fire on the savannah as well as helping with the large game surveys. The second week is spent on a dive training or a reef ecology course on perhaps the most exciting diving site with good chances of seeing some of the megafauna (see Powerpoint presentation for details). South Africa CoPE

In Peru the groups are based on a separate research ship in the Pacaya Samiria reserve in the headwaters of the Amazon and helping with boat based and land based transect surveys of primates, dolphins, caimans, turtles, birds and fish (see Powerpoint presentation for details).

In Egypt the groups are helping with plant, target invertebrate, reptile, bird and mammal surveys in the high mountains of the St Katherine Protectorate. The second week is spent on a dive training or reef ecology course on the Red Sea reefs (see Powerpoint presentation for details).

In Cuba the groups are competing BSAC dive training and then helping with manatee, reef fish and benthic surveys on the southern part of the main island off the coast of Cuba. (see Powerpoint presentation for details).  Cuba CoPE

In Madagascar the groups are helping with the lemur, reptile, bird and butterfly surveys in the dry forests of northwest Madagascar. The second week is spent on a dive training or reef ecology course on reefs of northwest Madagascar (see Powerpoint presentation for details).

In Guyana the groups are helping with forest structure, butterfly, reptile, amphibian, bird, large mammal and bat surveys in the Iwokrama forests. The second week is spent on a week long boat based survey of rivers going through the centre of the forests (see Powerpoint presentation for details). Note this is the most adventurous of all the expeditions.

 

All participants should therefore have the following opportunities:

 · chance to work alongside tropical biodiversity specialists for a few days whilst completing the survey training course. 
 · chance to contribute to real biodiversity surveys with clear conservation objectives 
 · chance to learn new skills (e.g. dive training). 
 · chance to visit remote rainforest, desert, savannah and reef areas. 

In addition planning, organising and participating in the expedition can be assessed to achieve a Certificate of Personal Effectiveness that is worth 70 UCAS points for each of the school group. If you are interested in hearing more about this opportunity then please contact the UK office (+44 1790 763194 or info@opwall.com) and they will arrange for one of the field staff with knowledge of the various sites to meet with the interested teachers. 

If it looks as though the school would like to proceed then the next stage is to organise an evening presentation for students and their parents and Opwall will organise a speaker with first hand knowledge of the expeditions. 

	To book an Operation Wallacea presentation at your school, or even just a 10 minute initial meeting with an Operation Wallacea representative, please contact the relevant Opwall office. Booking these meetings puts you under no obligation, it just gives us a chance to tell you about what we do, and how your school could work with us.
		Operation Wallacea is a member of the EPA (Expedition Providers Association) and the YET (Young Explorers Trust).  We are also members of ABTOT (the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited), through whom we are bonded in order to protect our customers monies.