Statia Conservation Project, Caribbean

  Caribbean

Rural Areas

Term: Throughout the year 
Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: January to December every year, for 1 to 6 month durations

Description: Volunteers are needed to work principally in the Marine Park on sea turtle monitoring and tagging on Zeelandia's beach - both hawksbill and leatherback turtles come to nest on this beach (during nesting season which runs from March to November). In addition, volunteers will work in the Quill National Park on trail maintenance and creating trails into the crater of the dormant volcano, as well as working in the botanical garden doing tree planting, creating look out gardens, giving tours to school children and so on. Outside of the turtle season, volunteers can also be involved with in-water turtle surveys - either by SCUBA diving or snorkelling, beach cleanup, and some daytime beach walks to monitor for hatchling emergence and so on.

Volunteers will camp and live in the botanical garden on the tranquil, tropical island of Statia and will be able to contribute to the preservation of the unique ecology found on the island and within the crater of the dormant volcano. Amazing diving and snorkelling opportunities to do in free time. Cost is 1130 GB pounds for 2 months, 640 GB pounds for 1 month. Food and living allowance (300 USD per month provided), plus 4x4 truck and project costs included.

Work involved within the projects:

Trail work in the Quill National Park volcano - you will work on building a stone stairway descending into the crater, and also on maintaining the old trail network leading up the top of the Quill. Species monitoring in the volcano - Antillian Iguana and Land Crab population studies in the volcano can also be done alongside the trail work.

In addition to the main part of the work, you may also be involved in the following projects:

Botanical garden - stone walls need to be built, planting, weeding, maintenance of the garden.

Marine Park - you may also have the opportunity to get SCUBA certified (at your own cost) and help out the park managers and interns by maintaining moorings by diving and scrubbing down lines, learning to splice rope, changing buoys as needed etc.

Longer term work could involve an invasive exotics removal programme whereby you could be involved in removing species, such as Coralita (or 'Mexican Creeper') which has taken over the island.

Sea turtle monitoring and tagging on the Zeelandia beach will also take place each night. Depending on the nesting of the hawksbill and leatherback turtles, you may take part in walking the beaches in the mornings looking for turtle tracks ' this could be done on rotational basis. Once the turtles come in, you would camp on the beach to catch the female while she is laying. This programme could be combined beach sand monitoring.

You will work from Monday through to Friday. A typical working day would start at 6/6.30am and involve hiking up the trail to the crater, and starting work at 7am until 11am. The afternoons will be free, where you can rest, dive, snorkel and enjoy the peace of Statia! You will also be able to camp in the crater, there are no mosquitoes and the vegetation is very lush. Bird watching skills could be very useful, to record all the species and sightings in the crater.

Highlights: Extra Activities for Volunteers:
A boat trip (1/2 of the volunteers for each trip) will be arranged around the island for day. In your free time, you will also be able to snorkel and dive in the beautiful untouched corals that surround Statia.

Qualifications: The main aim of the project is to assist St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation with the conservation of their two parks in the Marine Park and the Quill National Park. You will have the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge about conservation, the local flora and fauna of Statia and take part in trail work and species monitoring in the parks.

You should be at least 20 years old, fit, healthy and capable of carrying out manual work in all conditions in a hot climate. No specific skills are needed, but those with previous experience of manual conservation work, trail work, gardening etc. would be particularly useful, as well as those who are self-motivated, as you will get more out of the project if you are. The project will especially appeal to those with an interest in conservation and tropical botany. Anyone with additional skills, such as ornithology or marine biology (for future sea turtle projects) are especially welcome. In addition, for the trail work, some geometry, planning skills are needed, so those with mathematical and logical thinking would greatly benefit the project!

Cost in US$: USD 1300 for 2 months

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 20 yrs plus

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 8 volunteers

Year Founded: 1997