Volunteers In Conservation Presentation To Society Of Conservation Biology 2009

Conservation volunteers:  can anyone make a difference? Diogo Veríssimo*, David Jones & Rebeca Chaverri Playa Norte Marine Turtle Monitoring and  Conservation Programme

Introduction • Field research constraints:  • High costs / Low budgets • Qualified / Large workforce • The role of volunteers in conservation • On Playa Norte paying volunteers sustain  more than 90% of project running costs  – Equipment, staff wages, food, lodging

Volunteer profile • Around 220 volunteers, since 2006 • 70% of volunteers are female • Age range 18 to 55 years; 73% up to 25 years • 20 nationalities; 90% from EU, USA and Canada • Two thirds have no natural sciences  background

Nest poaching 

Nest poaching 

Human pressures around  Playa Norte

Paying volunteers  can provide  critical human and financial  resources for biodiversity  conservation in developing  countries

Thanks Volunteers and staff

Thanks Project partner

With financial support from

With institutional support from