Turtle conservation vacation in Costa Rica

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

Costa Rica is a global leader in renewable energy, primarily via hydropower, geothermal, wind, and solar. The rooms at the accommodation do not use air-con and fans are available.

Volunteers walk to their daily role patrolling the beaches and walk to the turtle egg hatchery where the eggs are kept safe before they hatch.

Vegetarian and vegan food is available each day and food is sourced locally and is seasonal.

We recommend that all volunteers take public transport from the capital San Jose to a town close to the project base to help reduce pollution. We can help arrange this travel route for our volunteers.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

This trip is truly nature positive from it's core. For over 10 years, the project has been run as a non-profit research and education center by members of the local community and Costa Rican scientists. It therefore has been able to form strong links with the local community to educate them on the importance of protecting Costa Rica’s incredible wildlife and help provide them opportunities to live in an environmentally sustainable way. The team and volunteers do community outreach activities with the local school or members of the community to educate them on the importance of conservation, turtle ecology and pollution control. This helps to instill a passion for turtle conservation with the local community.

A main objective of the project’s work is to protect coastal marine resources and develop a model of sustainable ecological tourism, this is directly helping to restore nature. Before the project was established many turtle eggs were poached by local poachers who sold the eggs, this lead to a a huge reduction in the number of hatchlings which we able to successfully hatch and reach the sea.

The most common and abundant species in the Eastern Pacific is the olive ridley turtle, which is currently listed as vulnerable and declining according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. This species has been extensively studied, however, many aspects of its biology and ecology remain unknown, such as its complex strategy of mass reproduction. The data that the project collects is incredibly important for building this knowledge base. The team are expert nature guides and volunteers are directly assisting their work.

The team also contribute to government conservation management research - to help find the most effective way to protect coastal species at local, national, and international levels. A part of this work involves identifying coastal species that are most at risk in the region.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Before volunteers depart we provide them with a detailed volunteering guide on the area they will be visiting. We help to educate and encourage our volunteers to understand and respect the local cultures and customs.

The team and volunteers are highly regarded by the local people since they are helping to conserve the environment and protect the turtles which are a tourist attraction, bringing in new tourist income to the local indigenous community, which has historically been a poorer region of Costa Rica.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

This is a locally run organisation, providing employment for local Costa Rican staff and members of the local community both directly and indirectly involved in the turtle conservation work.

For over 20 years we have been recruiting volunteers to help at charitable projects around the world. The project is inclusive and is LGBTQ+ welcoming. A UK charity has been launched to build on this success by providing financial assistance to overseas causes as well. The organisations we work with are often struggling to fund the work they are doing so every penny raised makes a real difference.

The project is based in the Nicoya Peninsula on the west coast of Costa Rica by the Pacific Ocean. This is the largest peninsula in the country and is a great location for experiencing an ‘off the beaten track’ escape. The area is only just being discovered by tourists and comprises a wonderful combination of rugged mountains and stunning beaches. Whilst volunteers are in-country, they stay in locally owned shared house and are encouraged them to buy locally and support local businesses, tour companies and tour guides in the area. Volunteers are also able to assist with a community outreach projects where children from the local community can attend conservation classes - to learn about environmental issues and get involved in local beach clean ups.

Environmental responsibility:
The Pacific coast line of Costa Rica is susceptible to plastic pollution and waste which affects turtles, sea birds and many other marine and terrestrial species. The team carry out regular beach and coastal clean-ups which volunteers help with.

While our volunteers and customers are overseas, we identify and encourage many simple steps to minimise their impact on the local environment. And at our office in the UK we try to recycle as much of our office waste as possible, use recycled products where available, avoid printing (no brochures) and minimise energy usage.

In joining the conservation team, volunteers will be ultimately helping the organisation in maintaining, and where needed rehabilitating, the coastal region - in order to protect the region’s high biodiversity and to facilitate the sustainable development of local communities.