Are you passionate about the underwater world or biology, or do you want to get involved in an ecological project? The association Coral Guardian has been taking eco-volunteers to Indonesia every year since 2010: reef restoration, working with villagers, raising awareness… This year again, nearly 50 volunteers have already headed to Komodo et Nusa Penida, and there are still a few spots available until mid-November to help protect heavily weakened marine ecosystems.
To apply, you don’t need to be an expert in a specific field. These missions are indeed open to the general public, the phases of work on the reefs are done while snorkeling and free diving near the surface (Coral Guardian is considering including scuba diving activities for 2018). In small groups of six, you are trained and assessed on the various activities you might have to undertake. Once there, you participate in the main restoration activities and use your skills to serve the mission: if you have a good command of English, you act as a liaison with the locals, and if you have knowledge in biology, you participate in field surveys.Two distinct missionsThe week in Komodo, at the heart of the country, is focused on coral reef restoration. The region has suffered from 20 years of dynamite fishing, causing the destruction of the underwater ecosystem, a drastic decline in fish populations, and economic difficulties for local populations living primarily off these marine resources. On-site, you work with locals to restore the reefs (harvesting and transplanting corals) and protect the entire area.
On the island of Nusa Penida, east of Bali, the mission is broader, and eco-volunteers help manage tropical ecosystems. This work includes activities such as mangrove plantations, implementing actions against pollution, making coconut oil, and reef restoration.
Benefits on each sideDuring these two missions, you work hand in hand with locals, committed to protecting their natural wealth. For Coral Guardian, the goal of this collaboration with the Indonesians is for them to continue all this work entirely autonomously in the long term. To achieve this, it is important to raise awareness among the youngest to follow the same path: by participating in the program, you intervene in schools to explain to children the importance of corals in balancing underwater resources and to allow them to develop an ecological awareness of the environment around them.
Each eco-volunteer mission lasts seven days. The week goes by quickly between work, learning the basics of biology and marine conservation protocols, etc. On-site, you are accommodated in individual bungalows in Nusa Penida and mixed dormitories in Komodo. You work about 6 hours a day, with the rest of the time free. At the end of this adventure, you write a report of the week, a good way for the association to identify the progress and results of each mission, and for you to put words to this enriching experience.
Engaging in a missionIf you want to join this adventure this year, several weeks of volunteering are still available until November. By the end of 2018, while the help of eco-volunteers will still be welcome, the inhabitants of Komodo should be fully invested and autonomous in their mission to protect and restore the underwater ecosystem. New projects of this type in other countries are being studied by the Coral Guardian association.
Practical: cost of one week in Komodo or Nusa Penida, €990 (*€336 after tax deduction). Meals and lodging included. Bookings for the 2018 season are also open.
More information about these missions: www.coralguardian.org
Margot Harty