On the Expedition
Help learn whether a key Caribbean species is being protected by recent changes in environmental management policies.
As a participant on this project you'll have the rare opportunity to help Earthwatch scientists see if changes in ecosystem management based, in part, on their previous research are having the desired effect and protecting the habitat of the queen conch, a large sea snail.
This second phase of research and assessment offers the opportunity to spend days snorkeling in turquoise Caribbean waters, often under sunny skies, to survey, monitor, and tag queen conchs in critical coral island (cayes) areas within the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve.
Earthwatch Team Facilitator
An Earthwatch Teen Team Facilitator will join your team to provide additional guidance, supervision, and activity organization for the expedition. Your facilitator will be there to help from the time you meet at the team rendezvous to the end of the expedition. He or she will encourage team spirit by planning events such as team building exercises, presentations, and recreational and cultural activities. If you have any questions or problems during your expedition, such as issues with another student volunteer, homesickness, or an emergency back at home, you should feel comfortable talking to your facilitator. You should also follow the advice and expectations set by your facilitator regarding safety and personal conduct. All Teen Team Facilitators have experience teaching and leading groups of teenagers and are familiar with the team dynamics necessary to make each expedition a success. Remember, your facilitator is there for you!
Meals and Accommodations
Volunteers will be staying on one of the small islands within the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve, sharing either small cabanas or dorm-style accommodations; bathrooms will most likely be in separate buildings, and hot water is likely to be limited--though sun showers might be available. The first and last night of the project will be spent at a hotel in Punta Gorda.
You'll enjoy the Belizean tradition of big breakfasts, with lunches generally packed for the boat or beach-based field sites. Local foods may include fry jacks, knol bread, rice and beans, lots of fresh fish, conch (in season), and stewed chicken.
About the Research Area
The tiny Central American country of Belize is acknowledged for its rich biodiversity as much as it is the efforts to understand and conserve it. Located on the Caribbean coast of northern Central America, it retains 93% of its tropical forest, nearly half of it under legal protection, and has improved efforts in recent years to protect its coastal and marine resources from the growing pressures of development. But the threats of ocean pollution, overfishing, climate change, and ocean acidification respect no national boundaries, and are real and growing dangers to the region's marine resources.
Working amid the world's second largest coral reef system, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, you will experience and explore the communities - human and non-human alike - that depend upon it. Thanks in part to the efforts of previous teams of Earthwatch volunteers and scientists, along with various local, national, and regional partners, the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve is now a proving ground for marine conservation initiatives.
As you explore majestic reefs and snorkel amongst vibrant tropical fish, you'll search for the signs that recent protections have been making a difference, and help gather the data to make them more effective where needed. In your recreational time, you can enjoy swimming, volleyball games, and the stunning views of the distant mountains of Guatemala and Honduras.