Volunteer Activities
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The following are a summary of the areas where WTW requires your help. We are happy to discuss each area of work with you. We are also open to your suggestions and welcome students with research ideas.
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1. Conservation & Research
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| Beach
patrols
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Turtle patrols are undertaken each night at varying hours to
monitor and help protect nesting/hatching activity. These
patrols can involve walks of up to 8km per night. The nesting
population is small and has an irregular season at Watamu, so
seeing nesting events are by no means guaranteed.
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Marine patrols to collect information on illegal/destructive
fishing activities and turtle mortality.
Individuals
are not expected to conduct these patrols on their own. A
community / LOT field officer undertakes most of these patrols
and our volunteers provide him with very useful assistance.
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Nest
excavations After
a turtle nest hatches it is excavated to see what proportion
of eggs have hatched successfully.
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| Assisting
with turtle net releases and research Participating
in turtle releases and related research is a popular activity
with volunteers, and is something that you are sure to be
involved in during your time with us.
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| Turtle
rehabilitation
There
is the possibility that during your stay with us we may have a
turtle in rehabilitation at the office. Volunteer assistance
is required in feeding, keeping the tank clean and taking
turtles for sea baths/swims.
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Light pollution surveys
Once a month a
light survey is undertaken to evaluate the impact
of disturbing lighting on the nesting habitat.
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| GPS
mapping We map turtle nest sites, but also want to map a
range of other sites, eg. turtle foraging sites, turtle
capture points, areas of mangrove deforestation.
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| Marine
park lagoon turtle counts At
certain times of the year we want do transect surveys within
the lagoon and Creek spotting turtles. This may be done with
snorkelling equipment or boat patrols at different times and
locations to build up a picture of turtle populations and
movements.
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| Mida
creek survey We
have plans to undertake a Creek survey, which would include
mapping out the basic geographical features, researching
fishing activities, and evaluating the mangrove status.
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| Local
movement patterns of juvenile foraging turtles We
have plans for this research on net release turtles, using
simple tracking equipment. This would make an interesting
project for a student research thesis.
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| Undercover
patrolling of the town and beach areas We
have heard several reports of tourists being approached and
offered turtle shell and meat for sale, as well as other
illegal marine resources in both the town area and on the
beaches to the north of the town. We need people to play the
interested tourist and find out: who, where and how much? We
do not expect any volunteers to take any personal risks and
this work would be carefully guided.
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Mangrove
replanting
Help
is required in mangrove replanting efforts that we undertake
in conjunction with local communities around Mida Creek.
Sea
urchin research and cull
As
at February 2004, we are currently undertaking a research and
cull program of a species of sea urchin whose population has
exploded in the area over the last few years. Daily help is
required here and such is the extent of the problem that the
program looks like being long-lived.
Evaluation
of the potentials of community driven ecotourism in Watamu and
Mida creek
An
interesting study for a geography student.
Research
data analysis
The
project has compiled a lot of data on turtles, particularly
through the turtle net release scheme, which requires analysis
and further research.
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2. Education & awareness
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Signage
Are
you artistic? Producing and distributing conservation related
signs in Park & Reserve areas is an ongoing activity.
Assisting
the development and running of the Local
Ocean Marine Centre
Displays
in our marine centre are periodically changed and we would
love your input in designing these. The artistic and creative
are always a great resource to improve Centre design, create
new murals, design new games and activities for children
etc... The Centre will also need volunteer help in guiding
visitors and planning and conducting special group educational
visit days.
Educational
materials and activities
We
are always looking to improve our educational materials and
activities and would benefit greatly from creative and
experienced input into this area.
Awareness
Days
We
periodically hold marine awareness days and beach clean up
events with the local community. Help is required in designing
and undertaking these events.
Education
through our website
The
project wishes to reach a national and international audience
with its awareness and educational work and plans to do this
through developing additional pages for this website. People
with experience in web design in this regard would be of great
value to the project.
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| Further
development and implementation of the LOT field education
program
LOT
undertakes a vigorous education campaign in the local area,
particularly at local schools and fish landing sites. The
education team requires assistance in further developing and
implementing this program. Artists, writers, dramatists and
teachers could make contributions here.
Examples
of some areas of work include:
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Designing school and fishing community education talk topics
& activities (eg. using drama, art, song and games) in
subject matter concerning marine environment and turtle
conservation
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Designing educational poster display boards for hotels, public
meeting places, schools etc.
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Awareness murals, especially at schools.
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Design educational booklets, info leaflets and newsletters.
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Assist in carrying out educational workshops and activities
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3. Community development
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Alternative
income generation
Developing
ideas for fishing community members to generate alternative
incomes to current unsustainable marine resource exploitation
and so reduce pressures on the environment and its species.
We
have started one very small local crafts activity and are
planning a small mariculture project in Mida Creek, but want
to expand this type of work. Volunteers with initiative and
experience in community development work, or just an
entrepreneurial attitude to life, could be of assistance in
this area.
Recycling
& Composting
Improved
awareness and practice in recycling and composting. A
recycling and composting project would not only help to tidy
up our area, but also provide local
people with employment and useful products that save
money.
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| Sport Sport is not exploited or
supported at the coast. Sport brings people
together, encourages team spirit. In co-operation
with one local young man we recently started one
local football and netball team associated to
conservation, but this project needs further
development.
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4. General
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Developing
income generating programs for LOT
For
example fundraising events, links with international schools,
local craft designs etc....
Languages
We
need people who can help us with translations into Italian,
German and French.
These
are just some examples of how you can help. If you have any
other ideas, before or during your participation, please do
not hesitate to talk to us about it.
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