OWSI Volunteer Opportunities

[jkarsan]

Hey all,

I’ve managed to get 3 months off work between Dec — March and would like to donate some time to doing some marine conservation work, ideally something pretty informal, perhaps some sea grass / coral restoration, preferably somewhere warm (SEA / Indian Ocean) with access to good diving.

I’m an OWSI (lapsed) and of course happy to pay for board etc, but not wild about paying to volunteer. Does anyone have any suggestions about places that might need some support for a month or so during that period?

Tia!

 

[Apeks Predator]

I know of two places: TRACC and GaiaOne - In Nature We Are One.

I surfed TRACC's site a few weeks ago. I did not look too deep into GAIAOne's offerings. Contact both organizations and see what leads they can provide you and let us know. I'm in the same process as you but looking in Florida, United States with Coral Restoration Foundation.

 

[jkarsan]

I know of two places: TRACC and GaiaOne - In Nature We Are One.

I surfed TRACC's site a few weeks ago. I did not look too deep into GAIAOne's offerings. Contact both organizations and see what leads they can provide you and let us know. I'm in the same process as you but looking in Florida, United States with Coral Restoration Foundation.

Thanks for the suggestion! Just checked GaiaOne – they have a short quiz to direct you to the right programme but it looks like it’s upward of $2500 to spend 3 / 4 weeks there. Will keep looking!

 

[Apeks Predator]

Thanks for the suggestion! Just checked GaiaOne – they have a short quiz to direct you to the right programme but it looks like it’s upward of $2500 to spend 3 / 4 weeks there. Will keep looking!

I'm interested in what you find. Please keep us updated!

 

[Edward3c]

Thanks for the suggestion! Just checked GaiaOne – they have a short quiz to direct you to the right programme but it looks like it’s upward of $2500 to spend 3 / 4 weeks there. Will keep looking!

Most will follow the Coral Cay Conservation business model of volunteers paying for the privilege. The exception, not in the Philippines, is ReefCI based in Belize, where you pay for a dive holiday, but can do marine research as well.

 

[boulderjohn]

I did a similar search about a decade or so ago for pretty much the same reason. Like you, I tried to enlist the help of ScubaBoard. When I grew frustrated with the lack of results, I talked to an ocean conservation group leader, suggesting he provide a list of such places. He thought it was a great idea, and they would get right on it. Nothing happened.

What's the problem?

Almost everything I looked at was a tax write-off scam. The idea was for you to sign up and pay for a typical dive vacation and do a bare minimum of volunteer activity, most of it inconsequential. They then give you the paperwork to write off your trip expenses on your taxes. Some of the websites I saw clearly assured that you would not have to do much work.

So I gave up long ago.

The one tip I can give you is that the former manager of a dive shop I used in Florida now works for 4Ocean, which removes plastic trash from the ocean. I have seen his FaceBook posts showing huge amounts of débris removed from the ocean, so it is probably legitimate.

 

[tursiops]

I believe that Reef Renewal in Bonaire accepts volunteers and neither pays them nor asks them to pay. they do provide free air/gas and transportation to the renewal sites, if needed.
It's not in the SEA/IO, of course, but It is worth pointing out that such things as the OP is looking for DO exist.