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Protect and conserve an important turtle nesting area in Greece.

The southernmost part of mainland Greece, the bay of Lakonikos is an important nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles in the Mediterranean. Volunteers on this project record nesting activity and protect turtle nests from mammals and sea water. The area is rich in bird life and other flora and fauna.

The research in this area has been running since 1983 and is one of the oldest conservation projects in the Mediterranean. Volunteers work in co-operation with the local authorities and the local community, promoting a model of sustainable development beneficial to the local economy.

Volunteers play a key role in the daily routine of the project you will have a field leader responsible for co-ordinating the work and meeting all requirements for this programme. You will take part in all aspects of the project and initial training is provided by the field leader and experienced project members. Volunteers are expected to cover 2-3 shifts per day, averaging about 6-8 hours of work (depending on the duration of the beach work). Your shifts include:

Nest Management And Habitat Protection:

Morning Survey conducted daily at dawn, to assess the previous night’s turtle activities, as well as factors that may have an impact on the nests’ safe incubation (inundation, human impact, etc.) or the coastal zone (beach cleaning, constructions, destruction of dunes).

Nest Protection against predation, achieved through screening. Help re locate nests laid in unsafe areas further up the beach.

Excavation of a sample of hatched nests is carried out in order to determine hatchling success.

Public Awareness:

Volunteers interact with tourists and members of the local community at information stations along the Mavrovouni beach.

Other Day-to-Day Duties:

Campsites and information stations are maintained by volunteers. Cooking is also considered part of the daily chores. Basic maintenance of equipment is volunteer based and includes activities such as painting, preparing materials for the protection of nests, etc so artistic skills such as drawing and photography are a plus.

Side Trips:

Whilst not part of the program most volunteers will have the opportunity to visit the Village of Mavrovouni and the fishing port of Gythio. They are both located close to the project site and have some interesting old buildings and cobbled streets with great views across the bay. In Gythio there is an ancient theatre and a few Roman ruins scattered around to explore. On occasion the project staff may take volunteers to Limeni Village where it is possible to snorkel with turtles.

Start Dates

Various start dates throughout the year. Check out the Smaller Earth website for further details.

Costs / Benefits

2 weeks - £810
4 weeks - £1195
6 weeks - £1585

This includes:

*All food and accommodation
*Field training
*Pre-departure support
*24 hour emergency phone
*24 hour in country support

Requirements

You'll need enthusiasm and commitment for the protection of the natural environment. Work is physically demanding and you must be prepared to work under hot summer conditions on a daily basis.

No particular qualifications are needed. Training is provided on site and most volunteers are able to complete duties with minimum supervision within a week.