Description

Expedition Summary
Explore alongside Earthwatch scientists and volunteers one of the most extensive salt marsh ecosystems on the East Coast in search of this ornate turtle.

Expedition Details
With the coastal sprawl of New Jerseys Ocean County bearing down on beautiful Barnegat Bay, this is a rare opportunity to contribute to environmental sustainability in the face of rampant development. Working from a motorized boat, your team will help capture, tag, and track terrapins in their rich estuary environment. You'll monitor turtle nests on marsh island beaches, measure sound disturbance, and collect samples and temperature data to determine preferred habitat. Later teams will mark and tag hatchlings and determine hatching success. In your recreational time, you may choose to canoe in the spectacular Pine Barrens (one of the most unique and undeveloped ecosystems in the northeastern U.S.), visit Old Barney (one of North Americas most photographed lighthouses located on Long Beach Island), snorkel for invertebrates or take a swim at Island Beach State Park.

Meals and Accommodations
Your team will stay at the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education, situated on 180 acres of undeveloped coastal habitat, with beautiful views of Barnegat Bay and opportunities to explore some of the last remaining natural scenery of the New Jersey shore. The center provides double rooms, air conditioning, laundry facilities, a computer lab, lounge, and shared bathrooms with hot showers. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be catered by a local chef and served in the dining room.

About the Research Area
Earthwatch teams will work within the Barnegat Bay Estuary, in the marsh systems of the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education, the Sedge Island Wildlife Management area, and sites within the Forsythe Refuge. Barnegat Bay is an extremely rich ecosystem and is home to an array of bird and fish species.

Ocean County, New Jersey, is characterized by a rich history that is greatly influenced by the resources of Barnegat Bay. During the late 18th and 19th centuries, cannon balls and other iron products, charcoal, and glass were produced using local resources and industry. The commercial growth and harvest of cranberries and blueberries was also an important contributor to the regional economy. The area was then and continues to be a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities. Today, tourism is a very important industry and people are still moving to the area, attracted to the bay and its beauty. The Barnegat Bay area is approximately an hours drive from Philadelphia and two hours from New York City.

Highlights

Arguably the world's most attractive and colorful turtles, diamondback terrapins are the only U.S. turtles that inhabit the brackish waters of estuaries, tidal creeks, and salt marshes. With a historic range stretching from Massachusetts to Texas, terrapin populations have been severely depleted by land development and other human impacts along the Atlantic coast. Veteran Earthwatch turtle scientists Drs. Hal Avery, Jim Spotila, Walter Bien and Ed Standora are determining the viability of terrapin populations in the face of growing environmental change. You can help these researchers in the rich, brackish waters of Barnegat Bay Estuary, an ecologically important salt marsh ecosystem along the mid-Atlantic coast and a special oasis of coastal biodiversity.

Travel Types

• Eco Tours
• Ecology
• Environmental Studies
• Volunteering
• Photography
• Tours

Qualifications

No experience is necessary - all you will need is enthusiasm and the desire to make a difference. For over 40 years Earthwatch Institute has pioneered the involvement of ordinary people in peer-reviewed scientific research worldwide. By joining an Earthwatch Expedition, you have a unique opportunity to get up-close and personal with some of the world's rarest animals and visit remote and beautiful locations, while directly supporting conservation science. We offer life enhancing experiences in nearly 50 countries each year, with projects for teens, adults, and families.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

1,995 USD

Cost Includes:

• Emergency evacuation services
• Excursions
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Medical services
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

Our volunteers not only contribute essential funds that help to cover the cost of the research, but also, through their inspiration and effort, they provide the people power without which many of our vital projects simply couldn't take place. We are a non-profit organization but accommodation, meals, insurance, training and transport in the field are also included in your contribution cost. As a non-profit organization that supports scientific research, your contribution and airfare costs are usually tax-deductible for U.S. citizens.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Earthwatch expeditions appeal to a variety of people, including students, retirees, families, educators, and anyone seeking an exciting journey that enables them to give back to the environment. Our expeditions have a wide range of activity levels, from hiking intensive to easy expeditions with limited physical activity. There is an Earthwatch expedition out there for everyone!

Age Range

Teen (age 15 - 18) and adult (age 18-90) teams available.

This Program is open to

Worldwide, American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi and South African Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Dormitory

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Scholarships are Available

Very limited fellowships may be available, mainly for high-school students and educators. Visit our website for more information.

Application Process Involves

• Other
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Typically The Application Process Time is

Brief

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network

Earthwatch Institute's Mission Statement

Our mission is to inspire connections between people and the environment by engaging them in worldwide scientific field research and education. These efforts will promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Earthwatch enables scientists to pursue research goals and members of the public to gain hands-on experience with science. We believe it is essential that people participate in solving the environmental challenges we face.

Year Founded

1971