A taste of volunteering - by Justin Francis

If you are interested in volunteering to work with communities in need, or in wildlife conservation, but are unable to take very long periods off work then there is a new type of trip – a taste of volunteering – that might be of interest for you. These shorter trips combine volunteering with an opportunity to see the main sights in destinations.

Many of us like the idea of ‘doing something worthwhile’ during our time away from work - or between jobs. Of course if volunteering involves travelling to some of the most beautiful parts of the world then so much the better! We volunteer in the knowledge that as well as making a difference where it is needed most we will also discover new things about ourselves, and that pitching in together with like minded people is a great way to meet new friends.

Ten years ago volunteering either involved taking two years off in developing countries, or spending a weekend pulling prams out of canals in the UK. More recently tour companies have created one to three weeks trips which combine time spent volunteering with an opportunity to travel with your group to visit the main areas of interest as a tourist.

For example, a 19 day trip in Vietnam combines 6 days building a classroom, and then the opportunity to visit Hanoi, Saigon and Ho Chi Minh City for £995 excluding flights. Alternatively, you could combine a Tanzanian safari in the Serengeti with time spent building a home for street children, 13 days for £980 excluding flights.

The essential difference between a charity trek, where you raise sponsorship money for a cause, and these taste of volunteering holidays is that in these trips your contribution is principally the work that you contribute rather than a financial benefit, which of course makes them cheaper.

Choosing the right volunteering organisation
It’s important that you choose your volunteering organisation carefully. It’s vital that the project is based on real local development or conservation needs, and that local people are consulted about what is required and how it is implemented.

You certainly will enjoy your trip more if the benefits to conservation and local people are obvious. There have been examples of volunteering programmes are determined by what appeals to the volunteering organisation or tourists rather than real local needs.

My advice would be to ask to see detailed reports on the effectiveness of the projects before you travel, and to ask how local people are involved in the decision making processes. In some projects you will have the opportunity to work alongside local people, which is both desirable and enjoyable.

And finally
Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'. If you like the idea of travelling with a purpose then I’m confident that you’ll find these trips one of the most worthwhile, enjoyable and memorable experiences possible. [src]

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Watching wildlife the responsible way

The thrill of watching animals in the wild has gained widespread popularity, especially in the tourism industry. Inspired by programmes like Planet Earth, many people set out to discover their ‘inner Attenborough’. Our resident Zoologist Holly Foat looks at the impact this may have on wildlife and provides tips on how to watch wildlife the responsible way.

By Holly Foat, responsibletravel.com

Watching wildlife the responsible wayThere is arguably nothing more exciting in life that watching a whale breach in front of your boat or watching a bear hunting in its natural habitat but there is often concern associated with wildlife tourism. Sometimes the animals or the environment can suffer from increasing tourist numbers, habituation and disturbance. However, if wildlife watching is well managed then the animals and the environment can benefit from both the increase in awareness and education among the tourists and the extra finance for conservation projects.

Spectacular experiences available…
There is an amazing array of trips for you to experience the awe inspiring wildlife of the world. These include tracking the endangered tiger, watching whales and dolphins at various locations around the world, Gorilla safaris, polar, grizzly and brown bear watching and a huge number of conservation projects involving big cats, orang-utans, fossa and many others!

What to expect from responsible wildlife tourism operators
Many areas will have a code of conduct in place to protect the species you will be watching. For example, whale and dolphin watching boat trips will have a set distance which they should keep and will not be able to chase or follow the animals. Australia has government guidelines for whale and dolphin watching, Scotland has a dolphin space programme and Wales has the boat users’ code of conduct. If you believe a trip is disturbing the animals, let the operators know your concern.

Some wildlife watching operations use bait to lure the animals to where the tourists are. This can be detrimental to some species, especially predatory species such as shark and monitor lizards that learn to associate humans with food. But others species will benefit from supplementary feeding if it is suited to their diet as long as they don’t become dependent on it.

The key to a good wildlife watching trip is education. Every trip should give the tourist a talk or pamphlet about the ecology and conservation of the species. Ideally they should also be involved in further research or funding of conservation projects.

Tips for a wildlife watching trip

• Wrap up warm! If you’re on a boat or hillside it’s likely to get cold. Even in a hide it can get cold, especially when your sat waiting and not moving. So wear layers of clothing that you can put on or take off depending on the temperature.
• Take a camera, binoculars and lots of spare memory cards or film but try to avoid using your flash.
• If you’re on foot, don’t stray from marked paths and trails.
• Don’t wear perfume or smoke and try to be as still and as quiet as possible so not to disturb the animals. Try to avoid clothing that rustles or anything with noisy Velcro. Don’t take your dog with you as they tend to bark at unfamiliar animals.
• Keep a safe distance from wild animals. Disturbed animals have a tendency to become unpredictable and may attack if they feel threatened. Check out the RSPB’s bird watching code.
• Patience is a virtue and you will need plenty of it if you want to see something special.
• Appreciate what you do see. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed so you might not see that big emotive animal that you were hoping to, but don’t be disappointed, just enjoy what you do see. The chances are that you will see several other animals that you wouldn’t see at home which are equally as exciting but less publicised.

For more information on animal welfare issues in tourism, see our animal wefare section here

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