Laura Balazs, Hungary
It was 2006 when I signed up for my Biosphere Expeditions trip – to the Peruvian Amazon. A six-hour-boatride away from the closest little town, separated from the noisy inhabitants of the jungle only by a mosquito-net, I felt – amazingly – just as at home as in a crowded big city. Or rather: even more. I was fascinated by the rainforest and I felt as if all my senses suddenly came to life. I felt ALIVE. Mosquitoes, poisonous snakes and spiders, scorpions, jaguars hiding in the dark heat – yes, please! Can I get some more?
My first jungle-encounter was followed by more trips to rainforests all around the world – to Peru again, then Ecuador, Madagascar, Costa Rica, Borneo, Australia, Bolivia. Sometimes I did volunteer work, other times I took photos of the amazing inhabitants of the forests. Exploring remote, primary rainforests became a sort of passion, and it led me to deeper questions too. How does time spent in nature, in wilderness, affect us psychologically? How can these nature volunteering experiences be transferred to our everyday lives? I turned to books on eco-psychology, attended workshops in deep ecology and wrote my master degree thesis with this question in mind (the title was: Facilitating Wilderness Solo Experiences for Greater Self-Awareness, Self-Actualization, Creativity and a Sense of Life-Direction)
My deepening interest led me to a one-year course in Experiential Education and Outdoor Training with a specialisation in Adventure- and Wilderness Therapy, and last year, with my trainer collegues we organised a two-week summer camp for kids in state care. It was one of the most challenging – and most rewarding – experiences of my life. It was amazing to see the changes in these boys during the time we spent in the forest – how they became more self-confident as they faced the challenges provided by nature, and how they became more open as we sat around the evening fire and told stories under the stars-filled sky. I hope I can take many more people – young and adult – to wild places and let them experience their life-changing effects. Just as my first Biosphere Expeditions journey changed my life too.
Caitlin Moore, UK (sometimes!)
I joined Biosphere Expeditions in Sumatra, Indonesia, in 2015 when I was 17. I always knew I wanted to work in conservation but was struggling to find a place to get experience under the age of 18 other than zoos. Whilst that is great experience I had done it before and knew it wasn’t exactly where I wanted to be – I wanted to see the work being done on the ‘frontlines’ of conservation! Biosphere Expeditions were the only place I could find that had no age limit on conservation volunteers, and I liked their serious, scientific approach to the projects, as I was keen to take my first steps into the field.
As I write this, I am 20 and on an internship with a conservation NGO in Thailand during a sandwich year on my university course – BSc Wildlife Conservation. Without Biosphere Expeditions offering me that first step into independent travel and grassroots conservation, I would still have studied Wildlife Conservation at university, but I doubt I would have had the confidence to travel alone as extensively as I have, and I would certainly not have had enough conservation experience on my CV to gain an internship that usually goes to Masters or PhD students!
Sumatra is a beautiful place, and the Indonesian people so welcoming and friendly – the nature volunteering experiences I had there at 17 have largely shaped my world outlook as an adult. I made friends there that I am still in contact with to this day, and memories that I will never forget: swimming in the river with a monitor lizard (entirely by accident, on both our parts!), delicious food, friendly locals and pushing myself to achieve things I never thought I was capable of.
I owe a huge part of my current success and drive to Biosphere Expeditions and I hope one day to return to the people who gave me my first taste of real, in-the-field conservation. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is looking to see what conservation work is really like, who wants to contribute to saving our beautiful planet, or to anyone who doesn’t believe in themselves – once you have completed this, there is nothing you can’t do. Thank you Biosphere!
Pete Eggleston, UK
I joined Biosphere Expeditions in Oman to survey for the Arabian Leopard. At the time I was working in banking but had a passion for the environment, and in particular wildlife conservation. The chief scientist was Tessa McGregor, and the expedition leader was Dom Hall. We also had a local ranger called Hadi, who was great fun and very knowledgeable. It was one of the best experiences of my life. Dom led the group fantastically and Tessa was a complete inspiration. Her enthusiasm and dedication inspired the whole team.
I have now left banking, I am due to complete an MSc in Biodiversity Conservation and Management with the University of London and I have started volunteering with my local Wildlife Trust. My dissertation is related to conserving the water vole, one of the UK's most threatened mammals.
Before my conservation volunteer expedition I had no practical experience of conservation. A change in career was therefore, to some extent, a pipe dream as I had no idea if it was what I really wanted to do. My time in Oman completely changed that view. I loved every minute of the expedition, including the surveying. The expedition persuaded me that this is what I wanted to do and gave me the confidence to leave the banking salary, perks and security behind. I haven't regretted it yet!
Rasha Skybey, Australia
I have, throughout my entire life always been a huge animal lover. However, my love was only ever really expressed through regular donations to animal charities or involving myself in the animal law movement in Australia. I decided that I wanted to do something different to help our non-human friends and called Biosphere Expeditions for further information on saving Arabian Leopards in Oman.
I joined up without really contemplating the idea of living for two weeks without flush toilets, running water, electricity, internet, mobile phone AND hair-dryer!!! This wouldn’t have been a problem for those who have camped before, but please note that I had never been camping. I actually hated the outdoors, and would do anything to avoid going outside. I refused to exercise and refused to leave the house without blow-drying and styling my hair, wearing high heels and pretty dresses.
What did I get myself into? I remember how I felt in Abu Dhabi Airport before boarding the plane to Muscat. I thought I was going to faint because I was so nervous and anxious at the decision I had made to completely step outside my comfort zone.
Thankfully I did make it to Oman safely and I had the best 12 days of my entire life. Admittedly, the first two days were a bit of a struggle. My body, which never really walked a distance greater than 10 metres (the distance between the front door of my house and my car) found the hours of walking painful. After two full days I was climbing rocky mountains with little difficulty.
I met the most amazing people who I know I will be friends with for life and ate meals that would put Jamie Oliver to shame. I continue to reminisce our nightly ritual of sitting by the fire sharing our daily stories and telling jokes and conducting basic Arabic lessons. My fondest memory would have to be the morning observation at a nearby waterhole. The 6 am start was a struggle but as the sun rose, the waterhole came alive with sounds I would never hear in Sydney. The sound of so many insects, birds and mammals gave me goose bumps. I sat still for hours just listening and watching for the slightest movement. Then finally, I saw it – a beautiful black cat-like creature. Thankfully I had my video camera and began filming. I took the footage back to base camp where Tessa, our scientist stated that I may have stumbled on a new species! She may have been pulling my leg, it may just simply be a lost domestic cat that ended up in the waterhole. Regardless, it was still a surreal experience.
By the final week, going without a good hot shower, mobile or internet didn’t bother me in the slightest. In fact, it was almost a relief to be free from it all.
So I am back home now and absolutely miserable and considering a career change...perhaps a wildlife photographer? The experience was the best thing I have ever done in my life and I have already joined up for my next Biosphere expedition...see you in Caprivi!!
also see Rasha's video diary of Oman
Andreas Odey, Germany
I'd like to send you some thoughts about my time after having participated in the Honduras coral reef expedition.
Those two weeks led me to more conservation diving. I also made a new friend for life - I'm still in contact with my dive buddy and we have been diving since. Biology,...... learning more about reefs and doing something for their conservation - I even wrote an article for a German magazine. I am also thinking much more about how to spend my holidays with the environment in mind. In short, Biosphere Expeditions gave me more awareness about our natural environment and motivated me to learn more about sea life. I really enjoyed my expedition, good memories, the natural way of life on the island, the good team spirit and atmosphere and motivated team members, expedition leader and scientists. What an interesting and life-changing experience! Thank you.
Peggy Hansen, USA
I did the Namibia expedition and had an amazing time....as I think all members of the group did. But since I'm a doctor and we had two leopards to deal with on the same day, I had a unique experience volunteering with animals: I was able to assist the vet in tranquilizing, monitoring, and collecting samples from the cats. How many doctors can say they've taken a rectal temperature or drawn blood on a 140-lb wild leopard? Not exactly what I trained for during med school or residency, but what a thrill!
Liz Shaw, UK
I joined the Peru expedition back when I was a zoology student at Bristol University. Ever since I can remember I dreamed of one day visiting the rainforest, so this expedition literally was a dream come true! I remember having to pinch myself as we travelled by boat to our camp on the first day, just to convince myself I really was there!
During the two weeks of my nature volunteering expedition we surveyed parrots and macaws at a small 'clay lick', where the birds come in the early morning to eat the soil, and we also performed large mammal surveys in the forest. Every day in the rainforest is different, and you never know what you're going to see. It was an amazing experience - from showering underneath a waterfall, to hearing the loud calls of howler monkeys ring out over the forest, to nearly being charged by a herd of peccaries (wild pigs)! And of course not to mention the colourful and noisy spectacle of over a hundred parrots and macaws coming down to feed every day.
After finishing my degree, my conservation volunteering experience inspired me to do more travelling, and also provided useful experience that helped me gain voluntary placements studying monkeys and bats in Mexico, and performing biodiversity surveys in Tanzania. It was Peru that had really captured my heart, though, and later I was lucky enough to spend six months working as a naturalist back out in the rainforest - my dream job! Two years later my experiences came full circle, and I found myself back at the clay licks again, collecting data on parrots and macaws for my MSc in Animal Behaviour.
Now, eight years on from my first nature volunteering expedition, I'm working as a researcher and writer for a charity who are at the heart of the wildlife media industry, and I love every minute of it. My expedition with Biosphere Expeditions all those years ago really started everything off, giving me both the inspiration and the experience needed to get into the wonderful and exciting world of wildlife conservation.
Helge Eek, Norway
I am a photographer and have joined Biosphere in Altai, Brazil and Namibia. Some time before my first expedition to Altai I had a wonderful dream. I was flying almost like an eagle above the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen. Lovely green slopes with a lots of colourful flowers, crystal clear rivers and behind the hills were high mountains with snow. I never forgot this dream. Later I discovered Biosphere Expeditions in the BBC Wildlife magazine and went on their website. And there it was, the landscape of my dream as part of the Altai expedition. At this time I was searching for new experiences in life. I wanted to give something back to nature not only "take" photos. So joining Biosphere seemed to be the right thing to do.
My nature voluntering expedition in Altai was very special and successful. I found the landscape of my dream and made new friends who I still keep in contact with. I think my life is richer now and I want to do more expeditions with Biosphere. For me, it's almost like life before and after Biosphere. My next expedition will most likely be Peru because the Brazil expedition strengthened my feelings for the rainforest. I want to see more of it, more birds, more spiders and snakes perhaps.
Robin Burns, Australia
My memories of Altai are more like a series of slides than a moving image. The overwhelming sense I have is the privilege to have visited this distant, isolated and exquisitely beautiful part of our planet. Wildflowers, wildflowers everywhere! Such a colourful profusion I have never ever seen before, and somewhat guiltily dropping out of the scat-search, lay prone amongst them beside a small stream, just trying to memorise the experience.
I remember meetings with local people - erecting a yurt for us for cosy evening gatherings, leading us into the mountains, and offering hospitality as we 'dropped in' to ask them about their experiences with snow leopards. There was lots of laughter and conviviality at the end of a tough day. A golden sun setting across the steppe and touching the distant mountains with soft sunset colours....
Dave Maisey, UK
My interest in the Altai was started by a university lecturer. I had never heard of the place or knew anything about it, but was intrigued when he told us about his experiences. After university I was keen to go and experience 'real' wilderness and I still remembered the stories and pictures of that lecturer. So after saving money for a year I joined the Altai snow leopard expedition. In my humble experience standing on the tops of those mountain ridges and looking out over 'nothing' - no roads, no people, no sound just steppe - is a feeling that will stay with me forever. Also I don't think I have ever been so proud as when I spotted ibex with my binoculars! Since this nature volunteering expedition I have been to Iceland to work with scientists investigating glacial outburst floods and this summer I will be in Argentina helping projects in small communities. The Altai expeditions left me with a continuing desire to go to remote places and experience life with just the basics!
Barry Hardy, Ireland
I joined the Biosphere expedition in Namibia to help the local scientists with their work of gathering information on the local wildlife and environment. One of the aspects of the project was to work with local farmers in order to mitigate the human-predator conflict. Most of the them are small subsistence farmers, i.e. they have a few cattle and goats, plant a small number of crops and use fishing, plants and wildlife from the local bush to generate a basic living.
We spent time travelling around the villages doing interviews with the local people to see what their experiences and relationships with predators were. Involvement of the community is critical to the success of the project in the longer term. For example, if the local people can benefit from future tourism and have better income and healthcare, they will be motivated to support the park and protect the valuable wildlife. It is their country and they need to be empowered and rewarded in protecting and benefitting from it.
Showing interest in the local culture and traditions was also valuable in making a connection with the local people. One afternoon our car broke down and we spent the afternoon waiting for a rescue. Meanwhile we were joined by the nearby villagers to play cards: we showed them our game and they showed us theirs. As evening approached they sang several of their local songs and we in return showed them a four hand Irish reel, which they found somewhat strange but fun to try with us! Such interactions brought home to me a better combined appreciation of the land and people in the region including its special beauty and how reaching out to interact with the local community was both a rewarding experience and critical for future conservation and responsible development success.
Patrick & Jill Walker, UK
(left and right on picture)
My wife Jill and I went on the Musandam leopard expedition. By coincidence I had worked in Khasab in 1980 as an engineer blasting roads to allow the 20th century to come in. At this time Oman was a closed country and Khasab a tiny fishing village surrounding an oasis and situated in the far north of the country overlooking the Persian Gulf. While I was there I volunteered to help the government conservation department to record as much of the wildlife and birds I saw because it was such a remote area. Sadly, in late 1980 a freshly shot leopard was brought in. Such a beautiful beast and one out of a total so small that nobody really knew how many there were left.
25 years later while trawling through the net I typed in Musandam leopard and the Biosphere site came up. I could not believe they were actually running an animal volunteering expedition to try to find out if the leopard had become extinct since nobody had seen any for some time. Thus my wife and I signed up for the first slot and joined the expedition in Dubai.
Despite both being over 60 we found the form of the conservation volunteering expedition such that everyone could work at their own pace and this suited us. We managed to climb the jebels and trawl the wadis for signs that this endangered animal might still be around. In the middle of the second week we were actually lucky enough to find the unmistakable paw prints of at least two leopards. The species was still around! As well as the rare leopard prints we also saw lots of signs of caracal, foxes and hedgehogs all of which were recorded.
Living in tents was an experience but driving the wonderful Land Rovers more than made up for this. It took me back to my time driving around in my Toyota Landcruiser. To me it was pure nostalgia to see Khasab 25 years on and now a modern town with street lights and hotels, tarmac roads and flower beds. For my wife Jill it was a chance of an adventure and an opportunity to help on a very worthy project.
Lynn Kimmel, USA
My experience with Biosphere Expeditions in Namibia was the event that confirmed my pursuit of a graduate degree in Conservation Biology focusing on African wildlife. It was so exciting to be given every opportunity for active engagement in all aspects of a real wildlife project. The scientists were so willing to answer my many questions – and I asked a lot! They were open about the challenges and rewards of a conservation project. From our many discussions, I gained great insight into the necessary and important collaboration between biological and social scientists.
While all the volunteers came from totally different backgrounds, it was amazing to see a wonderful group of individuals pulling together using all our talents and skills! Oh, and relaxing by the fire, listening to the wonderful African night sounds, and sharing our experiences, was a great way to wrap up the day!Thank you Biosphere Expeditions, keep up the good work!
Daniel Biancalana, UK
I was on the Tien Shan snow leopard expedition. Today, after a year later, I still have fond memories of my time there and I am still in touch with some of my fellow expeditioners.
I wanted you to know that I am going to study zoology at university, hoping to set myself on the path. I wanted to let you know that my experience of volunteering with animals with you has played an integral part in my decisions of what I want to do in life. It will be hard work to get to where I want to be, which will probably also be in the middle of nowhere studying something.
I hope we cross paths again at some point in time, you never know what can happen. Good luck on any further expeditions.
also see Daniel's video testimonial from the Tien Shan
Savannah Lehnert, USA
My first exposure to conservation biology was with Biosphere Expeditions as a high school student. I participated in a nature volunteering expedition to the Madre de Dios region of Peru. That trip sparked my passion for field biology and sent me on a career trajectory dedicated to conservation. Because of this passion, I pursued graduate school and recently received a Masters Degree in Environmental Science and Policy, working as a field team leader on the Toucans, Parrots, and Wildlife in Costa Rica's Forests expeditions. I trained rotating groups of volunteers in bird identification as well as field data collection. Based on these experiences, I highly value the contribution that citizen scientists can make to peer reviewed, conservation research and I look forward to developing my career as a conservation scientist.
Yryskeldi Emilbek uulu, Kyrgyzstan
Biosphere Expeditions offered a placement for me on the Tien Shan snow leopard expedition after the application submission and an interview. I worked at a local non-profit in the Kyrgyz Republic and have been interested in environment and wildlife habitat since childhood, as I lived near the mountains and felt the importance of ecosystem conservation. Work in the non-profit sector was a great experience in order to raise awareness about ecological problems and also develop personal skills, though the work did not include direct field experience. So my colleague recommended that I apply to the Biosphere Expeditions placement programme. Happily, I was admitted, and the two weeks of the expedition were mind- and life-changing.
But first, I woke up the day we were supposed to leave towards the expedition base with a thought of quitting and not going. But I did pluck up the courage to quit my comfort zone and I did go.
The nature in the mountains was breathtaking: all beautiful pictures that I used to download to my computer for a desktop picture now became a reality and stood in front of me. The mountains were big and made myself and my problems feel small. Everything was magnificent. I lived and enjoyed the moment.
The participants were amazing. Never have I ever felt myself so connected and blessed with endless conversations that also improved my knowledge of English and communication skills. Most importantly, I developed my skills as a researcher. The expedition taught me to observe important research objects, such as footprints and scat, to use research tools such as maps, compass, GPS, binoculars, datasheets, etc.
As I think back to that morning of almost not going on the nature volunteering expedition, I realise that if I had indeed quit, I would now have a completely different life path. Now, as I write this, I study at one of the best institutions in the USA, pursuing an undergaduate degree that includes sustainability and environmental studies. My time on the expedition not only helped me to gain this place, but also contributed to me getting more interested in promoting sustainable life in communities. Mind- and life-changing indeed! Thank you so much Biosphere Expeditions!
more stories from placements
How Biosphere Expeditions can change your life
