I thought this might be of intrest to all. Thanks Global Vision International Press Release: October 2004 Biodiversity Research Expeditions to the Costa Rican Coastal Atlantic Rainforest Your students can gain valuable fieldwork experience as an active member of a GVI research team as part of GVI’s newest conservation expedition. Expedition members are urgently required to join the GVI research teams starting from April 2005 to explore remote coastal habitat of Costa Rica and work on a variety of long term terrestrial and marine conservation and community education initiatives. Please read on and share this information with your students (and fellow lecturers). Expedition Focus The expedition aims to conduct a comprehensive research programme in this biodiversity hotspot near Tortugero on the coast of Costa Rica. As well as contributing to the long term conservation of endangered wildlife and unique habitats, this expedition allows participants the rare pleasure of visiting remote locations and communities that few get to see. Activities include; mammal research, bat and bird studies, turtle surveys, orchid identification, caiman research, recording bird song, GPS mapping and management of the trail system and environmental education programmes. No experience is necessary as the GVI training programme will provide a base line and holistic understanding of all aspects of the rainforest and coast line, on which to build throughout the expedition. Training covers; conservation issues, survival techniques, photo trapping, monitoring techniques, bird, bird call and mammal identification, amphibian and reptile studies and basic “Rainforest” first aid. This Global Vision International expedition works with the following organizations; • COTERC (Canadian Organisation for Tropical Education and Rainforest Education) • Toronto Zoo • Costa Rican National Parks Board • Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC) • Various universities in Costa Rica and independent researchers Expedition Members Urgently needed Global Vision International is now looking to recruit participants for the advance expedition starting in April 2005 and for future expeditions thereafter. While no experience is necessary, as full training is given, we are particularly interested in recruiting students from the fields of environmental sciences, zoology, biology and other such related degree courses. Participants can join for 5 or 10 week periods. NEW Internship Opportunities! Expedition members participating for 10 weeks have the opportunity to apply for an unpaid internship to increase their stay and enhance their field experience by a further 10 weeks as a member of GVI staff. All food and lodging will be provided by GVI. Please pass on this email to any of your current or previous students who you think could benefit from joining this research expedition. Further details are outlined on the GVI website on the following link: http://www.gvi.co.uk/pages/expList.asp?exp=1 or can be requested by contacting GVI directly on 0870 608 8898 or e-mail: [log in to unmask] I can also supply further information in the form of: • Detailed expedition brief • Ex-Volunteer references • Bi-monthly open days held in London • Talks and presentations given by project staff and ex-Volunteers. Please contact me directly if you would like us to present our work. Back ground info on Global Vision International GVI is a UK based organisation which promotes sustainable solutions for a rapidly changing world by providing support and funding for long term pioneering conservation and community projects in 20 countries worldwide. Adventurous individuals can join challenging conservation and research expeditions as diverse as: Coral Reef conservation in Mexico and the Seychelles and Wildlife Conservation in the Amazon Rainforest, Costa Rica and South Africa. You can also join GVI’s carefully selected partner’s organisations on over 30 different volunteer projects worldwide. GVI’s partners include international charities, NGOs and research organizations such as Rainforest Concern, Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund, Jane Goodhall Institute and South African National Parks Board among others. If you would like to use our website, http://www.gvi.co.uk as a link please feel free to do so. I sincerely hope that you can help GVI’s work in Costa Rica by assisting us in our search for high quality Expedition Members. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me. Kind regards Chris Ash GLOBAL VISION INTERNATIONAL Nomansland, Wheathampstead, St Albans, AL4 8EJ, UK TEL: 00 44 (0) 870 608 8898 EMAIL: [log in to unmask] www.gvi.co.uk