Social and Environmental Responsibility

This helps ensure that as much of the funding as possible from the project is spent in the host country. Many new sites are developed where there are existing NGOs or institutions able to run the research programme from the start. In other locations new NGOs are established from existing stakeholder groups, with funding used to develop facilities and capacity with the long term aim of attracting additional income outside the main Opwall season. At some larger sites no existing partners exist, and the expeditions are initially managed directly by Opwall. After a few years of building the capacity of the site, a core group of local staff are encouraged to establish a new NGO and the facilities and equipment built up by Opwall are donated to them and a period of joint operation agreed,

Maximum numbers of volunteers and staff are set for each of the sites. All volunteers and staff are briefed on local culture and customs and required to adhere to agreed standards of behaviour. Behaviour is monitored by senior staff members, and any concerns addressed immediately and appropriate action taken where necessary.

A primary focus of this is developing ecotourism using Opwall facilities outside the main research season. Additionally, novel conservation interventions focusing on bringing economic incentives to local stakeholders are developed and managed by the Wallacea Trust charity.

Resource usage (water, fuel, energy) at each of the sites has been identified and targets set. Many of the sites have limited freshwater supplies, and so reduction of water usage is a core part of the expedition protocols.