help on my way to Indonesia!

Hello,

I'm hoping to raise enough money to travel to Sulawesi coral reef in Indonesia. Whilst there I will be studying the reef with Operation Wallacea, a conservation research group, to complete a reef assessment leading to a final project which will be presented to my lecturers and classmates. Operation Wallacea is located on Hoga Island, which is part of the Coral Triangle in Wakatobi National Park. On this trip, I will be able to learn and improve various research techniques while studying the reef and the wildlife that i will find there. It is also a chance to improve upon my SCUBA diving skills.

about me

My name is Josh, and I am completing the second year of my Marine Biology degree at the University of Essex.

I have always been interested in the marine environment, this may have stemmed from a sharks Top Trumps set when I was young. I have had work experience in a fishery in the Cotswolds and completed field trips on our native environments along the river Colne and in Portsmouth.

However, since starting my degree I have gained a particular interest in the tropical marine. Learning about coral reef ecosystems and the delicate balance of conditions needed to sustain them has been one of my favourite modules.

This is a chance for me to visit one of these amazing habitats first hand. Gaining valuable skills and experience needed to further my degree and shape my career.

Why I should go

With nearly 1 billion people dependent on coral reefs, it is scary to think they may be gone by 2060 as a seventh of the population will lose their livelihood and food source. Global warming threatens the reefs and is casing a rapid depletion. This habitat loss is also having a devastating effect on sea life, as 25% of all marine species can be found amongst the corals.

Sadly I cannot say that helping me fund my project in Indonesia will restore the reef there. However, research that I complete will become part of a larger project helping us to better understand coral reefs and hopefully go towards saving them in the future.

By kindly helping to fund this project, you will be assisting coral reef research and conservation. Hopefully improving the future prospects of these incredible environments.

Where will the money go?

The entire student contribution is £1750, I intend to raise as much as I can towards the £1500 mark over the Christmas break, however as a student this is not particularly easy.

The money you donate will go towards the costs of...

International and domestic flights as well as Indonesian transport: £300 (There is a University subsidy of £1000 for this)

Accommodation: £600

Food: £450

Diving supervisors: £150

Diving equipment hire: £250

Updates

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or Email joshwright-97@hotmail.com for updates

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!