Wildlife in the Changing Andorran Pyrenees

Alexandria Kranz | 7/25/2016

“Science for the no science person”

This Earthwatch was well run and highly enjoyable. It involves a lot of hiking and some of it is difficult so be prepared and in good physical shape. I'm not a science person and I enjoyed it!

Alvin Daniel | 7/20/2016

“A warming Eden, and how we can study and learn from it”

By far the best Earthwatch experience I've had. The terrain is incredible, the accommodations world class and the research clear, accessible and immediately relevant as we try to understand the impacts of a warming world.

Dean Zrucky | 7/11/2016

“No better way to meet Andorra than through Earthwatch!”

I have been a science teacher for 20 years. If I had had a teacher in high school that exposed me to this kind of experience, I would be saying that I have been a field biologist for 20 years. Instead of signing up for expeditions, I would be leading teams of volunteers. The experience in Andorra was thoroughly eye-opening, giving a total experience of what scientists do in an effort to battle environmental issues such as climate change. Not only were we in the field 6 of the 7 days for at least 6 or 7 hours, but lectures explained the research, representatives from the government came in to speak, and data & sampling techniques were discussed. The researchers were patient, energetic, kind, & motivating. The scenery was stunning; every excursion looked like we were hiking through a postcard. Accommodations & food far exceeded expectations. The hotel was beautiful, overlooking a valley, the packed lunches were satisfying when we were in the fields, and the dinners offered plenty of choices, blending Spanish and French cuisines, as well as introducing students to new foods such as rabbit, venison, & cuttlefish. overall, it was a well planned, well done, & well worth it experience.

Jordi Buckley Paules | 6/8/2016

“A stellar expedition which unites people from all walks of life through their common interests”

A great introduction to new research methods in the sensibly preserved Andorran Pyrenees. The staff's enthusiasm radiated and created a marvelous atmosphere within the group of volunteers. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have contributed towards meaningful research whilst simultaneously having a blast with a diverse yet ultimately cohesively bonded group of strong and intriguing individuals.

Nita Losoponkul | 6/8/2016

“Andorran Pyrenees, a must!”

The expedition to Andorra was unbelievably amazing and I've already told the team to expect me back again soon. Though the hiking was tough (steep terrain, some snow in May), the scenery was breathtaking and made it all worth it (see my photos on instagram!) I had such a great time with Bernat and his team in the French Pyrenees that I jumped at the chance to check out a new locale and I'm so glad I did. The staff is super helpful, high energy and a lot of fun. And the meals at the Hotel Bringue were amazing - 4 courses each night! My only regret is that I ate too much and didn't shed as much weight as I'd hope, given the exercise. But good food, great company, fresh mountain air and spectacular hiking is extremely rejuvenating and I can't wait to go back.

Paul Collander | Wednesday, October 21, 2015

“Nature in ballance, but how long?”

The Pyrenees have been on my list to visit. When EarthWatch had an interesting project there I signed up as soon as I found a matching time slot. This was months ago, now I arrive with 12 other interested volunteers to Toulouse airport to be picked up by two young and enthusiastic researchers. Soon we were at the foothills and got acquainted to the mountains and each other. We had people from California to Malaysia and Europe in between. And I was not the oldest this time.

We had a lot of different tasks to find out occurrence of insects and animals, small and big. Small traps and camera traps I had used on earlier expeditions but here the steep slopes added to the excitement as we needed to keep balance, avoid slipping and search for plants and scat at the same time. Instructions were clear and inspiring. In addition to the formal research we saw a lot of big birds and enjoyed the hillside sceneries. Nice to see people still live on these mountain slopes and make a living from farming, forest and sheep. Some excitement came when we heard about the brown inhabitants in this bear country. Working days were long, but we were there for a reason!

Thank you to all volunteer buddies and to the organizers! Again a nice and meaningful EarthWatch expedition.

Paul

Brenda Myers | Wednesday, June 03, 2015

“The upside of time on the mountain side”

I just had a phone conversation with a friend who wanted to know about my experience on this Earthwatch expedition. Roughly 15 minutes into my enthusiastic monologue, she asked "Well, were there any downsides?" I paused, and thought, but I could not think of any.

The expedition was a truly incredible experience. Here are some of the upsides that I mentioned to her:

* The beautiful Pyrenees -- ahhh, so amazing. We got to enjoy them in all their variable Spring glory.

* The scientists -- really engaging and passionate folks who freely shared knowledge.

* The other volunteers -- endlessly interesting people from the US and Europe - great conversations and great fun.

* The work -- it can be hard (the hikes long and the slopes steep) so take the fitness recommendations seriously. But, I loved every minute of it: I learned a ton about the habitats and inhabitants of the Pyrenees as well as about scientific methods for studying them.

* The accommodations/food -- exceeded my expectations. The owners of the inn were very hospitable, and worked hard to navigate the maze of dietary requirements we presented.

* Making a difference -- I *hope* that my small contribution will help inform the research and make a difference in the Pyrenees; I *know* that my time spent there has made a difference in me. I came back with renewed energy and commitment to seek out opportunities closer to home where I can make more regular and sustained contributions.

Freddy Ramirez | Tuesday, June 02, 2015

“Awesome and unique experience”

This one of the most scenic expedition I've been involved in recent years. It's quite demanding from the hiking stand point. However; experiencing as a volunteer to help researchers to complete their studies, enabled me comprehend how important is to understand the climate and the impact onto the Pyrenees ecosystem, and how we all could contribute to make a difference to this never-ending, yet growing problem.

The 9-day-program activities included; among the environmental safety briefing about the mountain and its ecosystem, daily demanding activities of casual observation while hiking and climbing elevations from 1,000 to 6,600 Ft above sea level, assembling and dismantling small Mammal Traps, monitoring Bird Nesting Boxes, conducting Forrest Plots to study pollinators over flowers, inspecting Camera surveillance for animals behavior, survey bats during night time, and analyzing predominant animal deposits throughout the entire expedition.

This expedition will change your perspective how to see the wild world from a different angle. Very educative and the researchers make it very engaging to all participants.

Amy Kvalseth | Monday, May 18, 2015

“Fantastic Experience!”

The breadth of experiences I had on this expedition was terrific. This was the first team out, so there were logistics to be worked out with the group and the work. We had two groups, one doing the more strenuous hikes at higher elevations and the other group hiking in the lower elevations (though still strenuous), but the tasks were similar and as described in the briefings. Measuring and counting trees was challenging on the steep slopes, but fun and rewarding. We learned to identify birds by their calls as we sat for 15-minute stretches listening and counting, to identify flowers blooming in mountain meadows along transects, to check bird boxes, to check camera traps - all while hiking through beautiful mountain scenery.

The scientists were fabulous at teaching and making the work fun. Languages were an added bonus, as the scientific team was from Catalonia in Spain, whereas the study was in France. It's an expedition not to be missed.

Debra Oexmann | Friday, August 15, 2014

“Challenging and rewarding!”

Can't say enough nice things about my experience with the EarthWatch expedition, Wildlife in the Changing French Pyrenees! The scientists were friendly, fun and engaging. Their commitment to their research and its potential effect on the people of the region was admirable! The days were a bit strenuous but at the end of each day I really felt good about what we had accomplished! The whole experience was very rewarding!