Help conserve Australia's threatened ecosystems and wildlife!

"I can't believe everything that we were able to accomplish in two weeks. I will never forget the other group I volunteered with; we not only learned about conservation but also learned so much from each other, it's absolutely amazing." - Jacqueline Miller, Laurentian University

About ISV's Australian Conservation Projects

In the last 200 years, Australia has lost many of its iconic species and has one of the worst mammal extinction rates in the world. As a volunteer, you have the opportunity to work alongside local Australian organizations that have partnered with ISV to develop hands-on conservation Volunteer Projects. Your efforts will help to protect and restore the unique and fragile Australian landscapes which provide habitat for Australia's threatened flora and fauna. Projects focus on habitat restoration, and you may find yourself working in a wildlife sanctuary, doing scientific research or an outdoor education project.

Key achievement for 2008: Planted 64,142 native trees

ISV's Projects

ISV has projects spread across the continent. By volunteering with ISV in Australia you could find yourself assisting in any of these areas.

• Wildlife Sanctuary: Make a difference to Australia’s wildlife!
  ISV has several projects located in wildlife and nature sanctuaries. The goal is to conserve native animals in a relatively natural setting. Primary tasks vary and can include building and maintaining animal enclosures, fence building, vegetation removal, tree planting, surveying, and animal husbandry (daily care for animals). All of these tasks are directly related to the establishment or maintenance of the sanctuary and the species within it.



• Habitat Restoration: Volunteer in unique Australian landscapes!
  ISV is dedicated to assisting with numerous habitat restoration projects throughout Australia on public and privately-owned land. Get ready to get your hands dirty and see the results of your efforts by helping to rehabilitate land. The goal of these projects is to help restore important habitats through native revegetation (planting) and exotic species removal. Tasks may also focus on specific issues, such as soil erosion and salinity.



• Scientific Research: Collect data to make a difference!
  Be part of important research which is critical to the success of conservation management plans. ISV has been involved in both baseline surveys and long-term studies. The primary goal of this type of project is to obtain data that will be used to assist with conservation of species and ecosystems. Primary tasks include surveying and monitoring (such as measuring size, age and abundance of plants and animals), experimental set-up, and other data collection.



• Outdoor Education: Help educate and inspire others!
  Get involved to help develop or operate existing outdoor education facilities that teach others about sustainability. The goal of these projects is to facilitate understanding and appreciation of the natural world and the importance of taking care of it. Opportunities exist for volunteers to be involved in facilities design and development. Other volunteer tasks vary by project and can include weeding, planting, light construction, nature trail building and property maintenance.

Project Locations

Projects are spread across the continent of Australia (except Western Australia) and are constantly being updated according to the changing needs of our host organizations.

Please note: These are ALL great projects with significant conservation and educational value in phenomenal locations with highly-regarded organisations. Please be flexible with your project preferences as project availability is specific to departure date.

More on ISV's Projects

Each project runs for two weeks and is operated in partnership with well-established conservation organizations including, not-for-profits, government and non government organisations (NGOs), private industries, and local grassroots groups. Projects are based in various locations, from the remote outback to Australian suburbs. Each volunteer team will be supervised and directed by professional staff from the host organization and an ISV project leader. The volunteer team will consist of around 8 - 10 people, depending on the project.

Please note: certain projects only operate on specific program dates.

No prior experience or expertise in environmental areas is needed in order to participate. Accommodations vary with projects, ranging from volunteer houses, dormitory style accommodations to research stations. Meals (3 per day) will be provided during the volunteer project.

ABC News AU recently covered a local volunteer event that involved planting 2,000 trees.