Here is a brief summary of some of the problems that this project is trying to eradicate.

Sea turtles

Tobago’s nesting season got off to an early start in 2006 with a few leatherbacks already recorded on Great Courtland Bay. Unfortunately, poachers also got an early start killing at least one turtle before Christmas.

Marine litter

It takes years for litter to decompose and for the sea to renew itself. These are just a few figures of the decomposition rates at sea of some common items that are usually seen at sea:

• Plywood or painted wood. one to three years
• Tin cans. 50 years
• Aluminium cans. 200 years
• Disposable nappies and plastic bottles. 450 years
• Monofilament fishing line. 600 years
• Styrofoam. Never.
  Like many other places around the world, the coastal waters of Tobago are in an appalling state. Litter ranges from soft drink containers to plastic bags. Animals like the sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, which they eat. The plastic cannot be digested and the sea turtle eventually dies. Litter affects everything and everyone.

Sand mining

Certain beaches in Tobago are important turtle nesting grounds. Sand mining on Bloody Bay Beach alone destroyed between eight to 12 nests by the removal of sand in the last year.

Tobago rainforest

The Tobago Forest Reserve (or the Main Ridge Reserve) claims to be the oldest protected forest in the Western hemisphere. It was designated as a protected Crown reserve on April 17, 1776 following representations by Soame Jenyns a Member of Parliament in Britain who had the responsibility for the development of Tobago. It has remained a protected area ever since.

Brief job description

Each volunteer will be provided with a job description that clarifies their duties and responsibilities. Volunteers can expect to be involved in any of the following activities:

• Beach clean-ups
• Census of flora and fauna
• Environmental monitoring
• Environmental education with groups of children.