While working at the sanctuary, batches of volunteers would join us weekly, working side-by-side with trained staff to learn about and help facilitate the conservation practices. The excitement of the volunteers at Chagar Hutang reminded me of volunteers I had worked with while collecting data for my thesis in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Working with the volunteer groups reminded me of the power of connecting people to research and conservation. Through these experiences, I had internalized something that I always “knew” but never fully understood: that conservation as a practice is most effective when we decide to undertake it together. Are there any conservation programs near you? What do they work to conserve? Have you ever participated in these programs?
