Thank you for your interest in the Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project Volunteer Programme. This programme has been running since 2001 and is a focus for local conservation efforts, providing much-needed employment and financial benefits for the local community and replacing illegal logging as the main activity and source of income in the northern Sabangau Forest. This page contains background information about the research volunteers will be assisting with during 2012. See our Research pages for full details of all our research activities; the About Us pages for detailed information on the project's history, people, the Sabangau Forest and life at camp; and the conservation pages for details of our efforts to help conserve this critical ecosystem. The application pack below contains further practical and project information useful for those interested in helping us in Borneo.

A limited number of volunteer places are available each year to participate in the research programmes of the Forest Research and Ecological Monitoring Research teams. Our programme is particularly suited to recent graduates or undergraduates wishing to gain fieldwork experience in a tropical forest environment, although our previous volunteers have come from all walks of life! A willingness to work long hours in the field. a good level of fitness and enthusiastic demeanor are essential, and basic biological/ecological knowledge is advantageous. There are also several opportunities for students to undertake research for part of their undergraduate honours project or post graduate masters thesis. While the majority of our work is biological in nature, opportunities in other areas may exist, and we encourage all potential students to contact us and discuss ideas.

Please download an application form, or contact info@outrop.com for more information.

We need volunteers to help us collect research data, which is vital for ensuring effective conservation in the region. We have a long-term on-going programme of research in which we monitor: orangutan, gibbon and red langur density and behaviour; wild cats; forest biodiversity; and forest condition and regeneration. Our forest and biodiversity research yields particularly large volumes of data, the collection of which wouldn't be possible without the involvement of volunteer researchers. We use these results to provide feedback on the state of the habitat, report on problems and assess the effectiveness or otherwise of conservation programmes. We need intelligent, fit, enthusiastic individuals to join our team and help us collect these vital data. Research by students on the project also enables the completion of important studies that may not otherwise be undertaken, dramatically increasing our research output and impact. 

We can offer you a challenging seven-week programme of field research, with opportunities to undertake your own research project, together with visits to the Central Kalimantan Orangutan Reintroduction Project at Nyaru Menteng and Tanjung Puting National Park.  We provide you with training in field methods, a window into a career as a conservation biologist and, hopefully, an unforgettable experience!! Volunteering with us can serve as a great career platform: many of our past volunteers now work in conservation or related fields.