Israel - Coral Reef Conservation

Out of the 11 kilometers of Eilat beach that is located within Israeli territory, 1,200 meters have been declared a nature reserve. The Coral Beach Reserve was one of the first nature reserves to be declared in Israel. The Coral Beach Nature Reserve offers a spectacular combination of coral; creating colorful underwater ‘gardens' with butterfly fish, parrot fish, Julie fish, nocturnal fish and many other species, including sea lilies, giant shells and much more. It is one of the most densely populated coral reefs in the world and the only one in Israel.  

Orientation (included): Orientation will take place in Tel Aviv on Sunday upon arrival.  

• Volunteer preparation and travel directions to the program
• Expert advice for traveling in Israel during and after your volunteer placement
• Walking tour of Tel Aviv
• Lunch included

You will become an integral part of the staff that aims to protect this fragile Coral Reef Reserve from countless threats. The work you will do is heavily dependent on which season it is in the country. During the high season (summer) much of your work will center around preparing the beach for tourists. An important and exciting part of the volunteer work is the cleaning of the buoys. When algae is removed from them, fish swarm to eat the algae and you are surrounded by schools of bright, beautiful fish.

It is of the utmost importance that the beach area remains trash-free so that floating debris do not end up in the water and being eaten by fish. Plastic bags and other beach trash are responsible for the death of countless fish, as the plastic gets caught around them, or ends up in their stomach.

Some of your volunteer tasks may include:

• Water buoy maintenance
• Algae removal
• Assisting park rangers
• General maintenance
• Beach cleaning
• Beach observations
• Informing visitors about the beach rules (swimming areas, use of snorkeling gear, etc.)

In order to volunteer at this project, you must be an advanced swimmer.  A huge amount of the work being done is in the water and you will need to be able to cope with tides, waves and currents, although usually they are not strong.

A typical day: You should expect to wake up early and be ready to start working around 9:00am.  You will help the rangers prepare the beach in the morning and then start with a special project. Your day will finish at around 2:30pm, leaving you plenty of free time to enjoy the beach, snorkel, scuba dive (for an additional fee) or take a break from the heat. Volunteers can take a PADI Certification Course in their free time.

*Please note that volunteer activities and schedules can change at any time based on the needs of the project.
You will work five days per week and choose which two days you would like to have off.  
 
Holidays: Please note that the months of September and October contain several holidays that may affect your trip. Please speak with your placement coordinator for details.

Please take note of this project's minimum requirements:

• Basic level of English 
• Good physical fitness
• Advanced swimmer
• Ability to endure hot climate
• Motivation to work for nature preservation

Thanks to the relatively small size of the country and the convenient public transportation options, seeing and doing things outside of Eilat is easy.  You can experience the spectacular amount of salt in the Dead Sea and lather yourself in the healing mud. Travel further north and enjoy Tel Aviv’s beaches, nightlife, museums and architecture as a large section of the city has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In the northern most section of the country you can visit the Sea of Galilee and the Galilee region, home to many historical and religious sites.

Check out a list of tours you can join for an additional fee, here.

While on this program, volunteers can become PADI certified during their free time for an additional fee.