Earthwatch Institute


Earthwatch Institute is an international environmental charity. It was founded in 1971 as Educational Expeditions International by Bob Citron and Clarence Truesdale. Earthwatch Institute supports Ph.D. researchers internationally and conducts over 100,000 hours of research annually using the citizen science methodology. Earthwatch's mission statement states that the organization "connects people with scientists worldwide to conduct environmental research and empowers them with the knowledge they need to conserve the planet." As such, it is one of the global underwriters of scientific field research in climate change, archaeology, paleontology, marine life, biodiversity, ecosystems and wildlife. For over fifty years, Earthwatch has raised funds to recruit individuals, students, teachers, and corporate fellows to participate in field research to understand nature's response to accelerating global change.
Earthwatch Citizen Science Projects are peer-reviewed, Ph.D.-led scientific field research that allow everyday citizens to join research teams around the world to collect field data in areas such as climate change, wildlife conservation, rainforest ecology, marine science, and archaeology.
Earthwatch staff also lead many in-house projects, such as their Climate Change Masterclass, a virtual education program centering on corporate sustainability, Operation Healthy Air, which provides tools and training for air quality monitoring in vulnerable areas and supports action to improve air quality, and Global Pollinator Watch, a partnership with iNaturalist that supports pollinator research by enabling citizen scientists to observe pollinators in their habitat. Global Pollinator Watch participants have recorded over 495,000 pollinator observations as of 2024.
By paying to spend time on a project ranging from a few days to several weeks, volunteers, corporations, and foundations support critical field research both financially and by providing a workforce to collect data. Participants gain first-hand experience with science, the scientists, and the research areas.

Organization and history

Earthwatch headquarters are in Boston, Massachusetts. They also have offices in Oxford, England; Melbourne, Australia; Gurgaon, India; and Tokyo, Japan.
Earthwatch was started as Educational Expeditions International in 1971 by Bob Citron, who was a Smithsonian Institution employee, and Clarence Truesdale, the superintendent of Vermont public schools. In 1972, Brian A. Rosborough joined Educational Expeditions International as a volunteer and six months later became president of the newly named Earthwatch. The organization quickly expanded, partnering with scientists around the world to confront threats to wildlife and the environment.
Since 1971, Earthwatch has made notable achievements in environmental research and policymaking. These include
  • Fielding 1,430 research projects in 131 countries and 46 U.S. states, which have yielded over 2,000 peer-reviewed research publications.
  • Producing research that has informed approximately 1,200 official environmental policies and wildlife management plans at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
  • Providing Earthwatch projects over 7 years of support, on average, enabling long-term research goals.
  • Sending more than 200,000 volunteers into the field to support scientists in the field as research assistants.
Earthwatch Australia is a partner in Bush Blitz, operated by Australian Biological Resources Study with co-funding by Bush Blitz founding partner BHP Billiton.

Research focus areas and impacts

Earthwatch prioritizes support for research projects that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
All projects must contribute to one or more of the following SDGs below and incorporate actions "to combat climate change and its impacts."
  • In alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 Earthwatch’s Terrestrial Ecosystems Programs focus on the nexus of habitat preservation and restoration, assessing and mitigating the impacts of a changing climate, and the conservation of biodiversity.
  • In alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, Earthwatch’s Ocean Ecosystems Programs focus on conserving biodiversity in marine ecosystems, including open oceans, seas, coral reefs, seagrass beds, kelp forests, and coastal areas, including estuaries, mangrove forests, and saltwater marshes.  
  • In alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 11, Earthwatch’s Sustainable Cities and Communities Programs focus on research that creates more resilient urban environments.  
Earthwatch-supported research has impacted scientific progress and environmental policy in a number of areas. Below are a few relevant examples.
  • In 2001, Earthwatch volunteer James Murphy unearths a near-complete skeleton of a new genus of dinosaur in the Argentinian Andes, on an excavation led by Dr. Oscar Alcober. The genus, Eodromaeus murphi, is named after Murphy.
  • Earthwatch-supported research in Belize under Dr. Demian Chapman has led to the listing of five shark species of concern by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and the 2020 passage of a comprehensive fisheries bill that protects all rays within 200 nautical miles of its coastline and allows for greater protections of endangered sharks. Chapman’s team also helped cut the total shark catch in Belize from 2018 to 2019 in half by enlisting local shark fishers to tag and release their catches for pay as part of the project.
  • In 2022, nine years of wildlife monitoring data collected by Earthwatch volunteers in Costa Rica culminated in the designation of Golfo Dulce as an Important Marine Mammals Area, bringing increased protection for whales, dolphins, and other wildlife.
  • 26 years of permafrost data collected by Earthwatch Volunteers research in Canada's Mackenzie Mountains much of it collected by Earthwatch volunteers, has documented an average warming of 0.98 °C—bringing all sites studied dangerously close to thawing. Data from this expedition was cited in Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports in 2019.

    Earthwatch expeditions

Recent research expeditions being fielded by Earthwatch scientists and volunteers from around the world include:
  • Amazon Riverboat Exploration. Advancing strategies for community-based wildlife management and conservation in rural areas of Loreto, Peru that facilitate sustainable hunting for local communities and ensure that nationally protected areas and conservation concessions work with local populations.
  • Animals of Malawi in the Majete Wildlife Reserve - Helping African wildlife return to and thrive in their native habitats.
  • Archaeology of the Mongolian Steppe - Conducting archaeological research to study the historical significance of the Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in Mongolia.
  • Blazing the Biodiversity Trail in Brazil - Learning about conservation and biodiversity by observing the movements of wildlife in Brazil.
  • Butterflies and Bees in the Indian Himalayas - Examining the effects of climate change on the Himalayas by examining pollinators and the crops that need them.
  • Carnivores of Madagascar - Conserving and developing program to secure the survival of endemic carnivores, their prey, and habitat in and around Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, focusing on the fossa.
  • Climate change and caterpillars - Examining plant-insect-parasitoid interactions. This project conducts quantitative tests on how climate change and extreme weather disrupt tri-trophic interaction, leading to herbivore outbreaks. It also looks at how the disruption of interaction diversity causes unstable ecosystems.
  • Climate Change and Landscape in Borneo’s Rainforests - Assessing biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, regenerative capacity, conservation value and restoration requirements in degraded forests and forest fragments in Borneo.
  • Climate change at the Arctic's edge - Quantifying the consequences of climate-induced environmental change by studying tree lines and permafrost in the research area.
  • Climate Change in the Mackenzie Mountains - Studying the effects of global warming in the Arctic.
  • Climate Change in Wytham Woods - Aiming to find forest management methods and investigates the effect of fragmentation and management history on temperate forests' reaction to climate in the UK. Part inofthe HSBC Climate Program.
  • Conserving Koala Country - Investigating the response of koalas to environmental change in the Great Otway National Park and surrounding private land to provide critical information for the conservation of their populations and habitats.
  • Conserving Leopards and Monkeys in South Africa - Gathering critical information to protect leopards and monkeys under threat in South Africa.
  • Coral Communities in Seychelles - Despite being recognized as one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world with enormous economic value, reefs are threatened by both anthropogenic and natural phenomena. This project examines critical characteristics of reefs and associated communities around Curieuse Island to advance understanding of species responses to future climate changes and how the local community is affected.
  • Costa Rican Sea Turtles - Understanding the behavior of leatherback sea turtle and the impacts of human activities on these turtles on the beaches of the Pacific coast.
  • Encountering the Prehistoric People of New Mexico - Pioneering excavations of prehistoric quarries in the Valles Caldera and discover how humans interacted with this volcanic landscape 10,000 years ago.
  • Excavating the Roman Empire in Britain - Excavating a previously unknown Romano-British site of significant importance discovered in Devon. Research on this site will contribute to understanding life in the Romano-British world.
  • Exploring an Active Volcano in Nicaragua - Investigating how an active volcano shapes the world around it? Peer into the crater of the Masaya Volcano to find out.
  • Exploring Boston's Urban Forest - Investigating and exploring Boston's urban forest, which is made up of thousands of trees between and among human structures.
  • Exploring Lions and their Prey in Kenya - Investigating whether inventive livestock management can bring balance between lions, other predators, and prey in the Kenyan savanna.
  • Following Darwin's Finches in the Galapagos - Studying how foods introduced by humans are changing the face of the iconic Darwin's finch in the Galápagos Islands.
  • Freshwater Watch - Using Citizen Science to investigate the health of global freshwater ecosystems on an unprecedented scale. This is a research project using Citizen Science to investigate the health of global freshwater ecosystems on a scale never seen before. Using citizens to collect water quality data across the globe, with data from Hong Kong, Brazil and other locations used in peer-reviewed publications.
  • Investigating Threats to Chimps in Uganda - Exploring interactions between people and chimpanzees and other primates in the rainforest of Uganda to improve human–primate relationships.
  • Investigating Whales and Dolphins of the Norwegian Arctic - Studying the behaviors and needs of arctic whales and dolphins amid spectacular scenery.
  • Loons and the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill - Monitoring the survivorship and health of common loon breeding populations along the Louisiana coast after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which in April 2010 released over 250 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The impacts on residents and migratory wildlife are likely to last a decade or more. This research project monitors the survivorship and health of common loon breeding populations along the Louisiana coast and will contribute to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's National Resource Damage and Assessment process.
  • Loons of the Canadian Prairie - Investigating what can be learned about the loons of Louisiana's coast by following them 2,000 miles north to their summer breeding grounds.
  • Mammals of Nova Scotia - Addressing how temperate ecosystems, and their biodiversity, landscapes, and wildlife, which are prevalent in most parts of the industrialized world, are being affected and often degraded by human activities and climate change.
  • Mammoth Graveyard in South Dakota - Generating information on morphological adaptations of the Columbian mammoth as its habitat was reduced by sea level rise in the post-Pleistocene era.
  • Of Mountains and Marmots: Climate Change in the French Alps - This project will investigate the population dynamics of marmots in the alpine region - a region strongly affected by changes in climate. The results will provide valuable information to help predict wildlife responses to climate change and support effective conservation management.
  • On the Trail of Giant Pandas in China - Studying and working with work with pandas in captivity In the Sichuan province of China to help them adapt to life in the wild so that they may breed and live longer and healthier lives.
  • Origins of Angkor - Excavating the village of Ban Non-Wat in Thailand, and the surrounding area, looking at changes in socio-environmental interactions and resource use, and relating this to present-day issues
  • Project Manta - Conducting a comprehensive study of manta rays to enhance knowledge of the species, develop a Manta Identification Database, generate economic and social benefits, and provide a basis for long-term monitoring of its environment.
  • Puerto Rico's Rainforest - Implementing sustainable management of timber production in the Las Casas de la Selva Tabonuco forest, using line-planting techniques to ensure maintenance of biodiversity and conservation of the soil.
  • Recovery of the Reef - Researching fundamental microbial mechanisms responsible for black band disease pathogenesis in coral populations through a combined field-based and laboratory approach.
  • Safeguarding Whales and Dolphins in Costa Rica - Searching a tropical “inner sea” for endangered dolphins and whales in Costa Rica.
  • Scouting Foxes, Badgers, and Hedgehogs in England - Alongside researchers, answering the question of what is really going on with the creatures you see scampering in your garden.
  • Shark Conservation in Belize - Engaging stakeholders with shark conservation and collect data that will influence policymakers to establish marine reserves to ensure the continued persistence of endangered sharks in Belize.
  • Snorkeling to Protect Reefs in The Bahamas - Using snorkeling to protect fragile coral reefs and benefit from their resources.
  • South African Penguins -Investigating the reasons behind the rapid decline of the African penguin and potential mitigation strategies.
  • South Africa's Hyenas - Understanding the ecology and ecosystem functioning of scavengers in the Northwest Province, mainly brown hyaena to increase public appreciation for the value and function of scavengers within ecosystems.
  • Swimming with Sea Turtles in the Bahamas - Helping scientists find out where endangered sea turtles thrive and protecting these critical habitats.
  • Thinking Like an Elephant in Thailand - Working to reduce human-elephant conflict through understanding elephant behavior and supporting youth education programs.
  • Tracking Beavers Through German Waters - How do beavers shape Germany's Lower Rhine—and can we keep them from clashing with the people who live there?
  • Tracking Costa Rica's Mammals - Investigating whether farmers can help revive Costa Rica's forests by studying elusive wild mammals for clues.
  • Uncovering the Mysteries of Ancient Colorado - Digging into the ancient past to understand the most significant shift in human history: from hunting and gathering to farming.
  • Unearthing Ancient History in Tuscany - Helping dust off clues about Italy's ancient people from the ruins they left along the coast of Tuscany.
  • Walking with African Wildlife - Understanding the ecological processes that facilitate and maintain the diversity of animals within the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa.
  • Whales and Dolphins Under the California Sun - Exploring ways to do a better job of sharing the ocean with whales and dolphins in one of the U.S.’s most populous areas.
  • Wildlife in the Changing French Pyrenees - Joining efforts to discover and protect this delicate Alpine environment from climate change and human impact.
  • Wildlife of Australia’s Rainforest - Investigating the impact of climate change on the habitats and wildlife of Australia’s rainforests.
  • Wildlife of the Mongolian Steppe - Studying and conserving the wildlife in Ikh Nart Nature Reserve, including the "near-threatened" argali—the most prominent mountain sheep in the world. The successful results from this work have been used to develop improved conservation management policies in the reserve, and the research team has expanded their studies to include several other species as well as work in another nature reserve.