#educationalexpeditions

We had a very active Adventure Centre in 2019, welcoming back our regular school clients and also enjoying being able to share a unique Ability Experience with a number of new schools. We loved how busy we were and how we had number of different staff teams working simultaneously on different programmes and schools. It was the BEST year not only because we reached a different level for our teamwork but because we met many new friends along the way.

This year was supposed to be all about the continuation of these amazing partnerships and enabling many more students to thrive in an experiential personal development experience.  Due to the pandemic that is happening all over the world – we have had to accept the fact that everything needs to stop and reset for us all to be able to rise again.

Out team has been working so hard during the down time – to enhance our systems and processes; to improve and make things even better. We are “IN PROGRESS” and we are excited to start all over again when things are settled, everyone is allowed to travel again and we can safely welcome schools back to Borneo.

Why is this program so incredible? Simply because the location remain a sanctuary for some of Sabah’s most unique and diverse fauna. It is still the home of all ten endemic Bornean primate species, of which several are now endangered or critically endangered. The Clouded Leopard, the Sun bear, and depending on their roaming position throughout the year the illusive Pygmy Elephant. It has less well known species like the Sunda Pangolin (the world’s most trafficked animal), a myriad of invertebrates, birds, amphibians and reptiles and other mammals make up this jewel in the Sabah crown. The next amazing thing to note is that almost all of these aforementioned species and countless others are all being studied by dedicated unknown heroines and heroes of the science community. Many for years at a time.

So, we have a location that is home to a relatively abundant volume of wildlife (that is very relative considering how many areas have no fauna or virtually none remaining compared to say fifty years ago) and a small group of field Biologist who plot, observe and data record as many aspects of their selected species lives as is possible. Add into that mix sixteen enthusiastic, globally aware young adults from UWCSEA International school (Singapore) and that is the ingredients for an incredible expedition.

The collaboration between PhD, professional training year, volunteers and school age students (with the guiding hand of expedition experts) really does result in some truly wonderful and powerful learning. This year’s team arrived with expectations, and these have formed as a direct result of all the successful trips that have been enjoyed by their peers in previous years. The trip now has a reputation and this is fantastic from one perspective, but also can produce an almost unrealistic demand on the location. By demand I mean ‘’when will I get to see’’ X (no pressure there!).

The time spent with the science team, at the NGO KOPEL flew by for all, far far faster than anyone of them wanted, the early morning misty river boat starts, (the aim of identifying every bird species that was spotted), dusky evening river boats (identifying all the primates settling in for the night). The star lit night boat searching for Pythons on the river bank. The canopy platform, the pangolin night search, the frog night walk. Butterflies catch and identification, lizard catching, fungi plotting, Forest transects, Pollution and river clean assessments, reforestation tree planting and oxbow lake weed removal to name but a few of the activities that devoured their eight days. Lectures from the experts, cementing that what they were trying or attempting that day or the previous was how the scientists do it for real.  They then presented their own findings and realisations to the professionals.

I am very confident that no one went home disappointed, that no one went home bursting to throw yet more plastic into the trash bin and that no one went home unable to see and feel the need to recognize the reality of the impact of humans on our one and only home Planet,  Earth.

Well done UWCSEA Bio Diversity Expedition team Oct 2017 – It was our pleasure.

It was a genuine pleasure to see their almost infinite energy supply’s pouring out nonstop from the day they arrived to the moment they steps back onto their coach on ‘endex’ day. Like super charged whirl winds, the kids ate into all the events, challenges and games our team supplied hour after hour. The group led by one of our veteran instructors “Floyd” and assisted by our newest Event manager Sonja created a well-organized, dynamic, fun packed atmosphere from start to finish, this was magnified by students and teachers alike. A fantastic collaboration of experience, expertise and energy. The highlights being “trekked into the jungle and learnt to cook on open fires”, “conquered fear through completing the longest (and only) double zip line in Borneo”, (alongside other rigging disciplines), “river tubing and river hang out time” (simply allowed them to just have fun on their “own terms”). The evenings spent playing games, old and new, (east meets west) just simply more fun, and all without iCloud, smart devices and the ever present pull of the WWW.  

The program provided that they and many others since have participated in has a very “real” feel to their daily schedule, students become young adults for a week, they will take turns in being part of small research teams heading out at dawn to monitor bird populations on the river or up in the canopy observation area. They spend their day’s (again in small teams) learning the type of research skills needed to accrue accurate and specific data on all of the mini eco systems within this fragile habitat. Forest plotting and tree species identification (transects) for example, a dry topic, but a pivotal and absolutely crucial data requirement for any forested region. The plotting of animal species and their movements, establishing a picture of species ‘range’ and the acknowledgement of ‘impact factors’ having an effect on these species. The techniques used generally being radio transmitters/collars and camera trap equipment, the students are taught how to use these and then go about using them to obtain practise in the skill set and new data for the centre. The identification and handling of the planet’s most delicate of fauna ‘butterflies’, if a student can capture and handle such a delicate animal, obtain information and release without harm then the process with larger more robust species is always going to be care and compassion based exercise. The small teams also take it in turns to track the river at dusk in order to monitor and collect data on the primate species, the Kinabatangan is one of only two places on the globe where ten species resides. The river observations always give bonus experiences, sightings of infant and large estuarine crocodile, bearded pig, otter and when all the “lucky chips are in line” the Pygmy forest elephant.

The final phase of the expedition is a short relocation and a day working with the volunteer team “MESCOT” based in this wildlife sanctuary region, a NGO local initiative that manages two long term environmental service projects ongoing here. The reforestation program and the eradication of the highly invasive non indigenous lake weed (Salvinia). The student’s final element is to visit the iconic Orang-utan rehabilitation centre at Sepilok. The eight days is full on and jam packed, the groups go home without doubt tired but also without fail “inspired” to try and spread awareness, to make a personal difference to conservation and Environmental issues. This program is an incredible success story, and we hope to continue this for many years to come and with as many students as possible.

The next school expedition we are running is one of our more advanced programs that would snuggly fit in the bracket of “physically demanding and intense,” it has been designed specifically to serve as an assessment opportunity for the Gold International Award candidates. These fifty intrepid students have been preparing for this expedition several months in advance back in Singapore, land of the flat and more or less featureless (in comparison). Planning menus, shopping lists and training their bodies (in theory) for the physical demands of that which will definitely lie ahead of them. As many of you already know, Ability Expeditions is able to customize and design expeditions for any school, if you require gentle and soft, with movie nights and games that would please Year 6 kiddies, no problem. If however, you want a testing and demanding expeditions that will push even the fittest of individuals into new and unexplored personal ground, then we have a playground that ticks every box just as easily… an unsupported (although guided) four day jungle trek, including a graded river rafted egress route, followed immediately by a three day summit bid on Mount Kinabalu. So back to the story, the six are bussed up to the start point, a kampong or two along up the valley, nearly all who were on this recce were part of the last few years expeditions and so are well aware that our task over the next 48 hours will not be an easy one. To be precise, we have a FOUR days worth of jungle trail to cover, clear, plot and re-route as required… yes you read that correctly!

The team likes challenges and we see the point of doubling our input as a test of our own endurance and capabilities. We should be able to go harder, for longer, and faster than 99% of our clients. If not, who is going to pick up the slack when someone’s blown their “can do spirit” or is actually injured (rare but something we have to plan for). We have to think and lead while motivating others, all the while hauling our own carcasses and kit up the same hills. These photos will show far more succinctly where my words would flounder, suffice it to say then that we trekked ten hours on day 1, hitting camp 2 (days two’s end stop) by dusk.

I was so genuinely impressed with the team, it is easy to forget how impressive a team really is when you are with them day in day out. Doing what is done day in day out, quality becomes a norm. However put a team back into full expedition mode, and by that I mean them pushing themselves hard, and not as we normally do - motivating others on fairly gentle and beginner terrain - but assessing, clearing and supporting each other on hard jungle hills, then my friends you see your team shining like true stars. Humor flowing, sweat pouring and all the while a constant professional regard for those that we are doing this for is so evident. So excuse me for using this platform, but a round of applause for the Ability Expeditions recce team for an outstanding job well done! Physically drained and all aware they have a trail that will truly test those coming into country in a few weeks, “…is it achievable?”, “YES!” without any doubt, I know this because I did it and I’m at least twice the age of every student attending.

“Will they be in awe of themselves and one another on completion?” “YES!”

“Will they find it easy?” “NO.”

During their six day itinerary they met with the past and learned of a way of life that in part still exists today, then they sweated for the future of those they do not even know on three independent service projects, finally pushing through their "known" adventurous limits, uncovering and proving to themselves they now own a few more adventure layers and skills and a heap more "can do spirit". High ropes agility, white water rafting, trekking, overnight jungle camp, climbing and abseiling... a complete jam packed program! No doubt our intrepid adventurers slept well last night, and they indeed earned every restful moment. We genuinely thank the teachers; Veronique, Ian, Blair, Rob, David and Shan Shan for being such great sports throughout the week!

Congratulations to Tom, Thalia, and Arthur for being very worthy recipients of the Ability Expedition award.... and a "double" well done for Thalia, our expedition Champion - she’s one exceptional young lady. Well done, everyone!

The expedition team here have been gearing up for their imminent arrival, our expedition leader, Zul, will be starting their week long adventure and cultural bonanza with introductions, orientation and safety briefings. Once that is completed, the fun and games begin... we wish them sunshine and fun all week! We know they will have an incredible time here.