Welcome to the frequently asked questions page

Wild Lab Projects attracts candidates who have enough of feeling powerless in a world where leaders keep discoursing in succeeding COPs, G20s and other climate conferences but where the trend leading to the destruction of our planet doesn’t bend a degree. We don’t pretend we’ll change that trend with our projects. But we want to use whatever power we have to make a difference, at least locally. Inaction, indifference and despair are not part of our mindset. Everyone working at Wild Lab Projects has chosen a job where they can take action, be part of the change, inspire others and see concrete results.

Yes we do. Wild Lab Projects' whistleblower policy is detailed in a 4-page document that includes examples of misconducts that must be reported, a description of how to report a concern and what happens once it is done, and other information such as protection against retaliation, and confidential and anonymous reporting. This is part of the document: "Wild Lab Projects (WLP) is committed to conducting their business fairly, honestly and with transparency and in compliance with all legal and regulatory obligations. We expect all WLP' directors, employees and anyone acting on our behalf to do the same and to maintain the highest standards of ethical business behavior. However, all organizations face the risk of things going wrong from time to time. A culture of openness and accountability is essential in order to prevent such situations from occurring and to address them when they do occur. Moreover, WLP will not tolerate harassment, victimization or retaliation towards any person for raising concerns on the basis of areas on a reasonable belief or objecting or refusing to participate in any act or practice that they honestly believe to be in violation of law or misconduct. Any such harassment, victimization or retaliation will be treated as very serious and will be a disciplinary offense in accordance with WLP's procedures.

The donations are used to run the projects, start new ones, buy necessary tools and equipment, cover expenses that we keep to the minimum and offer decent salaries and working conditions to the employees. There is no shareholder in a nonprofit, so no dividend at the end of the year. What is not spent is reinjected into the projects, to  improve the projects' impact and influence. The status of nonprofit is given by the Norwegian administration after a strict examination. Once a year, Wild Lab Projects is audited and its legal form is re-evaluated, based on the past, ongoing and planned activities. Wild Lab Projects has also a strict anti-corruption policy, where employees are encouraged to report anonymously to the board members if they suspect some misuse of the resources or a potential conflict of interest. 

When properly designed, carried out and evaluated, citizen science can provide sound science and generate high-quality data. From that perspective, our projects contribute as much as conventional natural science. On the practical side of conservation, our projects help solve environmental (for example when restoring natural habitats) and social problems (for example when advocating for coexistence between humans and birds, or encouraging better practices while in nature). Of course, we use citizen science to raise awareness, but we believe that awareness - only - is not a factor of change. By taking actions - as opposed as lecturing or making documentaries for example - we want to amplify the sense of caring in the participants. We don't have the guarantee that our participants will change their habits after they have joined our projects, but they will for sure leave the place they have visited in a better shape.

We encourage tour operators and the tourism industry in general to develop an approach that is less extractive and more regenerative. We are very much willing to help them operate this switch wherever possible, but always with a strong focus on measurable results and credibility, to avoid greenwashing deviances that would harm citizen science, and disappoint the participants and the partners who must ultimately benefit from these collaborations.

Eventually, we might not have the choice. Until then, we believe that making our fueled vehicles last as long as possible is the best way to save natural resources on this planet. Also, until now, electric vehicles do not constitute a satisfying alternative. The making of batteries generates massive environmental and social problems. If not where the batteries are used, at least where the raw material (metals especially) that are necessary to make the batteries are extracted. The computerization of the vehicles also requires "rare" metals and semiconductors that need to be extracted from the Earth. The pollution and damages to the environment, individual humans and societies are just delocalized, usually from the rich countries to the developing countries. Additionally, there are practical reasons why we are not using electric vehicles, starting with the batteries’ autonomy that does not match our needs and creates safety issues when driving groups of volunteers through the Arctic. What we do though, is to use vehicles as little as possible and we take this into account when we design our projects.  

Being a participant means that you will likely meet and join others who care about nature and want to do something meaningful and useful, while learning things and skills and having fun. If you come as a traveler, you will experience Northern Norway in a very unique way, off the beaten paths. You will hopefully find it rewarding to travel with a purpose, and to contribute effectively to improving the state of the environment you are visiting. 

That totally depends on the project, and we encourage you to read the description on the website carefully, and get in touch with us if you have more questions. But as a general answer, our citizen science projects require from the participants to spend time in nature, to collect data, to make observations and take concrete actions in all imaginable weather conditions. You must be ready to roll your sleeves up and get things done with us.

You don’t have to, but we hope that you will enjoy what you are doing, and therefore that you will want to participate for the whole duration of the activity. If for some reason you are not having a good time and you want to quit, we will do all we can to accommodate you, without impacting negatively the experience of the other participants. To avoid this undesirable situation, we encourage you to read very carefully the activity description on the website and to get in touch with us beforehand if you have questions or concerns.

Flying is not the most environmental-friendly way to travel, but as long as we live in a world where oil is cheap and abundant, that’s how most people come to Tromsø. If you don’t want to fly, there are alternatives: please jump to the next question. Once in Tromsø, public buses will get you anywhere on the island at least. Before using the public transports, we recommend you install these two apps on your phone: TROMS REISE to access the time tables and plan itineraries, and TROMS BILLETT to buy tickets online (cheaper then buying tickets onboard). These apps include the buses and the ferries that are part of the public transportation network.

By train, reach Narvik from Stockholm (20 hours at least), and then take a bus to Tromsø (4 hours minimum). By car, it is possible as well, although it will increase your carbon footprint significantly. The quickest itinerary goes through Sweden and avoid all the fjords that would make your trip a lot longer. If you want to include the beautiful fjord landscapes into your trip, the winding road following the Norwegian coast is the way to go. Traveling by boat is also possible.

One way to reach Senja is to drive or ride from Tromsø. There are 2 routes: 1/Tromsø, Kvaløya and Brensholmen (1h05) where you can load your car onto the ferry and reach Botnham on Senja (45 min). You will arrive on the north-west tip of Senja, the most scenic part of the island. Be aware that the ferry between Brensholmen and Botnham doesn't operate in winter. Which leaves with you with the other route: 2/Tromsø, Nordksjosbotn, Finnsnes (2h20). This is the mainland variant of this trip. The bus takes that route too. Finnsnes is still on on the mainland, just one bridge away from Senja. In Finnsnes, you can either rent a car, take a bus or hitch hike to Senja. By boat,  from Tromsø you can hop on the express ferry (hurtigbåt, which takes passengers only, no cars). It takes 1h 20 min to ride from Tromsø (Tromsø Prostneset hurtigbåtkai) to Finnsnes (Finnsnes kai). Remember to check the bus routes and times on Senja as they are not serviced as frequently as in Finnsnes or Tromsø.  Before using the public transports, we recommend you install these two apps on your phone: TROMS REISE to access the time tables and plan itineraries, and TROMS BILLETT, to buy tickets online (cheaper then onboard buses or the hurtigbåt).

Even though Tromsø stands 350 km north of the Arctic Circle, the Gulf Stream has a huge influence on the coastal climate. The Gulf Stream is this massive oceanic current that brings warm waters from the western side of the Atlantic to Europe, and then goes up north towards the Arctic. The whole Norwegian coast is influenced by this current that rises temperatures in winter and brings precipitations all year round. The coldest temperature recorded in Tromsø is around minus 20°C (- 4°F), and these days it can be 20°C colder in the next valley inland or in the mountains, and even colder further inland, near the border with Finland. All in all, Tromsø is relatively mild compared to similar latitudes in other places around the world. Climate change and global warming are particularly noticeable in the Arctic, and that includes Northern Norway. The warmest month of the year is July, and to give an example, the average temperature was 13°C in 2022. That same year in July, temperatures ranged from 6°C to 30°C. To see the statistics for the last 13 months, visit YR.no. This website is the platform of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, it is largely used in Norway and its weather forecast is often accurate. 

We love having kids and teens in our citizen science projects. They inherit from us, they are the adults of tomorrow, and all our projects are fantastic opportunities for kids and teens to get some hands-on experience about nature conservation and science. We set an age limit for each project based on common sense and experience. Beyond this limit, you are the one who know best about your child’s needs and interests. Whether a kid, a teenager or an adult, it is always best when everyone knows precisely what to expect, so that everything goes smoothly and remains enjoyable to everyone involved. We try our best to accommodate everyone’s needs, but this shouldn’t hinder the project or the other participants’ experience. In some instances, when joining a group is not possible for a person with special needs, we are open to discuss tailored alternatives. 

There are no hidden costs. The recommended amount for the donation helps cover the costs related to running the project and to your participation. Each project is different, and our website describes in detail what this contribution includes and what it doesn’t. If after reading the project’s description you still have questions, feel welcome to reach out to us and we’ll do our best to assist you.

We recommend you to consider taking a travel insurance and that you read and understand your travel insurances policies. As stated in our Terms and Conditions , we will not offer rebooking or refunds to a participant who does not make it to the departure time. You will need to seek reimbursement from your Travel Insurance provider.

Wherever we provide meals, our options are all vegetarian or vegan and we can easily cater to gluten free diets. If you have another allergy, please get in touch and we can do our best to meet your needs.

We use English as our main language. Some of us speak other languages though. Please get in touch with us if English is a barrier to you.

This depends on the projects. For some projects, we return to Tromsø at the end of the day, and in that case the city offers plenty of options (hotel, youth hostel, Aibrnb, camping, couch surfing, etc.). For other projects that are further away from civilization, to be more efficient and to reduce our carbon footprint, we stay close to the study sites, in a house, in a cabin or on a boat. The details are given in the description of each project. If after reading the description you still have questions, feel welcome to reach out to us and we’ll do our best to assist you. 

Tromsø and Senja are wonderful playgrounds for nature lovers. Don’t hesitate to ask us if you look for activities that don’t harm or benefit nature, the environment and local communities. We'll do our best to advise you.

That depends on the project, and on what your needs are. As a rule, we want to be able to welcome everyone, and we encourage you to contact us so we can chat together and try to find a way to accommodate you. We are also opened to discuss tailored alternatives if it appears that you need all our attention.  

That depends on the project you would like to join. Most of our projects are land based, so in those cases, it is no problem for you to participate if you don’t know how to swim. If you would like to participate in a project where we use a boat to reach an island or a remote shore, you will be kitted out with all the necessary and legal safety equipment . We do not recommend a non-swimmer to join a project where it is necessary to kayak or to dive. 

Since most projects occur near Tromsø, staying at a hotel - or other available accommodation - is the logical option. If an activity is far from civilization and includes an overnight stay near the project’s site, and if you are sharing a room, it is explicitly stated in the description on our website. If you want to participate  but don’t feel like sharing a room, feel free to contact us and we’ll try our best to accommodate you, based on available alternatives. Comfort is always a priority for us, as one needs to rest well in order to be full of energy the next day, happy and enthusiastic.  

For each project to go ahead we have a minimum number required to be able to execute the project. Each project's resources and needs are unique, so please check the project page to know what applies to your project. Each project has a deadline. At which point the project will be confirmed or postponed. Please ensure your project is confirmed before you book your flights.

It's very easy: click the button at the top or the one at the bottom of the page, choose an amount and pay with a credit card (yours, preferably).

Tromsø is a science hub. As the largest town in Northern Norway, Tromsø concentrates most of the research infrastructures in the region. The University of Tromsø (UiT) has over 3,700 staff and 18,000 students, and the campus is still growing. Then, at the Fram Center, 280 researchers and technicians work in one of the 21 institutes present in the building. Also called the High North Research Center for Climate and Environmental, the Fram center is an epicenter of scientific research, with a focus on natural science, technology and social sciences. This concentration of science is a fabulous environment to build bridges between scientists and the rest of society. And it is precisely what we do at Wild Labs, we connect scientists and non-scientists through meaningful projects that have measurable benefits for nature and local communities. Tromsø is also a unique playground for nature lovers, due to its diversity of ecosystems. From the bottom of the sea all the way to the mountain tops, the fjords, the shoreline, the rivers, lakes, tundra and forests form a mosaic of natural habitats where outdoor enthusiasts and field scientists can thrive. There is also a great need for knowledge, and to better understand, protect and invent ways to coexist with nature.  

We use English as our main language. Some of us speak other languages though. Please get in touch with us if English is a barrier to you.

That depends on the project, and on what your needs are. As a rule, we want to be able to welcome everyone, and we encourage you to contact us so we can chat together and try to find a way to accommodate you. We are also opened to discuss tailored alternatives if it appears that you need all our attention.  

After the project, you will receive updates from us, about the project in general and - if relevant - about your personal contribution (for example if you have put up a nest box for owls, you will be informed about its occupancy, in addition to receiving the yearly report of the whole project). This information often comes to us from our scientific partners, and we forward it to you. It can take the form of scientific or newspaper articles, reports, videos, new laws or simply a note from us if we see that it takes forever for a scientific publication to come out. Reporting, as it is called, is a very important part of any citizen science project, because we all want to see that our efforts have been productive and led to concrete changes. 

Reporting is a very, very important part of Wild Lab Projects. This means that if you participate in our projects, you will receive news from us afterwards. We work closely with our science partners, who are the ones analyzing the data and publishing the results in mainstream and scientific media. Our responsibility is to take these results, and to share them with you. Sometimes, it can take a while between data collection and publication in a scientific journal, especially with long-term projects. But like you, we want to know that our efforts are productive, so we ask our scientific partners some intermediate results. And we share them with you, directly and on our online platforms.

We aim to involve everybody who is interested in our projects, at a national and international levels, hence our choice of using English as the first version of our website. However, as we have started involving locals and schools through community and education-oriented projects, a Norwegian version of our website becomes more and more relevant. It'll come for sure.