International Conservation Volunteer Exchange

A program of the Great Basin Institute (GBI), the International Conservation Volunteer Exchange (ICVE) is a volunteer and internship program for international participants who wish to collaborate with American environmental professionals on natural resource projects on public lands throughout the American West. ICVE is based on the philosophy that international understanding and goodwill can be achieved through cooperating on the shared goal of improving the environment. By attracting a corps of conservation-minded volunteers, ICVE contributes to the breakdown of cultural barriers while advancing ecological awareness on a global scale.

As a cross-cultural exchange between young men and women from all corners of the world, ICVE focuses on the idea of global citizenship through conservation-based service projects. ICVE allows like-minded individuals from around the globe to utilize their collective passion for the environment on projects across the Great Basin Region. This opportunity to discover new cultures, protect sensitive wilderness and make new friendships that last a lifetime, are just a few of the valuable facets of ICVE. By using conservation-based projects as a means to cross cultural thresholds, ICVE enables the growth of international understanding while highlighting the rugged beauty of the western United States.

Since 2004 ICVE has collaborated with dozens of international environmental exchange programs, attracting over 600 students and young professionals from 50 countries and six continents around the world to serve on conservation projects throughout Nevada and the mountainous West.