Description

Expedition Summary
Work alongside Earthwatch scientists and volunteers to test ways to sustainably manage tropical rainforests, and provide local income while protecting biodiversity.

Expedition Details
Earthwatch volunteers will be trained in a variety of tasks, which may include measuring trees, counting lizards or frogs, helping to tag and identify vine species, and helping to set up new experimental plots for planting different tree and shrub species. All the while you'll be hiking through beautiful, tropical rainforest areas, sometimes climbing up steep hillsides, and sometimes following fast flowing rivers. You will also have the chance to join a night expedition into the forest to help count coqui frogs. During your recreational time you will be able to enjoy hikes (if you still have the energy), take dips in nearby rivers, take part in some forest related craft activities, use the project library to learn more about the ecology of the area, or just relax and enjoy an area of rainforest land that very few other people have had a chance to visit. There will also be an opportunity to take a salsa dancing class and to experience the local culture and cuisine.

Meals and Accommodation
You'll stay in tents on large, covered platforms with comfortable foam mattresses near the main house of the research area, or in a newly constructed bunk house. A bathing block has hot and cold showers and flush toilets. There is electricity, but power outages are common, so expect some candlelight meals. The project staff includes accomplished cooks, and you will enjoy an array of world cuisine meals. Volunteers take turns acting as sous chefs and doing some after dinner clean-up.

About the Research Area
The island of Puerto Rico, with an area of approximately 3,435 square miles, it is the smallest of the four islands that compose the Greater Antilles as well as the most easterly. The Las Casas de la Selva forest, where the project will take place, is located about one hour by car from the San Juan International Airport and within easy reach of major commercial centers and beaches. The forests elevation of 600 meters (1,800 feet) provides year round temperatures averaging 71.7F (22C). The plantation area ranges from very narrow ridge tops, down generally convex upper slopes and concave mid and lower slopes, to fast running perennial streams.

The research area consists of several buildings, and open-walled dining area, and roofed tent platforms. At night, you will be serenaded by the tiny coqui frog - and one night you may do a frog survey.

Evenings often feature entertainment - music, learning to salsa dance, or visiting one of the small towns nearby. On your day off, the group can go to the beach, Old San Juan, or several other attractions.

Highlights

On the Expedition
The first thing you will need to learn is how to recognize mahogany and mahoe trees - even very small ones. You will hike steep mountainsides in a beautiful, very old tropical rainforest to measure the thousands of mahogany and mahoe trees planted since 1984 and plot their progress. You will also help staff measure and identify native trees in study plots for comparison with planted trees. In addition, at night you will help monitor local populations of coqui, a tiny tree frog and much-loved national symbol of Puerto Rico. In your free time, you will be able to enjoy local hikes (if you still have the energy), take a dip in one of our rivers, visit other local attractions, or just relax and enjoy the rainforest.

Travel Types

• Camping
• Eco Tours
• Ecology
• Environmental Studies
• Hiking
• Nature Tours
• RainForest Tours
• Volunteering
• Photography
• Tours

Qualifications

No experience is necessary - all you will need is enthusiasm and the desire to make a difference. For over 40 years Earthwatch Institute has pioneered the involvement of ordinary people in peer-reviewed scientific research worldwide. By joining an Earthwatch Expedition, you have a unique opportunity to get up-close and personal with some of the world's rarest animals and visit remote and beautiful locations, while directly supporting conservation science. We offer life enhancing experiences in nearly 50 countries each year, with projects for teens, adults, and families.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

1,995 USD

Cost Includes:

• Emergency evacuation services
• Excursions
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Medical services
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

Our volunteers not only contribute essential funds that help to cover the cost of the research, but also, through their inspiration and effort, they provide the people power without which many of our vital projects simply couldn't take place. We are a non-profit organization but accommodation, meals, insurance, training and transport in the field are also included in your contribution cost. As a non-profit organization that supports scientific research, your contribution and airfare costs are usually tax-deductible for U.S. citizens.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Earthwatch expeditions appeal to a variety of people, including students, retirees, families, educators, and anyone seeking an exciting journey that enables them to give back to the environment. Our expeditions have a wide range of activity levels, from hiking intensive to easy expeditions with limited physical activity. There is an Earthwatch expedition out there for everyone!

Age Range

Teen (age 15 - 18) and adult (age 18-90) teams available.

This Program is open to

Worldwide, American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi and South African Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living
• Other

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

in Groups of 6-12

Scholarships are Available

Very limited fellowships may be available, mainly for high-school students and educators. Visit our website for more information.

Application Process Involves

• Other
• Phone/Video Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

Brief

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network

Earthwatch Institute's Mission Statement

Our mission is to inspire connections between people and the environment by engaging them in worldwide scientific field research and education. These efforts will promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Earthwatch enables scientists to pursue research goals and members of the public to gain hands-on experience with science. We believe it is essential that people participate in solving the environmental challenges we face.

Year Founded

1971