Description

Expedition Summary
Explore life in the shadow of an active volcano in Nicaragua, while teaming with Earthwatch scientists and other volunteers.

Expedition Details
Hiking around Nicaraguas active Masaya Volcano and surveying the surrounding areas to help determine the effects volcanic activity has on plant, animal, and human communities, you'll use GPS technology, monitor volcanic gases, and deploy devices to collect geoelectric activity and gravity. You'll also dig holes, take soil and water samples, and conduct butterfly surveys.

You'll enjoy the spectacular scenery of recent lava flows, red hot magma, and fantastic flora and fauna, including, turtles, crocodiles, and a colony of parrots. During your recreational time you can explore nearby national parks and sample the local culture.

Meals and Accommodations
You'll stay in a small, friendly hotel, with shared rooms and bathrooms. The hotel includes a bar and lounge area, and Internet access is available close by. Breakfasts will consist of beans and rice, eggs, bread, juice, and coffee served at the hotel or nearby, and lunches will be packed for the field. For dinner, youll eat local dishes in nearby restaurants or at the hotel. Nicaragua has wonderful fresh fruit, vegetables and coffee.

About the Research Area
Masaya volcano, Nicaragua is 600 m/1,968 ft above sea level. The scenery is spectacular, with recent lava flows and fantastic flora and fauna. The volcano is in a National Park and there is a tourist center some distance from the summit.

During your daily tasks you'll be able to see the awesome pit crater (and sometimes red hot magma therein), fresh lava flows, and the remains of farms where volcanic gases have devastated the vegetation. A colony of parrots lives inside the crater. In the amazing Masaya and Managua lakes you can see turtles and crocodiles, as well.

Highlights

At both volcanoes, you will hike around the volcano and its surrounding areas gathering information using GPS, gas monitoring, and geoelectrical and gravity instruments. You'll also dig holes, take soil and water samples, and conduct butterfly surveys at each location. At Nicaragua's Masaya volcano, which is hot and dry, your daily activity will take place against the spectacular scenery of recent lava flows, red hot magma, and fantastic flora and fauna, including, turtles, crocodiles, and a colony of parrots. Costa Rica's Poàs volcano, by contrast, is often windy or rainy, and data gathering may take you into the beautiful crater lake area, as well as into the volcano's cloud forest, and nearby dairy farms, coffee plantations, and waterfalls. During your recreational time, you can explore the national parks at both volcanoes, and sample the local culture.

Travel Types

• Eco Tours
• Ecology
• Environmental Studies
• Hiking
• Nature 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 worlds 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$:

2,346 to 4,046 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 couldnt 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

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 Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Other

Participants Travel

Independently

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

• Phone/Video Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records

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