Description

About 50 km from Puyo, the Rainforest Reserve is situated at the foothills of the Andes, in one of the world's biodiversity hot spots. This project provides natural scientists (professional or non-professional) with chances to study an incredible amount of beautiful flora and fauna.

The Reserve is connected to another 100,000 hectares of communally-owned forest, which stretches towards the undisturbed forest of Peru and Brazil. In this rich environment, there is an extremely diverse plant community, with everything from ferns to mahogany, palms, bromeliads and an overwhelming variety of orchids.

The fauna of this amazing area is just as varied! Some of the mammal species recently recorded in the forest include pumas, jaguars, peccaries, howler monkeys, saki monkeys, tamarind monkeys, deer, ocelots, sloth's and anteaters. The forest is a birdwatchers paradise, where you can observe toucans, parrots, parakeets, tanagers, woodpeckers, eagles, hummingbirds and a vast array of other beautiful and rare birds.

The volunteer program includes three stations in three different communities. All together, the stations monitor more than 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of primary forest, and interact with approximately 100 indigenous inhabitants.

The income from tourism, and the support from volunteers have made this project into a small success story. The project has been possible to save 2,710 hectares of rainforest, preserving everything from parrots and anacondas, to jaguars, orchids, and mahogany. Furthermore, the project has helped eliminate intrusive cattle grazing. The cattle are long gone, and the villagers are reforesting the area with valuable endangered timber and fruit trees.

This volunteer project has also strengthened the culture and traditional knowledge of the indigenous community by revitalizing disappearing skills and ancient wisdom. Although the forest has as official reserve status, it still takes a tremendous community effort and a network of volunteers to maintain the project, to develop new ideas and approaches, and to expand the activities into neighboring communities. The long term goals of this volunteer project are to preserve the Rain Forest, and to support the needs of the surrounding human communities

This volunteer opportunity is for people who want to actively engage in the Amazon community and to help the local people increase ecotourism activities. Living within one of the indigenous communities of the Rain Forest, volunteers will met and share experiences with the local Shuar community, who are among best organized indigenous people in the Amazon basin. Volunteers will participate in the traditional farming activities such growing and harvesting of plantain, bananas, yucca, sweet potato, maize, pineapple, and chilies. Volunteers will improve the nutritional value of the local diet by establishing a community orchard and vegetable garden, and by collecting traditional jungle food (herbs, fruits, larvae, etc). Volunteers can pursue optional activities within the local community, such as sports, elaboration of craft skills, and social events.

Also volunteers can help the local community to generate additional income through the production of ceramic tiles. Volunteers can help improve production methods and can develop new markets for the tiles. Another community income project (aquaculture) also welcomes volunteer assistance in feeding fish, maintaining the water supply, and harvesting fish.

Within the Forest Reserve volunteers will improve and maintain the trail system, by constructing new trails and remarking of existing trails. Volunteers can participate in forest walks, learning about plants, wildlife, and birds, and collecting plants for the medicinal garden and the forest nursery. In the enrichment-plantings section of the project, volunteers will help to extend and improve the medicinal plant garden and to replant (reforestation) of the health centre area. Enrichment-planting volunteers also work in the secondary forests with timber, fruit and endangered species. Another important task is the rehabilitation of the area used for aquaculture, by planting fruit species for the fish.

Highlights

If you are planning to explore the real cultural and natural beauty of Ecuador, why not start your adventure by joining one of our voluntary positions, Free Spanish lessons, village hiking expeditions, or sightseeing of some of the cultural wonders of Ecuador. Eco-Volunteer UP offers you unique opportunities to explore the great land of Ecuador while working for children and people in teaching, orphanage projects, health, forest placements with its flora, fauna and other community development projects.

Our prices to take part in our volunteering projects are the cheapest of the place. Search and compare other companies and you will find that nobody offer the quality of our projects at lower prices.

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Cost in US$:

USD 75 per week

Program Fees Include:

Airport Pick up, three meals per day and accommodation in the community.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Eco Volunteer UP Foundation's Mission Statement

We are a non-profit organization which is legally recognized by the Ecuadorian Government. Volunteers with Eco Volunteer UP have the choice of many worthy programs, such as vulnerable orphanages, institutes for children with disabilities, street children and local indigenous communities. There are volunteer programs located in and around Quito, the capital of Ecuador, as well as programs located in the Cloud Forest and its communities close to Quito, the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Galapagos Islands and other key places around Ecuador. We offer volunteers real immersion in the various Ecuadorian ecosystems, and the unique opportunity for learning and sharing about Ecuadorian cultures, costumes and traditions.