IPBio- Biodiversity Research Institute

IPBio was a dream come true. I have been searching for over 3 years for an NGO whose mission I truly wish to support and finally I found it. I came to IPBio as a volunteer having had it recommended to me by various people. After speaking to the manager, Ana, we agreed that I would come to IPBio with 2 goals in mind: structure their volunteer program and fundraise for a environmental education program they we conceptualizing. As many trusted and experienced people had told me such great things about IPBio, I was worried that it wouldn't meet my expectations.. but in fact it surpassed them three-fold! Walking onto the reserve you pass a beautiful wooden bridge over the river and find a hidden state of the art research center in the middle of the forest. After meeting the staff and really discussing their future plans, I was already in love with IPBio and knew I wanted to stay. Over the next 3 months, I worked hard to organize the volunteer program, we managed to meet our fundraising goal for the education program and I wrote a grant which we won for bioacoustics equipment. Soon after, IPBio offered me a position and now I will be working at the organization as the volunteer and communication manager. This place is paradise and I am glad I found a way to stay. The region (forest, wildlife, caves, rivers, waterfalls) to the infrastructure (lab, greenhouse, aquarium) to the topics of research (bioluminescent mushrooms, mammals, amphibians) to the larger plan of creating various IPBio's across Brazil, this place captured my dream: to live in a remote area surrounded by nature which also sparked my intellectual curiosity and drive. IPBio is now home.

I am undertaking a 5 month internship at IPBio studying the effects of forest successional stages on the abundance of mammals on the reserve. I use camera traps and so far I have caught: a fieldmouse, tayra, opossum, paca, racoon and a capuchin monkey. I also support with organizing mammal footage for a documentary IPBio will soon produce. The weekends are just as fun with activities such as buoy cross down the river, exploration of caves, hiking and swimming in waterfalls. I have enjoyed my time here and would really recommend this organization to other volunteers.

I am in love with Iporanga, the forest and the people at IPBio! I studied biology at UQAM in Montreal, Canada, and wanted to apply my skills with my desire to travel abroad. I was pleasantly surprised to find a voluntary role related to research as this is very uncommon and when the volunteer coordinator got back to me with all the helpful information that I needed to make my trip a reality I accepted quickly as I realized this organization was serious. Three weeks later I was in Brazil studying frog biodiversity of the Betary Reserve. This place is paradise and now I really don’t want to leave and have already made plans to come back soon. When I arrived I was thrilled to find a fully functional research lab (with an aquarium and greenhouse), a lovely cabin where volunteers can stay with hot showers and a cozy kitchen. It was a real luxury considering I was heading into the middle of the forest. But what really makes this place is the people. The whole team is so warm, helpful, patient and really want to support your learning and they make sure you get the most out of your stay. They became my friends fast and we organize weekend activities together like visiting caves or waterfalls. My role studying frog biodiversity is so interesting and a lot of fun. 3 times a week I go out in forest 9am to 12am tour the pitfalls to identify the presence of frogs. I really enjoy walking through the forest and I am always accompanied to make sure of my safety and so we can chat. The rest of the day, I analyse existing videos of frogs or I have Portuguese lessons with a great tutor. I will never forget the smell of the forest and the mornings when you get up to the sound of birds singing and even howler monkeys chattering. All I know is that I will come back as soon as possible.