The Amazon Biological Station was founded in 1986, creating a conservation, investigation and education centre to host scientists and students interested in preserving tropical rainforest. It is located on the southern bank of the Upper Napo River at 450 metres above sea level. The average temperature is 25ºC and it has an average of 200 rainy days per year. The station includes a reserve of 2,000 hectares, of which 80 percent is primary tropical wet forest and the remainder is secondary growth. This band of wet forest is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world. Studies have demonstrated that there are 250 different species of trees in one hectare, and close to 1,500 species of plants in the same area. Numerous bands of saddleback tamarins are often seen. More than fifty species of mammals inhabit the reserve, including large cats like pumas and jaguars, demonstrating how well the area has been preserved.
The station has two very important projects to help the local communities surrounding it: a centre for experimental silviculture, botanical garden and agroforestry extension programs, and a demonstration and educational farm for the community, seeking to produce alternative food sources as well as income.
Volunteer Activities include:
* The Centre for Conservation of the Amazonian Plants: reforestation, experimental silviculture of tropical trees, development and maintenance of the reserve's botanical garden and plant conservation centre, and seed collecting. This involves working with machetes, planting trees and other such manual work.
* Bosques: hiking in the surrounding jungle, collecting seeds, plants and learning about the Amazon from a local guide.
* Teaching English: with primary school aged children, most of whom go to school without shoes and without backpacks. The staff at the reserve are also interested in learning English. This project is for long term volunteers (of 2 months or longer).
* Various activities: associated with the development of a reserve project, including maintenance and infrastructure development.
Program Requirements:
* Be 18 years or over
* Have no major health problems
* Be moderately fit
* Be proficient in English or Spanish; for the Tsuraku reserve, volunteers require a basic level of Spanish
*Although there are no restrictions on the nationality of volunteers that wish to participate in this program, you need to be able to obtain your Entry Visa independent of the volunteer organisation.
For more details on the costs of this program please visit
http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/ecuador
If you have any questions please email us at:
info@volunteer.org.nz
* The Global Volunteer Network offers volunteer opportunities in community projects throughout the world. We currently provide volunteer programs through our partner organizations in Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Honduras, India, Kenya, Nepal, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, South Africa, South Dakota, Thailand, Uganda, and Vietnam.
