Few countries have such a desperate need for conservation. Just 50 years ago, moist tropical forest with an astounding diversity of plant and wildlife, covered almost the whole of the Pacific coastal strip of Ecuador. Now, less than one per cent of it remains and due to agriculture and the continual intrusion from petroleum industries even that remnant will soon disappear. This doesn't compare with the disruption to the life flow of the indigenous tribes.
The Global Volunteer Network, through our partner in Ecuador, helps turn this trend around through reforestation projects and support efforts to aid the indigenous people. Four different conservation projects have been developed to preserve different types of Ecuadorian landscape, at reserves that are among the most biologically diverse regions on Earth. Here you'll find a greater variety of animals and plants than you're ever likely to see again. Each is professionally staffed by Ecuadorian supervisors and park rangers who handle safety or first aid issues.
You can volunteer for anywhere from two weeks to one year and you can choose to attend only one or several reserves during your stay. Volunteer activities vary between reserves, but all are dedicated to fight forestation and invasive species which threaten the native plants and wildlife. Volunteer activities include:
Reforestation projects: preparing seeds, planting seeds in nurseries and replanting as many as 500 saplings at a time.
Plant Conservation: working on medicinal plant garden development, nursery work, and clearing areas of invasive species.
Community Work: teaching English in local schools, environmental education and community visits.
Sustainable development: implementation of sustainable agriculture and aquaculture projects, crafts and agro-forestry.
Jungle hikes: led by Ecuadorian co-coordinators or self-guided with maps. These trips usually serve a secondary purpose such as collecting data on plants and wildlife.
Individual projects: in selected reserves volunteers can carry out your own research or help with existing research projects being undertaken by resident students and biologists.
.: 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
For more information and details on the costs of this program visit
http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/ecuador
If you have a question send it to:
info@volunteer.org.nz
* The Global Volunteer Network offers opportunities 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.
