CHILE

Volunteer Work in Chile’s top national park

Program VL/CL-FF102

The national park Torres del Paine is the most popular park in Chile and one of the most important touristic sightseeing spots of the country. Even though the park is located in the very south, numerous visitors come to the national park to discover the unique landscapes, wonderful plants, and animal word and to see the incredible beautiful panorama of the mountains. The volunteer project in Chile devotes itself to the environmental protection and preservation of the impressive nature. As a volunteer in the national park in Chile you can contribute to the protection and conservation of the park and support initiatives to preserve the natural and cultural resources of this region.

You will live directly on site and help with this reforestation, maintenance, and environmental education. There are many different tasks and duties, in which you can engage. Do you like to be outside, commit to hard physical work and are you a team player, then you would be the perfect volunteer for this project in the south of Chile.

 

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COSTA RICA

Living in a Self-Sustaining Community

Program VL/CR-FS100

In this volunteer project in Costa Rica you live in an isolated self-sustaining community. The closest bigger city is Buenos Aires (careful, not in Argentina but the one in Costa Rica), which is only reachable over a 18km long dirt road. Since the community chose a very remote and hard to reach location for their mission, it is still possible to enjoy the completely untouched nature of the cloud forest of Costa Rica. The community territory lays on 1.600 meter over the sea level in the south west of the country. The community was created with the main goal to stop the destruction of the environment. In order to build the community big territory of mountain area has been bought on which 30 people live today. Additional 70 members of the community live temporal in the community and support the project from abroad. The goal is to create an independent life which includes complete supply from own agricultural production. In the past years, the ecotourism also proved to be a good financial support for the community. The guests stay in general overnight and sleep in the comfortable guest houses. They also have the opportunity to participate in excursions around the region.

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Program VL/CR-FF101

Costa Rica knows very well about its nature treasures and realized early that it must preserve the main income source in the long term, the tourism. Therefore, a percentage of 25 of the whole Cost Rician country is made of national and nature parks, and declared nature conservation area. In addition to that there is a very advanced energy policy – almost the entire energy is gained from renewable sources today – which makes Costa Rica a pioneer, not only in Latin America but worldwide, when it comes to sustainable environment protection.

In your volunteer work on of Costa Rica’s wonderful national parks you have the opportunity to experience the nature and animal protection projects up close while contributing to the preservation of the biodiversity. The national parks are spread throughout the whole country, either next to dreamy beaches, close to volcanos, in the mountains, in rainforests, next to Lagunas, river, lakes or waterfalls, every national park is individually fascinating. You have the possibility to be close to jaguars, pumas, howler monkeys, capuchins, sloths, tapirs, marine turtles, coatis, does, squirrels and colorful butterflies. Take a chance to be a volunteer in an amazing national park in Costa Rica.

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Work in a nature and wildlife reserve

Program VL/CR-FF109

The reforestation measurements began 20 years ago, in this nature reserve. After many years of intensive work, it was possible to fill the cleared territory with life again, so that today a 400 hectares’ big area of the pacific coast of Costa Rica attracts tourists with local animal and plant species in their natural habitat. The animal rescue center belongs to the conservation area and it care for animals, which lost their natural hunting district, got injured or were rescued from captivity. Ideally is it to release these animals back into their natural living surroundings after 6 months. Sadly, this is not always possible, since they got used to the humans around them and lose their natural hunting instincts.

If you want to become part of a unique nature protection project, then this is your best chance to do something meaningful for the nature and animal protection abroad.

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Rescue station for wild animals in Costa Rica

Program VL/CR-FF110

Living in the rainforest and work with exotic animals is a big dream of you? It is not that hard for you to fulfill this dream. During this volunteer work in the animal rescue center for wild animals in Costa Rica you can support the preservation of biodiversity and animal protection. This price-winning project devotes itself to the protection of animals such as apes, tapirs, sloths, feral cats, reptiles, and birds, which for various reasons cannot live in their natural habitat anymore. On a territory of 11 hectares you will be surrounded by 500 fascinating animals, which you can care for and observe up close. This volunteer project is a unique opportunity for you to fulfil your childhood dream!

 

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Field studies in wildlife reserve

PROGRAM VL/CR-FF108

In this 60 hectares big wildlife reserve filled with diverse species of trees, orchids, birds, and trees close to the city Heredia are volunteers able to contribute to the preservation of animal and plant world of Costa Rica. If you follow the arranged circular path, one can observe different local animal species in the ever-green rainforest. Together with the schools on site environmental education programs are being undertaken. These programs should demonstrate the children the great meaning of the environment for the humans. They should see that the species diversity of their country is a very big treasure, which one has to respect highly and protect. Workshops about different topics such as garbage disposal, species diversity and ecosystem are organized. The rainforest will serve as a huge free classroom.

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Community Work

PROGRAM VL/CR-TS106

This volunteer work takes place in an agricultural community in Costa Rica. This is a constellation of approximately 30 families, which work in the production of palm oil, which is the main income source for most of them. The community strives towards an independent lifestyle and tries to produce the majority of their food and nutrition’s themselves. On the spacious land of the community live milk cows, chickens, pigs, horses, dogs, and other small animals. In addition, there are cultivations areas for vegetables and fruits. A little school belongs to the village “Cooperative” as well. As a volunteer, you can support the families with their work on the palm oil plantation and with the agricultural tasks. Additionally, you have the possibility to help the teachers in the school and kindergarten by teaching English, preparing material and planning leisure activities.

For tourists, there is the opportunity to go on vacation in the community, which owns several guest houses and trekking trails surrounded by pure nature, which ensure a relaxing stay in the village “Cooperativa”.

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ECUADOR

Protection of the Marine Biodiversity

PROGRAM VL/EC-FF103

During this volunteer work in Ecuador you commit to the preservation of the marine biodiversity of the Pacific Ocean. Together with other volunteer from all around the world, you will try to preserve the unique species diversity of the Ecuadorian Coast. The ecosystem on the coast of Ecuador is endangered due to many different reasons. Massive deep-sea fishery, environmental burdens and the pollution of the waters have catastrophic consequences for the life inside the ocean. Therefore, numerous biologists established this volunteer project about 15 years ago. Within this program, they aim to learn more about the local species by discovering the animals and plant works of the Pacific coast. Ideally, they want to plan specific measurements which improve the protection of these species and counteract the negative environmental effects in this area. This projects offers interested people from all over the world the possibility to cooperate with the center to do something good for the conservation of marine flora and fauna on site.

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Environmental Protection in Nature Reserve

PROGRAM VL/EC-FF105

The protection reserve in Pichincha, the north west of Ecuador, exists since 2009. This region is internationally known for its species-rich world, which is why plenty international explorers and biologists come here to study and admire the unique flora and fauna. Around the administrative office of the center live around 228 different bird species. Additionally, there is a big number of other animal or plant species to discover. The station is merely reachable by foot or car; there are no official transportations. However, it is exactly this isolation which makes this place to attractive and interesting!

If you want to live for some time in the ever-green rainforest and you want to learn more about the species diversity in this region, then this volunteer project in Ecuador is the perfect opportunity for you!

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