Amazon Rainforest Conservation Volunteer Programme

  Peru

• All Other Areas in Peru: 
Manu National Park

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: Programmes start every two weeks thorughout the year

Description: The Rainforest Education and Resource Centre (CREES) currently offers two programmes to encourage both scientists and volunteers to participate in projects at the Manu Learning Centre. If you are interested in joining a team of like minded individuals to contribute towards important conservation, research and community projects in the Amazon, then this is the placement for you. CREES currently has the following projects underway:

Research Projects

The Frog House: Measuring and monitoring changes in frog species diversity, lifecycles and population densities will provide comparative data to help measure the impact of different human activities on local ecosystems.

The Butterfly House: Researching changes in butterfly species diversity, lifecycles and population densities will provide comparative information to help measure the impact of different human activities on these ecosystems. As butterflies are sensitive to changes in their surroundings they can potentially be used as an early warning system for declining biodiversity.

The Orchid Garden: The MLC Orchid Garden will provide an opportunity to cultivate local orchid species in a controlled environment. The garden will provide a reference for species monitoring and identification in Fundo Mascoitania as well as an area for detailed study into orchid life cycles.

Macaw, Parrot & Parakeet & Monitoring: Daily monitoring of the Macaw lick and census counts from the MLC's wildlife monitoring grid system will be combined to create a database of activity in the upper Madre de Dios region.

Mammal Monitoring: The ongoing Mammal Monitoring Project combines data from the MLC's wildlife monitoring array (link) and other locations of known activity around the reserve (including two mammal collpas). This information will be compared with statistics on the rise of human activity in the area as part of an impact assessment. Nocturnal hides (hidden observation points) will be constructed to aid in the monitoring process.

Avian Conservation: Long term monitoring of identified species required to compare with data from forest monitoring project to understand the effects of maturing forests on bird populations and species diversity.

Biogarden & Reforestation: The aim of the Bio Garden is to design a sustainable model for the small scale subsistence farming of produce using the introduction of suitable vegetable crops and the implementation of a variety of techniques including; improved composting, crop bio diversification, natural pest control, natural methods of protection from the elements (e.g. using fruit trees to provide partial shading from the strength of the sun) and cooperative strategies to maximise crop output.

Forest Structure & Monitoring: Defining the structure of the forest found in Fundo Mascoitania is important to understanding the dispersement of species in the area and their ability to adapt to different ecosystems in terms of finding food, escaping predators and reproducing.

Manu Ethnobotany Programme: Learn to survive fieldwork challenges in the tropical rainforest and carry out ethnobotanical and conservation research with indigenous Amazonian peoples.

Highlights: Whatever project you end up working on, the ability to spend time in one of the world's most biodiverse environments, the Manu Biosphere Reserve and also contribute to shape the understanding and developments leading towards an improved conservation of this tropical enviroment. Working at the Manu Learning Centre volunteers get a chance to ascend into the canopy, work with local children and indigenous groups and participate in once in a life-time expeditions. Working shoulder to shoulder with some of the leading scientists in Peru and helping generate usable and comaprative data will help secure the future of this region.

Qualifications: Volunteers do not require any specific skills. The main qualifications are a sense of adventure, determination, good humor, willingness to participate and above all a drive to learn new things. Bonuses are; Spanish lanuguage, experinece in enviromental monitoring, construction and scientific research.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Starts at 1,350 per month

Credit Available: yes

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: The typical volunteer who joins this programme, is a well motivated and disciplined individual who wishes to contribute to the long term efforts of conserving the rainforest. Most volunteer have a sense of adventure, determination and are people who work well in groups. Volunteers get 'hands on' and dirty so must be in good physical health and understand that they will be working in a challenging enviroment, the tropical rainforest. The most important charateristic of volunteers at CREES is good humor, willingness to participate and above all a drive to learn new things.

Age Range: 18 - 55

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, Kiwi, South African and World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Peru in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 2 - 6

Scholarships are Available. - All Peruvian volunteers and candidates conductiong their own Msc or PhD research projects are eligible for scholarships.

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Other
• Resume
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Job and Internship Network

The Rainforest Education & Resource Centre (CREES)'s Mission Statement: The Rainforest Education & Resource Centre (CREES) is a Peruvian not-for-profit organization founded in 2002 that designs, develops and implements education, research, conservation, and natural resource management programmes in Peru. Our Mission is to develop educational resources and access to knowledge which empowers rainforest inhabitants and improves their decision-making processes, ensuring a more stable socio-economic future based on smart natural resource utilization and conservation. Our Specific Aim is to educate local rainforest populations and visitors, promote sustainable natural resource development, integrate pure and applied research of the rainforest environment and its natural systems, and conserve and preserve tropical ecosystems.

Year Founded: 2002