Volunteer in Conservation and Ecotourism (Bijagua)

  Costa Rica

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks

Description: United Planet's Quest Volunteer Abroad program offers you or your group a life-changing opportunity to interact with local communities through customized work experiences, cultural activities, and home stays. United Planet Quests are offered in 50 countries from 1-52 weeks.

Costa Rica is a beautiful country and the people are warm and welcoming to volunteers. Although Costa Rica has very progressive environmental protection laws, there is still much work to be done. Costa Ricans (Ticos) are very proud of their country natural resources and appreciate volunteers offering their support to help protect them. For more detailed information, please visit our website.

Highlights: United Planet's Quests offers volunteers a unique blend of work, cultural emersion, and fun. All ages and skill levels are invited to apply. Everyone has something to offer!

Costa Rica Conservation and Ecotourism:

Volunteers work at the Heliconias Lodge, which is located close to the little town of Bijagua. The project is run by United Planet's partner association. Their main goal is to protect the forests in the region of the Tenorio Volcano in order to bring in Eco-tourism. This gives the community an alternative to the deforestation of the land by farming. Volunteers will also take part in a snake-protection project.

Participants' tasks include gardening work around the lodge, making signs for the already existing trails, construction of new trails, maintenance of the trails, construction of new cages for the snakes for tourists to view and of a butterfly-garden.

Qualifications: None

Cost in US$: Prices starting at $1295

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: International volunteer travel is often filled with unpredictable surprises, such as transportation delays, local holidays, etc. Cultures may vary greatly and you might feel outside of your comfort zone in some situations. People, including the local population and fellow Quest participants, might have different religious, ideological, racial, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds. United Planet offers volunteer opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds and request that volunteers strive to always be: flexible, courageous, open-minded, tolerant and compassionate. United Planet volunteers are offered pre-departure training and materials, which include cultural adjustment tools and other tips to help you adjust to your new surroundings.

Age Range: 16 +

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Costa Rica Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone Interview

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

United Planet's Mission Statement: United Planet (UP) is a leading international, educational, humanitarian, and peace-building non-profit organization with members and volunteers in over 150 countries devoted to fostering cross-cultural understanding and friendship and supporting communities in need in order to unite the world in a community beyond borders. United Planet utilizes a wide range of local, online, and international programs to achieve this essential mission. The underlying principle of our programs is the concept of Relational Diplomacy, in which we recognize that the relationship between two people of diverse backgrounds is the basic building block for uniting the world in a community beyond borders. United Planets innovative programs are designed to expose our common human bonds and foster respect and appreciation for our cultural, racial, and religious diversity, while improving and enriching lives worldwide. All the people of the world are invited to join United Planet's membership in "a community beyond borders."

Year Founded: 2001