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Rainforest Conservation in Costa Rica
Rainforest Conservation in Costa Rica

Caribbean Rainforest, Costa Rica

Rainforest Conservation in Costa Rica

Trip Highlights

  • Protect the eco-system by conserving nature and supporting the local community
  • Live admist the nature surrounded by a beautiful garden and rainforest
  • Discover Costa Rica's incredible natural environment
  • Live and volunteer with other likeminded volunteers from around the world

Overview

Overview

The biodiversity and the density of different species in Costa Rica are among the highest in the world. The Rainforest conservation program protects and studies a private reserve of 140 hectares of rainforest. Volunteers in this program help with the protection of the rainforest and learn to live in harmony with nature.

The project’s objective is to learn with and from one another. By sharing knowledge and research, the project grows and has a positive impact on the forest, the volunteers and the local community.

The conservation project and foundation protects 140 hectares of wildlife reserve which is growing. The objective of the project is to understand exactly what it is that they are protecting, what the threats are, and which measures need to be taken to have the biggest possible sustainable impact for both nature and human beings alike. The goal is to increase their reserve to 2000 hectares of rainforest to protect and preserve. As well as to connect with the local population, helping them with alternatives, to prevent logging and illegal activities like hunting.

The project is located about 3 hours from San Jose and 2 hours from Puerto Viejo. The private reserve is located in Costa Rica’s Caribbean lowlands between the Barbilla National Park, an Indian reservation, the village of San Miguel and banana plantations. Surrounded by a beautiful, tropical rainforest, there is only a very small town nearby that provides some basics, there is a mini-supermarket, a small local school, a church and a soccer field.


Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the time of joining the project, and must be ready to commit at least 2 weeks for this program. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment.Volunteers need to be responsible, disciplined, hardworking, motivated, and able to work in a team, flexible, patient, and pro-active. Must be physically and mentally fit, and able to walk at least 4 hrs. per day in a hot and tropical climate. Participants in the program should have a keen interest and love for nature and conservation. Participants should have no criminal convictions and should provide a clean criminal background check report. No Spanish requirement is there to join the program.


Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

Volunteers working in the rainforest conservation program get involved in a variety of tasks. Some examples of the activities are :-

  • Collect data to map out the biodiversity in the project area
  • Help the researchers with analyzing data and review data from camera traps
  • Create pathways through the reserve and put-up information signs for visitors
  • Monitor the germinated sprouts and track the development of planted trees
  • Work in the permaculture organic garden
  • Help with the English lessons at the school in town
  • Collect garbage from the river that runs through the reserve
  • Day-to-day operational duties

Volunteer Work Schedule

Volunteer Work Schedule

On the first day, the Project Coordinator will show you around and explain what to do on the following days. The project has a strong focus on three main subjects: biodiversity, reforestation and sustainable living.

Volunteers work around 8 hours daily, 5 days per week. Your weekends are free.

Breakfast is served at 7am and will be a typical Costa Rican dish. At 8am your day starts with a hike into the tropical rainforest reserve for about 3 hours to start accumulating data, conducting research and other projects (for example planting or measuring trees in the reforestation area).
There are also days that you will stay on the research project area to work in the organic vegetable garden, build a tree nursery, investigate collected bugs, make an inventory of the butterflies or for example make chocolate from the cacao you collected.

Lunch is served at 12.30 after which the afternoon is usually spent by processing data, analyzing the trap cam video’s, studying the collected dung-beetles or frog pictures, writing up research or working in the garden.

5 pm a lovely dinner is served. After dinner you can chat with the other volunteers and students in the community house, play games, read or chill in a hammock. It gets dark in Costa Rica by 6pm and by 9pm the project expects you to be quiet and make up for a new and wonderful day to come.
There are daily operational duties too. Work at the project can be physically demanding, but no 2 days are the same!!


Living

Living

Being an International Organization, we try to make sure that our volunteers are given the kind of comfort and flexibility they seek. In terms of airport pick up, stay, local travel or work and even city tour, we help our volunteers and facilitate everything for them.

Airport Transfer

Participants need to arrive at San Jose on a Sunday. Pickup from the airport and one night hostel stay in San Jose is included in your program fee. Participants are transferred to the project on Monday.

Accommodation

You will stay in a volunteer house located next to the guard´s house and two other houses where both project managers and their families live. You will stay in a shared dormitory style room that sleeps up to 4 people per room and there is a maximum of 12 volunteers/students sleeping in the house. The volunteer house is well ventilated and completely closed-in by fly screen to keep the bugs away. There are also 2 showers and 2 toilets.

Besides the volunteer house, there is a public house/common area at the research center, with a dining room and hangout space with hammocks where you can eat, chill and meet with fellow volunteers and students. You’ll find a kitchen here as well, where the cook prepares 3 delicious meals a day.
The accommodation is surrounded by a beautiful tropical garden and rainforest, with a great diversity of plants and animals. From the porch, you will be able to see many animals, including colibris, toucans and butterflies. In the garden, you will find a big variety of fruit trees and depending on the season, you can find lots of different kind of fruits to eat like mangos, bananas, oranges, pineapples, starfruit and many more.

Orientation

All volunteers are given an orientation before starting the program by the project coordinator.Orientation is conducted by the local staff and covers topics such as Volunteer Roles and Responsibilities,  Rules and Expectations, Safety and Introduction to your project and placement.

Meals

All meals are provided at the accommodation to the volunteers. Meals are not included on the first day on arrival in San Jose.

During your Free Time

After volunteering, volunteers can read a book in a hammock, play board and card games, watch a documentary, play soccer at the local soccer field, pick fruits from the organic garden, interact with locals of the nearby town of San Miguel, make friends with students and co-volunteers from all over the world.

The project also organizes from time-to-time night tours to observe the jungle by night that you can participate in as well as yoga sessions and trail running in the morning.

During the weekends, you can plan a trip to the Caribbean beaches of Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, head out to the waterfalls, or go on a white-water rafting excursion, make a trip to the highlands of Turrialba, a boat tour through the canals of Tortuguero or head to the capital of San Jose.


Dates

Dates

2024

2025

January

07

14

21

28

February

04

11

18

25

March

03

10

17

24

31

April

07

14

21

28

May

05

12

19

26

June

02

09

16

July
August

04

11

18

25

September

01

08

15

22

29

October

06

13

20

27

November

03

10

17

24

December

07

January

05

12

19

26

February

02

09

16

23

March

02

09

16

23

30

April

06

13

20

27

May

04

11

18

25

June

01

08

15

July
August

03

10

17

24

31

September

07

14

21

28

October

05

12

19

26

November

02

09

16

23

30

December

07

Past Date

Available

Unavailable

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Costs

Costs

2 Weeks $995
Extra Week $395

Please Note: -An application fee of $249 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 5% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)

What are you Paying for?

  • 24 hrs Assistance and support from VS Staff
  • Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
  • Pickup from San Jose International Airport and accommodation in San Jose
  • Orientation 
  • Pre-departure online (mindfulness) meeting 
  • Project donation
  • Orientation meeting
  • Local support volunteer coordinator
  • Accommodation in dorms at the project
  • Three meals a day, tea and coffee (vegetarian options available)
  • Follow up online (mindfulness) meetings
  • Transfer from San Jose to the project and back
  • Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)

What's NOT included?

  • Post Project stay in San Jose
  • Flights
  • Visa
  • Vaccinations
  • Travel and Medical Insurance 

Reviews

Reviews

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Frequently asked questions

FAQ's Application and Program Details

Flights and Visa

Health and Safety

Connect with Past Volunteers

Accommodation and Living

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