Cloud Forest Conservation Programme Further Details

• Forestry Programme: Restoring Degraded Areas - The station is working to restore several areas through natural regeneration and by reforesting them with tree species important to the natural environment. Volunteers assist in collecting and planting seeds, maintaining the nursery, transplanting seedlings, tree care, opening reforestation lines and conducting forestry inventories of planted trees to evaluate their growth and survival.
• Sustainable Wood Production - Due to the worldwide demand for hardwood it is important to plant trees for sustainable use, instead of cutting old-growth trees that belong to the natural forests. Since the steep geography of the region does not permit intensive agriculture and cattle farming, the best economic alternative is wood production. In addition to trying to resolve poverty, forestry also contributes to the fight against global warming; an average of twenty tones of carbon dioxide is absorbed per year by one hectare of trees in growth. At the station we are planting several species of trees for sustainable use, including mahogany, cedar, colorado and tangaré among others. As we research the best methods for sustainable development, we will share our knowledge of agro-forestry with local communities to encourage and enable them to adopt a similar approach.
• Wildlife Programme - Birds inventory (volunteers with expertise in bird-watching). Volunteers are in charge to plant botanical species that will provide food for the wild animals. Also they will report any mammal sightings, for the Mammal sight-frequency research, and will monitor nests when found.
• Research - Volunteers will collect and analyze data from the different research areas, such as hardwood trees’ phenology, germination success of important species etc. In addition, volunteers will collect basic weather information such as temperature and rainfall.
• Organic Vegetable Garden - Preparing soil, planting seeds, weeding, harvesting and general maintenance. 
• Trail Maintenance - Volunteers will maintain or create the trails of the reserve with a machete.
• Medicinal Garden - Volunteers will maintain the medicinal garden and meditation area.
• Organic Agriculture: - Maintenance of banana, coffee, sugar cane, citric fields (clearing with a machete, weeding, fertilizing, pruning, harvesting mature products).
• Alternative Animal Production - Cows, pigs, chickens, goats, horses, mules, ducks, geese, rabbits. Volunteers will participate in activities like: feeding these animals, planting the crops to feed them, maintenance of pastures, fencing, milking and taking the milk on the mule into the town.
• Bio-food Production -  Volunteers will participate in the process of preparation of home-made cheese, butter, yogurt, chocolate, coffee, pasta, bread, pizza, dry fruits and vinegar.
• Eco-construction - Construction with COB, bamboo and wood depending on the time of the year. If at the time of your stay there is not a current construction project, if volunteers are interest the staff will conduct a COB workshop.
• Alternative Energy - We will continue with the evaluation of possible energy projects, consulting experts and making agreements with relevant institutions.
• New Ideas - Any volunteers with the relevant experience may contribute by helping to write grant proposals and other communications on behalf of the reserve.

Ecuador is a country rich in culture, fourteen ethnic groups co-exist with their own language and Cosmo vision. However, in a country where 80% of the people live below the poverty line, opportunities for volunteers abound. Education is considered the most effective way to reduce poverty and to increase the quality of life of local communities. Therefore, at the reserve, in 2010 we created La Hesperia School, where the children learn using mainly the Montessori Philosophy, which respects the children`s need and desire to learn. At the moment we work with children between 3 and 6 years of age. The idea is to add grades every year until completing a full primary school (until age 12).  Details of this programme and an outline of the areas in which volunteers can be involved are given below.

• Volunteer’s Profile: This programme has been designed for volunteers with advanced or medium levels of Spanish language, with interest in education, social development, cultural exchange, practice of Spanish and working with children
• Volunteer activities -  
  Option 1. Teaching English position. - The intern will teach English using the Montessori Methodology and other prepared curricular materials. For this, the intern will receive a short course on the Methodology upon their arrival at the reserve. However, we highly recommend, before applying to this programme, that interested candidates conduct their own research about the Montessori method. In addition, the intern will teach English to the staff in the afternoons for one hour.  The minimum commitment for this position is one school year (March to December). The intern will receive accommodation at the volunteer house and food at the reserve, although they will still need to pay the application fee.  This position is only available for one person at a time; therefore, you must contact us in advance. Email Victoria.McNeil@workingabroad.com  for more details.
  Option 2.-  Teaching special subjects.-  The volunteers will work at the school for one hour per day during their stay, and they will lead special workshops on topics about which they have experience. Fields that we encourage are: Arts (Music, painting, sculpture, acting, dancing, and singing) and sports. Volunteers can combine this option with activities of the Cloudforest and On the Way to Sustainability Programmes.  The minimum commitment is four weeks.

 
Extra Activities

• Walks through the cloud forest and along streams and waterfalls
• Bird watching around the volunteer house or within the primary forest
• Horseback riding *
• Relaxing walks through the self-guided orchid, medicinal and meditation gardens
• Night hikes to search for nocturnal animals
• Camping *

• rafting or kayaking on the Blanco and Baba rivers (starting from the station)
• the indigenous Tsachila (Colorados) community of Chigüilpe
• Cotopaxi National Park and El Boliche Reserve
• mountains and volcanos: Corazón, the Ilinizas, Pasochoa, Cayambe, Imbabura, Cotacachi, Pichinchia
• the traditional market in Otavalo 
• La Mitad del Mundo, the equator line and museum
• the Amazon region
• the Galapagos Islands and and plenty more wonderful attractions throughout Ecuador

Weather, visas, medical information
 In terms of weather, the temperature is the same year round - it ranges from 16° to 24° C (61° to 75° F). The year is divided into two seasons: rainy and dry. The rainy season runs from December to April. Though it does not rain all day, it is quite humid and rains at least once a day. The dry season runs from May until November. During the dry season, it rains infrequently, but it is still moderately humid. Throughout the entire year, the sun usually shines in the morning, and the clouds descend on the forest in the late afternoon.

Feedback from Previous Volunteers
If you're interested to read more about ex-volunteers feedback on the Cloudforest Conservation Project, click here.  We will be happy to provide you with further details if you want to get in touch with some of them.  
 
How to get involved?
If you are interested in joining this project, you will need to fill out the online application form (you can also print it out and send it to us by post) – to secure a placement on the project, please complete and submit the form including two references and your deposit of £150.  If for some reason, your application is declined, we will reimburse this deposit fully.  However for those who are accepted, the full amount needs to be paid one month before departure.  Once you have been accepted on the programme, you will receive a pre-departure package with all detailed information on your project, Ecuador, suggested items to bring etc.