Cloud Forest Conservation Programme Further Details

Volunteer Activities for Cloudforest Conservation and On the Way to Sustainability Programmes - details on the work that you will take part in:

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 - In 2008 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.

Volunteers will rotate their work schedule doing the above tasks, working about 7 hours each day Monday to Friday.

Aside from work, there are also plenty of attractions and things to do in free time!

Extra Activities

Activities inside the reserve include:

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 *

* Volunteers will be charged extra for these activities

Attractions outside the reserve include:

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.

With regards to visas, if you stay longer than three months, you would have to renew your tourist visa. However if you just come for 2 months, then only one tourist visa would suffice.

Medical information - La Hesperia is not a region which has tropical illnesses, but we recommend to take malaria pills if you plan to travel to the coast or to the Amazon. However, it is best to consult your own GP to find out about recommended vaccinations.

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 the full sum is paid, you will receive a pre-departure package with all detailed information on your project, Ecuador, suggested items to bring etc.