Ecuador Cloud Forest Conservation

Volunteering in Ecuador

Fact: An area of a rainforest the size of a football field is being destroyed each second - 2000 mature trees each minute ... every minute ... every hour ... every day - do the arithmetic!

Our gap year projects and volunteering opportunities in Ecuador are in partnership with Rainforest Concern. Experience city life, a remote cloud forest location with hands on conservation work and time for travel all in one project!

Outline Experience

3 weeks	4 weeks	4 weeks
Welcome and briefing in Quito - Spanish language course and home, Ecuadorian culture and history.	Volunteering in the cloud forest at Santa Lucia - creating pathways through the forest, making panela (sugar), organic gardening, and making coffee.	Explore Ecuador with a period of independent group based travel.

What & Why

AV has joined forces with the community, to work in partnership with Rainforest Concern, and supports the efforts to save the cloud forest in Santa Lucia. During your volunteer project you will work on a number of fascinating projects, which support the cooperative that protects the forest. You might find yourself:

cutting canes and making panela (sugar)
helping to make shade-grown coffee the traditional way
helping in the organic garden that provides most of the food for the volunteers and guests
clearing paths in the forest that are essential for access, maintenance and bird watching (over 390 species, including toucans, tanigers, cotingas and
the famous Cock of the Rock).

At weekends, there'll be football and Ecuavolley - Ecuador's own version of volleyball - in the villages in the valley; sightseeing trips to Otavalo and its world-famous Indian market; and a big walk through the waterfalls!

Living Arrangements

Santa Lucía eco-lodge and cabanas are in the heart of the cloud forest on a mountain peak at 1900 metres. You will be accommodated in the lodge dorm rooms. Bathrooms are shared and in addition to flush toilets the lodge has compost toilets to minimise contamination. There are solar panels that provide limited electricity in the lodge only.

Meals combine traditional Ecuadorian and international recipes and where possible organic produce is used from
the Lodge garden. Famous Otavalo Market - Gap Year Projects & Volunteering Opportunities in Ecuador Volunteers are always welcome to lend a hand in the garden and kitchen.

Independent Travel

After your 4 weeks in Santa Lucia you will have the chance to do some exploring of your own. We will get you back to Quito, unless your plans take you in a different direction, and you will be free to follow your own dreams for a few weeks - with some other AV volunteers, of course. The Pacific, the Amazon, the Andes, the volcanoes, the Indian markets, the people...we don't think you're going to be stuck for things to do!

And Afterwards...

If you're like 99% of those who have been before you, you'll agree that it will have been the best three months of your life so far. You'll find leaving difficult ... and returning easy! We say that "Once an AV, always an AV!" What this means is that you will be joining an exclusive club that will be there for you to help out if you ever get into difficulties and will always be pleased to see you again in Ecuador. As an AV, we hope your relationship with us will continue long after your initial time in Ecuador.