Conservation Work in PERU

Project Summary

Project at a glance

Location: Cusco, Urubamba, Lima , Junin Start point: Cusco End Point: Cusco Duration: 2-12 weeks Hours: 30-40 hours per week Food: Local food (3 times a day) Room: Host family or hostel Date: First and Third Monday of each month

In this program, volunteers have the opportunity to work on different conservation projects such as Biodiversity inventories, Eco-tourism, Re-forestation, Sanitation campaigns . There are not enough people to maintain the large areas in conservation or to educate the people about the environmental efforts.

Skill/Qualifications

A conservation or environmental focus is key to being successful in this project. Volunteers are expected to be reliable, flexible, and patient. However, volunteers interested in joining the conservation project should be ready for physically demanding work.

Volunteers responsibilities

Help to maintain trails in the municipal forest, promote new projects, or assist in the office. The works in nursery includes: digging, filling plastic bags, weeding, irrigating, and related works. Additional placements can be made directly in the national park system to maintain trails, educate visitors, and more.

Andean Conservation, this is a conservation/cultural program. Volunteers have the chance to live in native communities with families, volunteers learn about their traditions and help in the farms in agriculture, construction, with the animals etc. Volunteers have the chance to help very poor communities and help them preserve their customs.

Bio - diversity, we work with a project located at the edge of Manu National Park , which is the biggest best preserved rain forest area of Latin America . Volunteers help monitor some species of birds and monkeys, they also have, there is also an orchid garden where volunteers work.

Volunteers work with biology students and other professionals, they are trying to teach people from the surrounding villages how to preserve the area where they live. They also have reforestation programs at certain times of the year. Volunteers live at a lodge in the rain forest.

Reforestation, we work with an organization in charge of reforestation in Cusco , they travel to nearby communities to plant and control the growth of trees, this project is available from September to December, which is the best time to plant trees. Volunteers can live in Cusco .

Zoo and gardening, volunteers work at the local zoo, most animals are from the Andean region, they help with cleaning and maintenance as well as with visitors, mostly children from different schools in Cusco .

Volunteers can also work at gardens and orchards of orphanages or community centers, they have the chance to work with children at these projects. Volunteers live in Cusco and have the chance to attend Spanish lessons.

Room/Food

Volunteers in Peru stay in a home stay during the culture and language immersion program. You will have a private room and be fed three meals of Peruvian fare each day. Once the language and culture week/weeks are over, our coordinator takes you to your project for introduction. You could change host families at this time, depending on the location of your project.

Again, the vast majority of our Peru volunteers live with local host families where you are provided a private room and three meals. Bathroom and kitchen facilities are shared with the family and other volunteers (yes, you might have another volunteer living with you.) The host family doesn't offer laundry service but some will happily take up the task for a small fee, this is up to you to negotiate. If you choose to do your own laundry most families are happy to let you use their wash basins where you wash by hand then line dry your clothes.