Volunteer Programs

 

All projects can support:

  • Research programs
  • University community service
  • Park ranger.

 

 

 

 

 
Volunteer liberating baby turttles, Playa Hermosa

Our projects give you the opportunity to learn fully about the country's biodiversity, the management of protected wildlife areas and to protect their natural resources. Thus they are suitable for mature students looking to complete their professional practice or university community service or for individuals who love nature and are prepared to work hard to preserve it.

We can place Volunteers in different Conservation areas. Due to the nature of some of the projects a short introductory Spanish course will be very helpful. (link to Spanish course and Spanish School )
Need of Volunteers

Costa Rica´s National Parks and reserves are protected by the state. Therefore different ecosystems are protected, like tropical rain and cloudy forests, beaches (where turtles arrive) coral reefs, lagoons mangroves and swamps. But the the government does not supply enough funds for the maintenance of these areas and personnel.

Volunteers help is vital to keep the conservation of these areas and projects like the leatherback and Olive-riddle turtles.

Leatherbacks and Olive-Riddle Turtle Conservation

Details
Challenging projects that appeals to volunteers who want to be highly involved in the protection of turtles, on the Costa Rican Pacific Coast.
These projects are organized with the help of a Costa Rican organization in charge of the administration of volunteers and personnel. Volunteers assist in almost all areas of the program.
The program is run by biologists but Volunteers are supervised by trained personnel. They will give training to volunteers on site. The work is very "hands on" and involves close contact with the turtles. Volunteers generally do not have particular biological knowledge and so the project is both rewarding and educational
This project demands a lot of hard work because most of the work is at night when turtles laid their eggs. Also, it demands work during the day under the heat.
Volunteer will enjoy being in a beautiful beach spot surrounded by Pacific forest.

Facts
The Pacific leatherback turtle is the most threatened sea-turtle population in the world.
Scientists estimate that leatherback populations have diminished by 99% in the past 25 years. Because environmentalists and volunteers have protected Pacific leatherbacks nests in Playa Grande and Playa Langosta-since 1989, the area has become the turtle's most important nesting ground in the Americas .
However, only 1.000 adult female leatherbacks are left, and last season only 52 females nested in Playa Grande, an alarming drop from the 1,400turtles that nested there 15 years ago, according to the statement. Many organizations have contributed to the preservation of leatherbacks at La Baulas and Playa Langosta. " It seems Costa Ricans are truly proud of the role of the country plays as this turtle's principal nesting site in the Americas and do not want to see this ancestral species, of more than 100 million years disappear.

Your role as a volunteer

Your contribution to conservation projects is very important not only to help to preserve Costa Rica biodiversity but only your contribution to the planet and future generations.

Details

These projects are organized by NGOs and local communities.
The programs are run by biologists but Volunteers are supervised by trained personnel. They will give training to volunteers on site. The work is very "hands on" and involves close contact with the turtles. Volunteers generally do not have particular biological knowledge and so the project is both rewarding and educational
This project demands a lot of hard work because most of the work is at night when turtles laid their eggs. Also, it demands work during the day under the heat.

Facts
The Pacific leatherback turtle is the most threatened sea-turtle population in the world.
Scientists estimate that leatherback populations have diminished by 99% in the past 25 years. Because environmentalists and volunteers have protected Pacific leatherbacks nests in Playa Grande and Playa Langosta-since 1989, the area has become the turtle's most important nesting ground in the Americas .
However, only 1.000 adult female leatherbacks are left, and last season only 52 females nested in Playa Grande, an alarming drop from the 1,400turtles that nested there 15 years ago, according to the statement. Many organizations have contributed to the preservation of leatherbacks at La Baulas and Playa Langosta. " It seems Costa Ricans are truly proud of the role of the country plays as this turtle's principal nesting site in the Americas and do not want to see this ancestral species, of more than 100 million years disappear.

Your role as a volunteer

Your contribution to conservation projects is very important not only to help to preserve Costa Rica biodiversity but only your contribution to the planet and future generations.

Main Activities

  • Cleaning the beach
  • Cleaning the hatchery area
  • Building new nests
  • Long walks patrolling on the beach at night and expecting a turtle to come out of the water
  • Watch a turtle making a nest and lying the eggs . Keeping a record
  • Measuring a turtle
  • Helping to tag
  • Working on shifts to look after the nest.
  • Getting up very early to release baby turtles -in season
  • Digging and getting out rotten eggs and keeping records of number of baby turtles born (according to season ) .

Skills

  • To love nature
  • To have the ability to adjust to difficult living conditions.
  • To be ready to work in teams
  • To enjoy working outdoors
  • To accept the challenge of doing activities such as beach patrolling at night and working under the rain.

Volunteer must have a clear idea that to volunteer to a program like this is not similar to a cheap holiday.

Accommodation

Most of the projects offer accommodation on the site. It is very basic but clean.

Location VolunteeringCostaRica offers turtle projects all year around on different zones of the country. :

Central Pacific Coast , North Pacific Coast and two sites on the Caribbean coast .

 
Monitoring Turtles Manatees, Caymans, Poisonous frogs and Birds

Details
This project is a private initiative working with a very committed community that has suffered a great change. They used to do their living pouching turtles eggs and killing turtles to sell the meat. Now, days most of the members of the community earn their living helping this project.
Biologist and volunteer monitoring caymans

The project is designed to create a conservation plan for se-turtles and other species of the region and to promote their long term survival as well as encouraging environmental education and the social economic welfare of the local people.

It has started with a protecting program covering a zone of about 2000 meters length of beach.The biologist who is in charge of the project wants to encourage the scientific study of the species of the area and to record the most important founding

There are no scientific records of the biodiversity of the area. For example: manatees population.

Biologist will prepare a working plan according to interests.

Need for Volunteers

Volunteers are in extreme need in order to help to monitor the manatees, birds and caimans. Their help will keep going this valuable initiative.

Main Activities

Biologist will give a very comprehensive induction.

- Helping the biologist to monitor Caymans and crocodiles population (volunteer will never dive in the river to try to catch a Cayman)

- Helping to monitor manatees

- Rowing in the river on a kayak in order to monitor manatees

- Keeping record of the data. (There is a small power station that provides electricity to use laptops.)

-patrolling at night on shifts

- helping the cook

Skills

- To have a scientific interest in biodiversity
-To have the ability to adjust to difficult living conditions.

- To be prepare to life without electricity (there is a solar panel to charge the mobile phone which is the only means of communication)

-To be ready to work in teams

-To enjoy working outdoors

-To accept the challenge of doing activities under the rain. .

Volunteer must have a clear idea that to volunteer to a program like this is not similar to a cheap holiday.

Accommodation

It is provided on site. Each room accommodates 4 people. There are bathroom facilities inside the bedrooms.

Location

This project is on the North Caribbean region of Costa Rica in the Pacuare River Bar., just at the side of the mouth of this river. (Limon province)

 

 
Wild life conservation


Details

VolunteeringCostaRica work in 8 different National Parks. The choice is extensive according to interest and age. Volunteers who choose more than 2 weeks have the option of rotate in more than one National Park. All National park has an very rich biodiversity.

More information on request.

 Some Activities

  • Trail maintenance
  • Recording data
  • Working in the arboretum
  • Monitoring of specific species
  • Helping the park rangers
Skills

- To have the ability to live in very basic conditions

- To love work outdoors

- To accept the fact that it rains a lot most of year

Location

Caribbean region –Cahuita

Central Pacific- Manuel Antonio

South – Corcovado
 
Working in Eco-cooperatives

Eco –tourism cooperatives are the ideal option for those with a taste for adventure and do not mind basic living.


There are Eco-tourism cooperatives in many different locations in the country. near Tenorio Volcano, near the Caribbean coast, , etc.
 

Canadian Volunteer sharing tasks with members of the eco-cooperative

Details

A chance to get away from a routine and to explore the authentic Costa Rica , getting to know how the rural communities live

These cooperatives are organizations of local people that are conscious of the future of Costa Rica and the planet as well. 10 years ago, they were aware of the environmental problems and the inequalities that leave many families on the fringes of society and condemn then to poverty. In community-based rural tourism you will contribute directly to development and conservation, helping rural families live with dignity in their own environment, without having to leave their home because of the lack of job opportunities. And, just as importantly, all these organizations are committed to conserving their watersheds, their forests, their wildlife, and to educate their children about all this.There are cooperatives run by women. They keep organic pigs, chickens and grow organic bananas.

Need for volunteers

Most of the members of the Eco-cooperatives decided to reforestate the land and stop agriculture in order to contribute to the preservation of the environment. So they do not have enough founds to keep running the reserves and pay personnel. So volunteers mayor contribution is not only economical but their work is vital.

Main Activities

Activities vary according to eco-cooperative

- To help to clear the trails

- To work in the green house

- To plant new trees

- Help to clear the weeds from the banana plantarion

-Help to prepare food for the pigs and chickens etc.

Skills

- To love nature and hands on work

- To prepare to live in basic conditions

- To take interest in initiatives that contribute not only to preserve the environment but also cause an impact in the community.

-To participate in all kind of activities that members of the cooperative carry on

Accommodation

Some Eco-cooperatives offer two options of accommodation: living in common rooms on site or with a family

Location

Caribbean region near Puerto Viejo

Talamanca region

Northen Central, near Tenorio volcano


Contact Volunteering Costa Rica

Please contact us info@volunteeringcostarica.com
Tels: +506-385-8588 / +506-848-3198
P.O. Box 035 6150
Costa Rica , San Jose , Santa Ana