Conservation Volunteering in the Amazon

Our Amazon project is deep in the western section of the rainforest, in Acre state. Acre has the Bolivian border to the south, and the Peruvian border to the west.

Due to illegal logging and other devastating activities, 45% of the rainforest in Acre is protected by the Brazilian government, and the remaining 55% is very, very, closely monitored. There are hundreds of  plants, fauna and trees under the threat of extinction, perhaps none more so than the Mogno  tree, which, primarily, over the past 150 years has been illegally cut down and sold as the sought after, wood; mahogany.

    

   

The Mahogany was a sought after commodity, particularly in the British and North American markets. It was ultimately this desire for mahogany, the once favored wood for furniture making (amongst many other traditions) which today threatens the species. Our project then is to replant and protect the most endangered trees, plants and rainforest fauna. We do this by collecting seeds and fruits from endangered species, and replanting them in a nursery environment. The nursery stage is usually about 3 months in duration, after which the plants and seedlings are replanted in the Amazon Rainforest. The project objective is to replant some 50,000 hectares per year, we are currently only managing 2000 hectares per year - less than 5% of target..……This is why volunteers are needed.

      

Information about your location.

Acre, lies in The Amazon Basin, and 93% of the state territory is covered with tropical rainforest. And despite the deforestation , Brazil, remains the most bio-diverse country on the planet (Indonesia is second). Some of the trees are gigantic, such as the "sumauma" which can attain a height of 160 feet, or the water lily, named by a British Victorian explorer as "victoria regia"  on account of the lily being ¨fit for a queen¨, spanning more than 6 feet across. There are Brazil-nuts , copious amounts of exotic fruits, innumerable species of insect, birds of paradise, parrots, marine life, snakes, turtles, monkeys, jaguars, panthers and possibly other species waiting to be discovered.

      

Additional Information About Your Location in Cruzeiro do Sul.

Your location in the Amazon Rainforest will be in Cruzeiro do Sul. Cruzeiro do Sul is situated at the foot of the Andes Mountain Range, and there is more bio-diversity in this region than any other Amazon Region.

The world's largest butterfly can be found here, in addition to; the most moths and bats, more than 5 million types of plants, 616 bird species, 300 different spider species, 64 of bees, 140 different types of frogs, 50 species of reptiles and 5000 species of tree.

It is inhabited by only 600 people, who live amongst forests within forests, mountains and waterfalls - sounds like paradise, doesn't it? 

         

Accommodation

You may select to stay in a small hotel, or in a homestay with a Brazilian family (hotel is subject to availability, and may incur an additional cost).Your location will be either Recife, Olinda , Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo or Fortaleza, if you have a preference, please tell us.

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Volunteer Program Cost for Volunteering in Amazonia and Acre

Wks	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
U.S.A	$975	$1125	$1275	$1425	$1575	$1725	$1875
U.K	£490	£570	£650	£730	£810	£890	£970
Can	$1019	$1175	$1329	$1485	$1643	$1799	$1955
Euro	€675	€780	€885	€990	€1095	€1200	€1305

    You may volunteer for up to 12 weeks, each additional week is as follows:

    US = $150 per additional week

    UK =  £85 per additional week

    Canada = $160 per additional week

    Euro =  €105 per additional week

    Other currencies available upon request  

There are no hidden costs in our volunteer programs, and no add-on costs for airport pick-up,accommodation, 2 meals per day etc.Find out what's included in the volunteer program