Öko-Costa Rica

This is a grass roots organization located in the small village of Quebradas, which is located near to the town of San Isidro in El General Valley. This valley is surrounded by high mountains such as Cerro de la Muerte (3491 meters above sea level) and the highest mountain of Costa Rica, Chirripó at 3820 meters. The town of Quebradas was founded by farmers. Today, many people work in the closest town, San Isidro. They also make a living from agricultural products such as coffee, sugar cane, fruits and vegetables. The Biological Center of Quebradas is managed by FUDEBIOL (Fundación para el Desarrollo del Centro Biológico Las Quebradas), which is a non-profit grass roots organization launched in 1989. Their mission is to stop the deforestation of the Quebradas River basin, which is the source of drinking water for the whole town of San Isidro and most of the region of Pérez Zeledón. In the Center, they have also built an educational hub. The project site is located 3km uphill from the community of Quebradas, between 1000 and 2500 meters above sea level.

Possible tasks for the volunteers:

• To maintain the garden of medical plants
• To maintain the (Butterfly) Garden
• To maintain the channel around the lagoon
• To maintain the trails inside the Reserve
• To clean and to maintain green areas
• To make new informative wooden signs for the trails
• To plant flowers and trees and others on the access road
• To paint and to maintain the buildings

Required skills and interests of the volunteer:

• To be in good physical conditions
• To work on hard duties such as constructing and maintaining of trails
• To live under simple conditions and be willing to eat the typical food, probably rice and beans with other local vegetables everyday (the volunteer will receive three meals a day)
• To be ready to walk uphill for 50 minutes every morning in order to get to the project and walk back to the host family in town after finishing work every afternoon

Things you need to Bring to FUDEBIOL:

• Mosquito repellent
• Sun block
• Rain coat
• Umbrella
• Closed shoes
• Extra shoes (tennis shoes, flip flops)
• Work clothes (that you don´t mind getting dirty)
• All in a backpack instead of suitcase

Schedule for the volunteer: From Monday to Friday 5-8 hours a day (depending on tasks and weather).

Accommodation: The volunteers stay in a host family of the community, in Quebradas, Perez Zeledon.

Location: Las Quebradas, San Isidro de Pérez Zeledón (Southern Costa Rica).

Arrival to the Project: Please arrive to Costa Rica 3 days before you start the project. The third day you will travel to the community (host family). Fudebiol receives volunteers all the week.

• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: 2 Wochen $ 441,- (US-Dollar); $ 641,- (4 Wochen); $ 1141,- (8 Wochen); $ 1641,- (12 Wochen)

The Municipal Park “Naciente Rio Loro” (or Loro River Water Springs) is located in Ochomogo, a small village in the Municipality of the city of Cartago at approximately 1200 meters above the sea level and consists of 23 hectares of land.

During the school year (from March to November), the park receives groups of elementary school students. Over the weekends and during the “summer” vacation (from December to April), the park receives visitors that come to spend the day with their families and friends.

Possible tasks for the volunteers:

• To maintain infrastructure
• To assist with the groups that visit the park
• To translate into other languages if necessary
• Some office tasks if necessary
• To clean trails

Required skills and interests of the volunteer:

• To be environmentally aware
• To be hard working
• To show initiative
• Be in good physical conditions

Things you need to Bring to Rio Loro:

• Sun block
• Rain coat
• Umbrella
• Closed shoes
• Extra shoes (tennis shoes, flip flops)
• Work clothes (that you don´t mind getting dirty)
• You can bring suitcase or backpack

Schedule for the volunteer: From Wednesdays to Sundays 5-8 hours a day (depending on tasks)

Accommodation: The volunteers stay in a host family in Cartago Center. Minimum stay of 4 weeks.

Location: Ochomogo, Cartago (Costa Rican “Central Valley”)

Arrival to the Project: Please arrive to Costa Rica 2 days before you start the project, on Monday or Tuesday. The second day you will travel to your host family. Rio Loro receives volunteers just from Wednesdays to Sundays.

• DERZEIT KEINE FREIEN PLÄTZE
• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: 4 Wochen $ 450,- (US-Dollar); $ 850,- (8 Wochen); $ 1250,- (12 Wochen)

The VERDIAZUL LIFE ASSOCIATION (AVIVE) is an independent non-governmental nonprofit group born in 2010. The goal is to ensure the conservation of threatened ecosystems and contribute to the well-being of communities which depend on them. The headquarters is located in Playa Junquillal of Santa Cruz, Costa Rica and since 2011 they have been working for the conservation of sea turtles and the Rio Nandamojo. Junquillal is a very important breeding in Pacific Costa Rica of endangered leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), black (Chelonia mydas agassizii) and Loras (Lepidochelys olivacea). Looking mitigate poaching of turtles and get increase the welfare of the local population in Junquillal, Verdiazul Life Association takes up the conservation project of Pacific leatherback turtles (CBP) to ensure optimal conditions for nesting turtles through active conservation community support.

Possible tasks for the volunteer:

• The work of night patrols along the beach and nesting sites for turtles
• Monitoring of nests
• Ensure that hatchlings born will not die before reaching the sea
• Supporting the reforestation program and adaptation to climate change
• Keep the beach clean of waste

Required skills and interests of the volunteer:

• Basic knowledge of Spanish as foreign language
• Be willing to work and learn, to be proactive and dynamic
• Have strong environmental values
• Enjoy to work outdoors
• Good physical condition
• Willingness to live in rural and simple accommodation
• Willing to collaborate in activities outdoors and field work

Things you need to Bring to Verdiazul:

• Mosquito repellent/ after bite cream
• Sun block
• Rain coat
• Closed shoes (to walk on the beach on night patrols)
• Extra shoes (tennis shoes, flip flops)
• Work clothes (that you don´t mind getting dirty)
• Black or dark clothes (for night patrols)
• Flashlight with red filter (optional), is recommended headlight
• You can bring suitcase or backpack

Schedule for the volunteer: From Monday to Friday, 5-8 hours a day (depending on tasks).

Accommodation: The volunteers stay in the volunteer center (volunteer house with more volunteers). With the basic services. There is Wifi. Minimum stay of 2 weeks.

Turtles Season at Verdiazul: The high season is from November to April. You can come the rest of the months since there is work in the project. Activities like reforestation, cleaning the beach, with the children of the community and also night patrols are done all the year. There is always something to do. They receive around 3-6 turtles per month in low season

Location: Junquillal Beach, Santa Cruz, Guanacaste

Arrival to the Project: Please arrive to Costa Rica 3 days before you start the project, Saturday or Sunday. On Tuesday you will travel to the project. Verdiazul receives volunteers only on Tuesdays. Exceptions Mondays.

• DERZEIT KEINE FREIEN PLÄTZE
• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: 2 Wochen $ 500,- (US-Dollar); $ 850,- (4 Wochen); $ 1650,- (8 Wochen); $ 2450,- (12 Wochen)

Location: Montezuma beach is located on the peninsula of Nicoya, province of Puntarenas and belongs to the conservation area of Tempisque.

Volunteers’ work fields:

• Monitor the ocean turtle nesting at Montezuma beach
• Signaling of the beaches and construction of the hatchery of the sea turtle projects
• Night patrols for protection and collection of information about the sea turtles.
• Construction and reparation of the trails for public use at Montezuma beach.
• Maintenance of the infrastructure of the project
• Cleaning of the beach
• Support in environmental education activities and communal protection
• Night patrols (3-5 days a week, 3 hours per night)

Space and capacity: At least one volunteer and a maximum of 14 volunteers every two weeks. Minimum stay of 2 weeks, there is no maximum time. Maximum 20 volunteers.

Volunteers’ requirements:

• The volunteer needs to like it/needs to have the willingness to work in a natural tropic forest and beach and to work physical.
• Basic Spanish Level

Schedule of the volunteers: 40 or 48 hours per week, 6 or 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. Sundays off.

Description of the living situation: The place is a building (normal house) with rooms, it has electricity, potable water and a phone. There is Wifi.

Additional information: All volunteers have to bring linens (sheets, blankets), mosquito repellent, sun block, personal articles, comfortable and light clothes, comfortable shoes (closed for work), water bottle, flashlight with red light (mandatory). Dark clothes for night patrols. To get to the project, you should get off the bus and walk 8 minutes, you can bring suitcases. The closest town is 5 minutes walking.

• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: $ 941,- (4 Wochen); $ 1741,- (8 Wochen); $ 2541,- (12 Wochen)

The Toucan Rescue Ranch’s (TRR) mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and when possible, release Costa Rican wildlife. TRR works with a model that focuses on conservation, education and research so a brighter tomorrow is promised to the incredible animals of Costa Rica´s rainforests. The Toucan Rescue Ranch was established in 2004 by Leslie Howle and Jorge Murillo as a rescue centre for toucans and other birds. Nonetheless, the rescue centre quickly expanded to owls and other wildlife. In 2007, a baby sloth, Millie, arrived and was solely in Leslie and Jorge´s care. Millie is initially what transformed the Toucan Rescue into a wildlife rescue. Leslie and Jorge work as a team alongside a small staff, caring for resident rescues and new arrivals.

The goals of the organization are:

• To establish a captive breeding program for all six species of Costa Rican toucans
• To accept, evaluate and treat rescued and decommissioned animals in need.
• To rehabilitate and release injured wildlife back to its natural environment.
• Provide educational programs, research sites and facilities.
• Provide volunteer opportunities for local, national and international individuals.

Possible tasks for the volunteer:

All volunteers start the day chopping fruit and vegetables for the day´s feedings. Depending on the number and chopping skills of the volunteers, this can take a few hours. When the food is ready, they move on to other activities. The activities vary depending on the current needs of the ranch and the volunteer’s skills and personality.

• Feed the wildlife (including food preparation)
• Cleaning enclosures
• Enclosure enrichment
• Help with yard maintenance
• Office work
• Start a project a show initiative

Required skills and interested of the volunteer:

• One month time commitment, not less
• Approve the Skype interview with the project manager (basic questions)
• Tetanus vaccine
• MUST be interested in working with animals

Things you need to Bring to Toucan Rescue Ranch:

• Mosquito repellent/ after bite cream
• Sun block
• Rain coat, Jacket or Sweater
• Closed shoes
• Rubber boots (you can buy them in Costa Rica)
• Extra shoes (tennis shoes, flip flops)
• Work clothes (that you don´t mind getting dirty)
• You can bring suitcase or backpack

Schedule for the volunteer: Standard schedule is five days a week from 7.00am – 3pm. Two days off a week. Days off are not necessarily weekends as Saturday and Sunday are our busiest days

Accommodation: The volunteers stay in the project. In a volunteer house with more volunteers. Minimum stay of 4 weeks.

Location: San Isidro de Heredia. Province of Heredia.

Arrival to the Project: Please arrive to Costa Rica 2 days before you start the project. The second day you will travel to the project. Toucan Rescue receives volunteers all the week. Please note that acceptance is subject to availability and a Skype interview.

• DERZEIT KEINE FREIEN PLÄTZE
• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: 4 Wochen $ 650,- (US-Dollar); $ 1250,- (8 Wochen); $ 1850,- (12 Wochen)

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, located in Monteverde, is a project that combines conservation, ecotourism and education. This project is an example of a protected area that is administered by a small community which directly benefits from it. Thanks to the help of national and international volunteers, people from the community, and students, the Reserve has developed a good infrastructure of trails, a visitors‘ center, a store and a small restaurant. Many volunteers with technical and professional experience also help with environmental education and sustainable-development projects.

Possible tasks for the volunteers. Most work is done along with the crew of the Reserve on:

• To maintain and to create trails
• To repair infrastructure
• To help with the reforestation project of the local high school
• To assist at the main office in town with reservations and translations
• If you stay for a longer period and have specific skills, you may also help with research going on at the Reserve.

Required skills and interests of the volunteer:

• To be in good physical conditions
• To work on hard duties such as maintaining of trails
• Willing to work on one side in the natures and to get wet and dirty and on the other side to work in the office
• To be able to work in a foreign country and adapt to a different culture
• To have the maturity to work following the internal rules in a responsible way

 Things you need to Bring to Santa Elena:

• Mosquito repellent
• Sun block
• Rain coat
• Umbrella
• Closed shoes
• Extra shoes (tennis shoes, flip flops)
• Work clothes (that you don´t mind getting dirty)
• All in a backpack instead of suitcase

Schedule for the volunteer: From Monday to Friday 5-8 hours a day (depending on tasks and weather)

Accommodation: The volunteers stay in a host family of the community, in Santa Elena.

Location: Santa Elena of Monteverde (Puntarenas Province)

Arrival to the Project: Please arrive to Costa Rica 3 days before you start the project. The third day you will travel to the community (host family). Santa Elena receives volunteers mostly on Mondays and Tuesdays.

• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: 2 Wochen $ 441,- (US-Dollar); $ 641,- (4 Wochen); $ 1141,- (8 Wochen); $ 1641,- (12 Wochen)

The Jardín Botánico Lankester is an ecological project and is a part of UCR (Universidad de Costa Rica). The mission of the Lankester Botanical Garden is to promote conservation, enjoyment and sustainable use of native flora of Costa Rica threatened with extinction, especially epiphytes, through programs of scientific research, horticulture and environmental education. As a botanical institution it´s a leader in the study and conservation of epiphytic plants of the Mesoamerican region. It consists of 11 hectares with field collections, collections in greenhouses and secondary forests in the garden house and is habitat for more than 3,000 species of plants.

Possible tasks for the volunteer:

• General garden maintenance
• Care of the collections of plants in field and greenhouse
• Cleaning of trails
• Volunteers with training in fields related to botany also contribute to the implementation of specific tasks and activities

Required skills and interests of the volunteer

• Basic level of Spanish
• Must enjoy working outside
• Able to do physical work
• To be in good physical conditions
• Botanical interest
• Sense for nature and ecosystems

Things you need to Bring to Botanical Garden:

• Sun block
• Rain coat
• Umbrella
• Closed shoes
• Work clothes (that you don´t mind getting dirty)
• You can bring suitcase or backpack

Schedule for the volunteer: From Monday to Friday from around 7:30 am to 3:30 pm

Accommodation: The volunteers stay in a host family, in Cartago Center. Minimum stay of 4 weeks.

Location: Paraíso de Cartago, Cartago (Costa Rican “Central Valley”)

Arrival to the Project: Please arrive to Costa Rica 2 days before you start the project. The second day you will

travel to your host family. Lankester Botanical Garden receives volunteers all the week.

• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: 4 Wochen $ 541,- (US-Dollar); $ 941,- (8 Wochen); $ 1341,- (12 Wochen)

The sea turtle conservation program is a scientific-based conservation activity in which the organizations involved try to increase the amount of sea turtle hatchings in order to give higher survival rates. The camps are located within walking distances from the beach. Apart from the sea turtles, you will also have high chances of seeing tropical birds, iguanas and monkeys. The main goal of these projects is to help the recovering of sea turtle populations. The species of sea turtles that you can find on these beaches are: Leatherback, Olive riddle, Hawksbill, Green and Logger Head, depending on which project and season you visit. Note: ASVO decides, if the volunteer goes to Montezuma project or to Buena Vista!

Possible tasks for the volunteer:

• To patrol at night
• To build and supervise hatcheries
• To count baby turtles and to release them
• To assist in the collecting of scientific data
• To maintain infrastructure
• To clean the beach

Required skills and interests of the volunteer:

• To be respectful towards the internal rules the project
• To love nature as the main goal of these projects is the protection of turtles
• To be in good physical condition as the patrols imply long walks along the beach at night
• To be open to share accommodation and bedroom with other volunteers
• To be very flexible and to do different tasks during the day which may involve cooking and cleaning as volunteers may be also responsible of taking care of the camp

Turtles Season in both Projects:

The high season is from July to November in both projects. You can come the rest of the months since there is work in the project. Activities like reforestation, cleaning the beach, and also night patrols are done all the year. There is always something to do. They receive around 3-6 turtles per month in low season

Location: The nesting season schedule on the different beaches is the following in Buena Vista and Montezuma: Turtle nesting season: July – December

Arrivals to both Projects: Please arrive to Costa Rica 3 days before you start the project. You will have an orientation meeting in San Jose the second day. The third day you will travel to the project. ASVO projects receive volunteers all the week.

• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: $ 941,- (4 Wochen); $ 1741,- (8 Wochen); $ 2541,- (12 Wochen)

Buena Vista beach is a nesting beach of approximately 2.8 km of length and limited in the north by the blind estuary and in the south by the river Buena Vista, the back of the beach is limited by a system of mangroves, which depend on water from the river and tides, beach slope is low ranging between 3 ° and 4 ° to swell, so the currents are strong which makes it an ideal place for surfing. The project is located in the northern part of Costa Rica, in the canton of Nicoya, 2,5 kms to the centre of Sámara.

Working fields for the volunteer:

• Maintenance of the infrastructure and surroundings
• Cleaning of the beach
• Transport of alimentation and water, from the river to the project (1-2 days per week)
• Collection the information about the nesting activity (collection and measures of the eggs in the hatchery, marking of females)
• Monitoring and surveillance of the hatcheries
• Liberation of the babies
• Collection of information about the nests
• Night patrols (3-5 days a week, 3 hours per night)

Space and capacity: Maximum 26 volunteers. Allowed minimum stay are 2 weeks, maximum 12 months. Preference will be given to volunteers with an availability of more than 2 weeks.

Schedule of the volunteers: 6 to 10 hours per day depending on the intensity of nesting activity and community support commitments. The work is done mostly during the night hours, daytime schedule will depend on the type of activity to develop and the rains of the season. Every week volunteers have a day off (Sundays).

Volunteers’ requirements:

• Volunteers are needed with a strong desire for collaboration, good attitude, excellent physical condition and adaptability to coexist with utilities, those volunteers who have prior knowledge in biology or conservation of turtles (not a must) are preferred, it considered an advantage if staff has expertise in construction or carpentry.
• Basic Level of Spanish

Description of accommodation: Currently the project has a wood rustic lodge consisting of a common enclosure for volunteers on the second floor, kitchen and dining space. Outside it has 2 bathrooms and 2 toilets. It has water and showers. It has no electricity service. It has a solar panel in which you can charge your cell phone once a day. There is not Wifi.

Location: Buena Vista is located in Samara Beach on the peninsula of Nicoya, province of Guanacaste, in South Pacific.

Additional information: All volunteers must bring bed linen (2 sheets, blankets), insect repellent/after bite cream, sunscreen, and water bottle. Also, dark clothing with long sleeves and closed and comfortable shoes for evening walks, waterproof, additionally bring a hat, flashlight with red filter (mandatory), and fly block (mosquito net). As an important detail, to get to the project, you should get to Samara town, then after you should take a taxi to Buena Vista River. Once you are there, you have to cross the river (We recommend you bring backpacks not suitcases). When the tide is low (in summer time), you can cross the river by waking. When the tide is high, there are people from the project who are going to pick you up with a kayak (you are going to get your pants wet). There are surf lessons for rent in the project. So, if you are interested you can bring money to pay for the lessons and to learn how to surf.

• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: $ 941,- (4 Wochen); $ 1741,- (8 Wochen); $ 2541,- (12 Wochen)

The Jardin de Mariposas Spirogyra is located just 10min out of the center of San José, the capital of Costa Rica, and in the last bit of forest of the metropolitan area: a little tropical paradise in the city center. It is also a shelter for a big number of little mammals, reptiles, insects, birds, and, of course, butterflies. In the 350m2 farm, visitors can see several of Costa Rica’s most beautiful species of butterflies and observe them in every state of their lives.

Possible tasks for the volunteer. Depending on the volunteer’s preferences, different tasks can be given, for example:

• Gardening tasks: weed and cut the plants, maintain the compost, clean the benches in the garden, make sure the larves have enough food, maintain the feeding spots for the butterflies, watch out for the safety of the turtles, take care of the waterfall and the orchids, etc.
• Guide’s tasks: Hold the information speeches for tourists and visitors about the environment and the importance of butterflies in our ecosystem; maintain the farm and the feeding spots of butterflies, turtles and colibris in a good state, etc.
• Lab tasks: Keep it clean and organized, collect the plants to feed the larves, clean the drawers with water and chlorine, keep the materials in their respective spots, etc.

Requirements:

• Interest in nature and the environment
• Willing to work with insects
• Bring appropriate clothing (boots, poncho, etc.)
• Respect the rules of the institution

Things you need to Bring to Jardín de Mariposas:

• Mosquito repellent/ after bite cream
• Sun block
• Hat or cap
• Rain coat
• Closed shoes
• Rubber boots just in winter (you can buy them in Costa Rica)
• Work clothes (that you don´t mind getting dirty)
• You can bring suitcase or backpack

Schedule for the volunteer: From Monday to Friday. From 9:00am until 2:00pm

Accommodation: The volunteers stay in a host family. In San Jose downtown. Minimum stay of 2 weeks.

Location: Del Centro Comercial El Pueblo, 50mts este y 150mts sur. San José

Arrival to the Project: Please arrive to Costa Rica 2 days before you start the project. The second day you will start the project. Jardin de Mariposas Spirogyra receives volunteers all the week.

• DERZEIT KEINE FREIEN PLÄTZE
• € 498,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: $ 450,- (4 Wochen); $ 850,- (8 Wochen); $ 1250,- (12 Wochen)

This is a grass roots organization located in the rural community of El Silencio Coopesilencio, around 1,5 hours inland from Quepos. It is a self-managed farming, animal husbandry and rural tourism cooperative that has a strong commitment to protecting the environment and runs conservation and environmental education activities. The cooperative owns almost 1000 hectares of land that are being used for different activities such as: African Palm tree cultivation, reforestation, conservation of primary forest and ecotourism. Coopesilencio’s mission statement is “to promote the social and economic development of its families, through the use of profitable enterprises and the protection of the environment that surrounds them”. The village is surrounded by a tropical forest on the northeast side and by the Savegre River on the northwest side. El Rey beach is only one hour southwest from the community of El Silencio.

Possible tasks for the volunteer. To help in any activity with maintaining, developing, and improving the ecotourism program that the cooperative runs:

• Gardening
• Making wood signs for the trails
• Maintaining and cleaning the trails of the forest and the water ducts of the community
• Help with the other projects of the Cooperative, such as organic farming, animal husbandry as well as at the lodge and restaurant area for visitors

Required skills and interests of the volunteer:

• To have the maturity to work following the rules in a responsible way. The project has internal rules that apply to the project, the community and the host families.
• To work on tasks such as building cages and fences, digging ditches, raking, etc.
• To adapt to outdoor work in a tropical climate with very modest living accommodations and insects
• Basic Spanish Level

Things you need to bring to Coopesilencio:

• Rain coat
• Mosquito repellent/after bite cream
• Sun block
• Hat or cap
• Rubber boots (they can be purchased in Quepos)
• Fast drying light clothes (at times they will get very dirty and wet)
• Good hiking shoes
• Gardening gloves
• Flashlight
• You can bring suitcase or backpack

Schedule for the volunteer: It depends on their needs and on weather conditions but normally from 8:00 am until the mid-afternoon, with a long break at noon, from Monday to Friday

Accommodation: The volunteers stay in a host family, in the community of El Silencio. Minimum stay of 4 weeks.

Arrival to the Project: Please arrive to Costa Rica 3 days before you start the project. The third day you will

travel to the project. Coopesilencio receives volunteers all the week.

• DERZEIT KEINE PLÄTZE
• € 555,- Grenzenlos-Programmgebühr (einmalig) plus
• die Programmgebühr der Partnerorganisation: 4 Wochen $ 750,- (US-Dollar); $ 1450,- (8 Wochen); $ 2150,- (12 Wochen)