Environmental Education

Environmental Education at the Pacific coast

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"After studying for a month in Quito it was great to get out here to the coast and this wonderful environment! The organizers are very committed to making a success of the reserve, and this inspires us volunteers to work harder!"

T is a dry tropical forest biological reserve on the sunny Pacific coast , near a small coastal town in the Manabi district of Ecuador. The reserve contains one of the best examples of rare tropical dry forest on the coast of Ecuador (only 2 percent of Ecuador’s original dry forest remains intact). In the reserve to date more than 100 species of birds have been recorded, some 23 species of mammals, 7 species of reptiles, 4 species of amphibians and a variety of plant life. It has even been declared an Important Bird Area by Birdlife International and DarwinNet.

The reserve stretches across 110 hectares crossing many different ecological regions from sea level to mountains. The work of the reserve involves conservation, research, environmental education, sustainable development, and the promotion of natural resources in the region; it also supports the municipal authorities and civil society in Bahía de Caráquez, which has been declared an “eco-city”.

The reserve takes an active role in environmental education programs including radio broadcasting on local radio, school programs and community education. They organize workshops, work parties, work in schools, and help build and maintain the concept of an eco-city with the local community.

The volunteer accommodation is located 10 minutes from Bahía de Caráquez on the central coast in the Manabí province, about 10 hours bus ride from Quito.

Range of tasks:	Volunteer tasks vary greatly depending on the needs of the reserve, the time of year, and the campaigns that are taking place, however activities can included: -Reforestation – collect seeds, work in the plant nursery, clear sites ready to plant new trees -Education – for those interested in working with children they can help teach in the local schools English and assist in environmental education. -Ecoclub – once a week children from the local area participate in a conversation club where they learn more about the reserve, the local area and carry out fun educational activities. Volunteers help to organize the activities and plan the structure of the club. -Trails – improve and maintain trails, build new trails, help with construction -Observation & research – collect, identify, classify and photograph native flora and fauna, input data into database -Organic Garden – sow, maintain garden and reap vegetables and fruits. -There are also a lot of Small, short-term projects throughout the year – with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the municipal, “Corporación Nacional de Bosques y Reservas Privados del Ecuador, Bosques Privados de Manabí, Department of Agriculture, the communities, etc.
Time commitment:	One month minimum
spanish level:	Basic Spanish, but for environmental education projects intermediate level is required
Work schedule:	To be arranged on site
Accommodation:	Volunteers stay in volunteer accommodation on site, including 3 meals per day. Contact us for more information.
Skills required:	Laid-back attitude, interest and/or background in conservation
Accepted donations:	Environmental education materials, biodegradable hygiene supplies, rubber boots, shovels, rain ponchos

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Quotation from a former volunteer - will be added soon - we are updating these pages so please be patient!!!

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