Volunteer: Climate Change Mitigation, Agroforestry, and Forest Conservation in Ecuador

Job Details

• Location: Tena, Ecuador
• Duration: minimum 4 weeks
• Start Dates: each month – enquire when applying.
• Cost: $500 for the 1st week plus $350 for each additional week.
• Fee Includes: all food, accommodation, pre‑departure and in‑country support, orientation, and all project related activities.
• Does Not Include: flights, airport pickup, travel insurance, personal spending, visas and vaccinations.
• Benefits: Work with farmers, foresters, park rangers, and/or environmental engineers experienced in forest conservation, agroforestry, agronomy, participatory community development, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable farming.

Responsibilities

• Learn about national and local efforts to mitigate climate change and support ongoing projects that diversify local farms, implement environmental education programs, and make the region more resilient to climate change.
• Learn about Amazonian cultures and their connection to ethnobotany, agroforestry, and plant medicine.
• Accompany locals into chakras (agroforestry farms) and plant, weed, and harvest.
• Support communities with eco‑tourism projects, go on hikes into protected forests, and participate in reforestation projects.
• Research and dissertation support available with partner organizations and universities upon request.

Background

The Amazon rainforest is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world, containing thousands of species of trees, plants, insects and animals. It is a key consumer of carbon and a major source of freshwater. Amazonian indigenous peoples have lived in the forest for centuries, practicing agroforestry‑style farming to feed their families and generate income. Today, the rainforest produces oil, lumber, and minerals through unsustainable extraction, harming the environment. This internship offers a unique opportunity for students to learn about the intersection of ancestral knowledge and climate change mitigation and how they can collaborate to conserve the forest, preserve cultures, generate income for local communities, and combat climate change.