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Conserve Costa Rica

Placement number: 0159
Location:  Southern Costa Rica 
Preferred Languages: English or Spanish
Date:  All Year (Leatherback nesting Feb to July and Green and Hawksbill is May to Oct)
Minimum Period:  1  week

Help conserve Turtles and the community

We set up our new conservation and ecotourism project this year to help conserve the natural resources of the protected area, located in the Caribbean south of Costa Rica. The protected area includes a 6km stretch of beach, a 12 hectare lagoon and 12 hectares of wet lowland rainforest, as well as some agricultural land. The project is currently working in 3 areas:

1) A Sea Turtle monitoring and research programme. 3 species of Sea Turtle nest at the beach; Leatherback turtles, Hawksbill turtles and Green turtles. The Leatherback nesting season runs from February through to July each year. The Hawksbill and Green Turtle nest from May to October each year. The poaching of turtle eggs, beach erosion and other factors have meant that all the turtle species that nest of the beach are critically at risk of extinction.

2) Lagoon and Forest species identification and monitoring. As the project is still fairly new, help is needed to compile a complete catalogue of all the species of flora and fauna that are present in the lagoon and forest. Species that have already been recorded in the protected area include: howler monkeys, white faced capuchin monkeys, 3 toed sloths, caiman, basilisk lizards, eyelash vipers, boa constrictors, kinkajous, raccoons, anteaters to name but a few.

3) Trail design and Trail information. Help is needed to design and maintain the 1km of trails in the protected area. Help is also needed in creating information signs and brochures for the trails, giving detailed information on the species of flora and fauna that can be encountered on the trails.

Accommodation is provided the project station house, situated in the protected area, which can accommodate up to 24 volunteers. The station house also has a communal and eating area, an office with internet facility, and plenty of hammocks to relax in and watch the local fauna and flora.

Role of Volunteer

Volunteers are needed for all 3 project areas. Work will consist of nightly beach patrols (if during nesting season) to monitor turtle nesting, gather information concerning the turtles and if needed, relocate the eggs. A turtle hatchery will also be implemented to protect the turtle nests further, which will need to be monitored at all times.

During the day (either morning or afternoon) work will involve species identification and cataloging of the lagoon and forest or trail maintenance and design as well as writing information guides and boards for the trails.

During the day Volunteers work for half the day - they will have remainder of the day free to explore the local area, or go to the nearby town. Night-time beach patrols will usually start at 8:00 pm to 12:00 m, and 12:01 am to 4:00 am. Volunteers have 1 day free per week to explore nearby attractions and national parks or just relax at the station.

Cost

We charge volunteers US$20 per night for food and accommodation and an initial fee of US$35 which helps towards materials for the project.

Travel

We can pick you up from Cahuita which is easy to get to from San Jose by bus.

 

Volunteer Stories

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