Volunteers Vacationing with Scientists

This year, you've decided you want to do more on your vacation than lounge around like a beached whale, eh? Well why not volunteer, but not just volunteer anywhere, why not check out the Los Amigos Biological Research Station which allows guests to work alongside and with researchers in the Peruvian Amazon. Pretty cool, right?

Last month I got to see the Los Amigos Biological Research Station first-hand when I traveled with Green Living Project as they documented this sustainability project. What makes the Los Amigos so special? Well, in terms of biodiversity, this is a hotspot, with over 4,000 species (including humans) identified on the 160,000 hectare preserve. The station itself borders a 360,000 acre Los Amigos Conservation Concession, meaning that an enormous area around the site is protected which is all the better for doing research on. Being so remote, it does take a little bit to get there - including a 4 hour boat ride from the nearest city, but this affords you the chance to stay at and see the most active research station in the Amazon basin, with on average 25 researchers at the station every day.

What Will Volunteers See and Work On?

Volunteers at the station agree to work a few hours each day, doing things like catching and counting beetles, trail maintenance, working in the kitchen and a variety of other scientific and general maintenance activities. In return, they get access to all facilities, three square meals a day (most of which are made from foods grown sustainably on the property), plenty of free time to explore over 60 miles of trails and This year, you've decided you want to do more on your vacation than lounge around like a beached whale, eh? Well why not volunteer, but not just volunteer anywhere, why not check out the Los Amigos Biological Research Station which allows guests to work alongside and with researchers in the Peruvian Amazon. Pretty cool, right?

Last month I got to see the Los Amigos Biological Research Station first-hand when I traveled with Green Living Project as they documented this sustainability project. What makes the Los Amigos so special? Well, in terms of biodiversity, this is a hotspot, with over 4,000 species (including humans) identified on the 160,000 hectare preserve. The station itself borders a 360,000 acre Los Amigos Conservation Concession, meaning that an enormous area around the site is protected which is all the better for doing research on. Being so remote, it does take a little bit to get there - including a 4 hour boat ride from the nearest city, but this affords you the chance to stay at and see the most active research station in the Amazon basin, with on average 25 researchers at the station every day.

What Will Volunteers See and Work On?

Volunteers at the station agree to work a few hours each day, doing things like catching and counting beetles, trail maintenance, working in the kitchen and a variety of other scientific and general maintenance activities. In return, they get access to all facilities, three square meals a day (most of which are made from foods grown sustainably on the property), plenty of free time to explore over 60 miles of trails and use of canoes/kayaks to explore the Los Amigos River which borders the property.

More at the link . . .