Bolivia: Environmental Conservation

Project Summary

The World Wild Life Foundation has classified Bolivia's ecosystem as one of the two hundred most fragile and important ecosystems in the world. The country is home to 63 million acres of frontier rainforest. This precious resource has been declining at an alarming rate of 2.1 acres a year.

The project needs the support of volunteers in order to educate the public about the environmental issues that threaten the country and use marketing tools to create awareness and support of environmental conservation. A large part of this deforestation has been caused by the construction of a 400-mile gas pipeline funded by ENRON, which has caused immeasurable devastation to the rainforests and wildlife in Bolivia. The project supervisor is a committed agronomist who is eager to welcome volunteers with an interest in environmental conservation.

At a Glance

Minimum Program Length:	2 weeks
Start Date:	Every Monday
Arrival Date:	2 days prior to your Start Date (Saturday)
Minimum Age:	18 years old
Volunteer Gender:	Male and Female
Accommodation:	Your accommodation is included in the program price. Volunteers will be staying with homestay families in rural communities throughout the central valley region. Our homestays offer single or shared rooms and three meals a day provided by your host family. Volunteer Visions feels that this is the best way to become familiar with Bolivian culture and practice your Spanish. All homestays are located in safe areas and are within short distances of your project locations. If you prefer to have your own accommodation, we can gladly arrange other types of accommodations (apartments, hostels, hotels etc.). Please inquire about alternative accommodations in advance to get pricing.
Food:	Three meals a day are included in the program fee.
Pick-up Info:	You will be greeted at the Santa Cruz airport and guided to your homestay family by a Volunteer Visions representative. A volunteer coordinator will also take you to your project location the first day so that you become familiarized with the route to your destination. The coordinator will also introduce you to the staff of the project so to ensure that you are properly placed in the program.
Project Schedule:	The schedule is 7am-12pm in the morning Monday to Friday. Project Closed Dates and Holidays :: January 1st (New years) :: May 1st (Labor day) :: August 6th (Bolivia's Independence day) :: September 24th (Santa Cruz´s Anniversary) :: December 24-25th (Christmas)

Your role as a Volunteer

Volunteer will be participating in hands-on projects that will offer a fantastic opportunity to work with Bolivia's diverse botanical species. They will also help with planting, maintenance and collection of botanical species, and there are opportunities to get involved in research activities as well. If you have experience with marketing or publicity, you can also assist with locating sources of funding, raising awareness of the project and preparing promotional materials.

Project Location

The city of Santa Cruz, commonly referred to as the 'tropical paradise of Bolivia', has a population of nearly 1.3 million. It is located in the eastern part of the country. Situated 416 m above sea level, the climate is generally warm and temperate. It is also the economic heart of the country, but has avoided over-development and has managed to maintain its colonial architecture and old-world charm. The easy-going atmosphere, friendliness of the locals and the palm tree lined streets lend to its warm and welcoming feel.

Local Activities & Excursions

Santa Cruz offers a wide range of attractions and activities. A guided tour of the city is included in your program fee. This tour will allow you to become familiar with the layout of the city and give you chance to see some of the major attractions in Santa Cruz. During your spare time, you can visit one of the many beautiful cathedrals, museums, lagoons and parks that dot the city. There are also several opportunities to explore the pre-Incan ruins, 18th century Jesuit missionaries and pristine forest area that surround the city. You may also decide to go swimming, visit the theatres, learn Bolivian cooking, join a local football (soccer) team or even enroll in a Latin dance class.

Suggested Skills and Interests

You should have the desire to educate and inform locals about the current events and issues that threaten Bolivia's natural habitat. A basic level of Spanish is suggested but not required. If you would like to become closely involved with the marketing project, higher level of Spanish may be required.

Suggested Language Level

Supplementary Spanish language classes are offered at the local language school for volunteers interested in practicing and learning Spanish. The classes are run by certified ESL teachers and the groups are no typically no larger than 8 students.

Although these classes are not mandatory, we suggest that you take these classes if you have little or no background in Spanish. Classes start at $500 for 2 weeks with additional weeks available for $210. Classes are held three hours a day from Monday to Friday and accommodation and 3 meals a day are included in the program fee.