Volunteering at the Reserve

Los Cedros Biological Reserve depends on the work of volunteers both for the maintenance of the current facilities and projects, and for development of new projects. Los Cedros' long-term goals are far from being met, and the success or failure of the reserve depends largely on the energy of the people who give their time here. Long-term volunteers are particularly valuable since they have more time to get to know the reserve and to develop their own initiatives, but shorter-term volunteers are also a necessary source of energy, ideas and labour. A minimum commitment of one month is asked. Most people who come here end up wanting to stay for longer anyway, and many have. Many people arrive here thanks to the encouragement of friends who have come before.


Los Cedros Biological Reserve depends on the work of volunteers both for the maintenance of the current facilities and projects, and for development of new projects. Los Cedros' long-term goals are far from being met, and the success or failure of the reserve depends largely on the energy of the people who give their time here. Long-term volunteers are particularly valuable since they have more time to get to know the reserve and to develop their own initiatives, but shorter-term volunteers are also a necessary source of energy, ideas and labour. A minimum commitment of one month is asked. Most people who come here end up wanting to stay for longer anyway, and many have. Many people arrive here thanks to the encouragement of friends who have come before.		The Photo Gallery Excerpts from the Guest Book Confessions of a Long Term Volunteer A Day in the Life
Breaking a sweat?	The Los Cedros volunteer experience is, paradoxically, both hard working and very relaxed. The length of the working day varies with the projects at hand. In a given day, volunteers can count on breaking an occasional sweat and earning their appetites, but they can also count on plenty of time to relax, chat, read, eat, hike, drink tea, swing in hammocks, chat, admire the view, and generally enjoy their well-earned sense of accomplishment from the day's labours.

There is always something to do at the reserve. Typical daily tasks include taking care of the vegetable houses where vegetables and fruits for consumption are produced; reforestation of certain areas with endemic plants and trees and making and maintaining forest trails and maintenace of the houses and facilities. Besides these types of projects there is also room for volunteer initiatives.		The gallery has lots of pictures of volunteers doing stuff.

Accommodation for volunteers ranges from simple-slash-functional to grandly eccentric. Rooms are divvied up according to taste and availability. Most rooms are single occupancy, and most (like everything else at Los Cedros) have a phenomenal view.	Accomodation in the main house.	Volunteer room in the newly constructed scientific center.
	Upper bedroom, middle house.	View from the Best Balcony in the World.

Fees for overseas volunteers are USD $360/person/month. Fees for Ecuadorean volunteers are USD $45/person/month. Fees include all accommodation and food. Vegetarian cooking is available. Food is plentiful and good. Los Cedros is a non-profit reserve. All fees go to maintenance and the development of projects which are part of the reserve's goals of conservation and education.
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