Volunteer

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Now Accepting Inquiries for 2024 Reserve Assistant Volunteers!

Join us at Las Tangaras for an incredible experience living in, learning about, and exploring the cloud forest. Volunteering as a Reserve Assistant is a valuable learning experience in conservation and ecological research and an excellent opportunity to gain new skills and experience, and have fun! At Las Tangaras we like to say that everyday is an adventure. There is always something new to discover!

Volunteer assignments are from 1 to 4 weeks in duration, and provide an opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet: the equatorial Choco-Andean rainforest. Reserve Assistant volunteers support our important ongoing avian monitoring projects, including the fascinating Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, hummingbird diversity and behaviors, and other ecological research projects.  In addition, volunteers contribute to a variety of hands-on and creative projects, such as trail improvements, habitat restoration, creating educational materials for visitors, caring for the banana orchards and gardens, planting fruiting and flowering plants to attract birds, butterflies, and other wildlife, and anything else we need to accomplish at the reserve! We welcome volunteers from all backgrounds and ages, and will work to match your interests and skills to our needs. If you have experience in a certain area there is certainly a project for you.

Commitment and Costs:

Reserve Assistant volunteers agree to a term of service of  1-4 weeks, with a committment of 4 hours of dedicated service per day on projects, plus an hour or so supporting the daily cleaning and maintenance of the Lodge. In addition to having afternoons free to relax or explore the Reserve, we also ensure that you’ll have two full days “off” (e.g. weekends) for every 5 days of volunteer service.  There’s a lot to do in the area, including hiking to nearby waterfalls, canopy ziplining, chocolate making, etc.

The cost to participate is $10 a day (lodging), plus meals.  The meals will be arranged with the current managers (some volunteers prefer to bring food and cook their own meals, others welcome the opportunity to purchase meals) but typically cost around 10-18$/day.

Please call or text us at (+593) 099-058-7084 or email lastangarasreserve@gmail.com for more information or to indicate your interest in volunteering at the Reserve! If you can’t get immediate attention email Dr. Dusti Becker at dustibecker@lifenetnature.org or WhatsApp/call her at 520-507-6685.

“I had a great time volunteering at the reserve. We saw tons of different species of hummingbirds and got to visit the lek of the Andean Cock of the Rock. The food was great and the company even better! I would recommend this to anyone wanting to get a bit off the beaten track and experience Mindo at its fullest.” -Travis M. 

Other Volunteering Opportunities:

Please check the Life Net Nature website (http://lifenetnature.org) and Life Net Nature facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/LifeNetNature?ref=stream&fref=nf) for other volunteering and other opportunities for engaging with Life Net Nature and the reserve.