• Give back to Mother Nature by conserving lush rainforests
• Gain experience alongside local professionals in environmental conservation
• Immerse in the Ecuadorian way of life through safe, carefully-screened homestays
• Explore nature’s best in Ecuador, renowned for its biodiversity

Tree-huggers listen up - the spectacular rainforests of Ecuador need your help! As legendary as the Amazonian forests, they are also extremely fragile. There are not as much funds and manpower to save them from destruction as there are for logging activities. This myopic view has lead to the destruction of several lush rainforests. There are efforts underway to change the attitudes of the people through education, awareness and enforcement of environmental laws. As a volunteer in Ecuador, you'll be helping conservation efforts to implement this. New Hope collaborates with Los Cedros Biological Reserve, a non-profit organization that depends highly on the hard work and contribution of the volunteers to survive. The reserve is located at a pristine and serene forest with 17,000 acres of wet tropics and cloud forests. It is largely sustained through the generous support of individual donors and organizations. Help save the diminishing rainforests of Ecuador and wake up to breathtaking tropical surroundings everyday!

As a volunteer in the Environmental Conservation project in Ecuador, you will be working and staying at the Los Cedros Biological Reserve. Work at the reserve can be tough but relaxing. Working days vary in hours by the specific projects at hand. Depending on the individual's skills and expertise, and the needs of the local staff, your daily duties include but are not limited to:

• Trail maintenance and development
• Checking the integrity of the reserve’s borders
• Assisting with research project work, when active
• Developing new projects and initiatives (especially for long-committed volunteers)
• Maintaining facilities
• Feeding chickens, cultivating vegetable patches, picking oranges, and cutting down bananas 
• Purchasing and transporting additional food and other supplies to the reserve from Quito

By volunteering in Ecuador in the Environmental Conservation project, you’ll be helping the reserve to achieve its conservation goals in accordance to the constantly-evolving forest landscape. Depending on what scientific research projects are active, there are many opportunities for volunteers to participate in field research. If you are seeking to experience the life of a field worker in environment conservation, this is the ideal project for you. Gain invaluable hands-on experience alongside local conservationists while saving the precious environment of Ecuador. Ranging from research to maintenance of existing facilities, there are plenty of activities for volunteers to participate in. Work at the reserve can be tough,

There are no specific qualifications needed to join our Environmental Conservation project in Ecuador, except passion for the environment and an interest to protect its beauty. Volunteers also need to be flexible and willing to help out whenever needed. Due to the nature of the project, volunteers should also be prepared to get dirty and grubby in certain tasks.

The project is located in a cloud forest close from Quito, the capital city and also the largest in Ecuador. Quito is also the first city to be termed a UNESCO World Heritage site. Quito has a rich pre-Columbian history. Found on the ruins of an Inca city, it is the least-altered historical center in Latin America. Lined with picturesque plazas, towering 17th-century churches and monasteries and beautifully restored mansions, you’ll find yourself taken back in time as you wander past the architectural treasures. Beyond the city of Quito, Ecuador is a country brimming with nature’s majesties. Go on a trek into the magical Andes, wildlife-watching at the verdant Amazonian rainforests, and experience the mythical Galapagos Islands with its panoramic and volcanic landscapes; there is something for everyone at Ecuador. A lovely trait of Ecuador is its climates, which at any one location, will very rarely change at all in the year. All climates can be found in Ecuador, from the tropical coastlines and Amazonian lowlands to the cooler and dryer climate at higher elevations.