Environmental Education Volunteers, Páramo Conservation

Environmental education volunteers needed to help on a conservation project in the north of Ecuador.   The condor conservation project is a collaboration between Fundación Galo Plaza Lasso, Fundación Zoológica del Ecuador (the parent organization of Quito Zoo), and the Community of Zuleta and is part of Ecuador’s National Strategy for Conservation of the Andean Condor. 

The condor is a Critically Endangered Species in Ecuador.  It is believed that there are fewer than 50 wild condors left in Ecuador, and 17 incaptivity.  The project aims to understand more about condor behavior (both wild and captive) in order to identify factors impacting on condor survival and the actions needed to save the species from extinction.  Project components include captive breeding with plans for reintroduction, páramo conservation, community education and raising awareness.  In order for the condor to survive, we need to conserve the whole páramo habitat to maintain healthy populations of other wildlife such as páramo foxes, Andean bears, tapirs and more.  For this reason, the environmental education side of the project includes a range of other wildlife in addition to the condor.

Volunteers can help by interviewing local people and evaluating their perceptions of wildlife, in order to design and implement educational workshops and activities to raise awareness, improve perceptions and provide accurate information.  You will help local people to understand how they can help save the páramo and the wildlife it supports, and why this is important.

Applicants must have Spanish language skills to upper intermediate level or above.  Experience in environmental education or teaching preferred.  Minimum age: 20.  Volunteers need to be reasonably fit, able to walk at altitude, and have good rapport with people, especially people with little formal education.

For more information and how to apply, download the information pack from http://fundaciongaloplazalasso.org/en/voluntariado/environmental-education/ or email volunteersfgpl@yahoo.co.uk . Please quote reference SDAug12Edu when applying.