Volunteering in the Organization

Description of the Importance of the Volunteer Program

The Corredor Biológico Talamanca Caribe Association (ACBTC) has a mission to protect the biodiversity of Talamanca through the development of productive environmentally-friendly activities and the strengthening of community organizations.

The Association develops its work focusing on four principal programs: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable production, organizational support/reinforcement/fortification and advocacy. For each program, the Association develops different activities which need the support of different local institutions and organizations, as well as persons at the individual level.

With the purpose of supporting the development of these programs in the region of Talamanca, the Association maintains a volunteer program that offers to candidates the possibility to engage in activities that seek the conservation of the biodiversity and the support of environmentally-friendly production activities. In addition, the Association strengthens itself in a sensible manner, with the inhabitants' knowledge and environmental conditions.

TO BE A VOLUNTEER FOR ACBTC IT IS NECESSARY THAT:

• Possess empathy to work with Indigenous, Afro-Caribbean and those from other parts of Costa Rica and other countries.
• Have an interest in field work (planting trees, installing bio-digesters, establishing vegetable gardens and environmental education, among others).
• Maintain an interest in the environment and the conservation of natural resources.

THE VOLUNTEER MAY PARTICIPATE IN SEVERAL ACTIVITIES, AMONG THEM ARE MENTIONED:

• Perform various activities in the tree nursery (plant trees, fills sacks, search and plant seeds and transfer trees to communities, among others).
• Participate in re-forestation campaigns, principally focused on the recuperation of degraded areas like river banks.
• Internships in integral farms of different communities. Exchange with farmers and work on independent activities on the farm (care and feeding of the animals, agricultural work, planting trees and pasture for cattle).
• Support the storing and classification of recyclables and awareness campaigns focused on obtaining a large volume of recyclables to reduce water, air and soil contamination, provoked by poor management of solid waste. 
• Participate in environmental education activities with children and young people (discussions, school field trips, artistic workshops, environmental projects and the Festival Ambiental por la Vida (Environmental Festival for Life) which occurs annually.
• Support in agroecology projects (installation of bio-digesters, construction of living fences, promotion of activities for farm integration, etc.).
• Participate in activities related to the program Payment for Environmental Services (Agroforestry systems and forest conservation, visits to different farms which participate in the program).

The volunteer time is variable, it is recommendable that each person stays at least a week with the purpose that they can have the opportunity to participate and contribute in conservation activities of the natural resources of Talamanca.

For more information call the telephone numbers (506) 2756-8033 / 2756-8136 or write an email to: corrbiol@racsa.co.cr