VolunTREEadventure
Las Casas de la Selva invites you to be part of a living, working rainforest project in recovery and renewal.
Hurricane Maria’s Category 4 winds in 2017 caused widespread damage across the forest, followed by the intense rainfall of Hurricane Fiona in 2022. These events reshaped the land and made landslide mitigation, forest stabilization, and long-term ecological care even more essential parts of the work ahead.
Volunteer support is deeply valued. In 2020, earthquakes and COVID-19 halted the arrival of our regular volunteer groups and individual helpers, leaving many projects understaffed. If you are ready, willing, and able, we invite you to explore spending a few days or several weeks with us, contributing meaningfully to the land and community.
For nearly forty years, Las Casas de la Selva has hosted volunteers from around the world. Volunteers take part in the daily operations and stewardship of the site, support specific hands-on projects, and assist with scientific and ecological research.
The Tropic Ventures Sustainable Forestry Project depends on the commitment, creativity, and care of volunteers. Much of what exists here today is the result of volunteer vision and persistence. If you are seeking a real-life challenge, personal growth, or the chance to learn new skills, and if you value forests, trees, and ecological systems, this may be the right place for you. Volunteers live and work together, though at times volunteers may be here solo, experiencing daily life within this biome while contributing to its resilience and future.
We welcome volunteers who wish to participate in the full system of the project. We are open and glad to hear from you.
Who can apply
Individuals aged 18 and over are welcome to apply. Returning volunteers are always appreciated.
Cost
The cost is $30.00 per day, which covers all food and accommodation.
Group volunteering
Group volunteering opportunities are available for school groups, university groups, alternative spring breaks, community groups, and immersion or adventure programs. We also host groups who prefer to work independently perhaps on surveys of flora or fauna, with minimal structure, and including silent retreats, meditation, yoga, theater, breath-work, and dance.
Additional information
Travel arrangements, visas, health requirements, and travel insurance are the responsibility of each participant. More details are provided upon application.
Typical volunteer activities may include:
Nursery work, including propagation and plant care
Homestead maintenance and repairs
Landscaping and garden care
Tree pruning and basic arbor work
Trail building and trail maintenance
Drainage improvement and erosion control
Tree planting and forest enrichment
You do not need to be an expert, but the following skills are useful and appreciated:
- Comfort working outdoors in heat, humidity, and variable weather
- Basic hand-tool use (shovels, rakes, pruners, machetes, wheelbarrows)
- General gardening or landscaping experience
- Physical stamina for walking, lifting, bending, and uneven terrain
- Ability to work cooperatively and follow project guidance
- Self-motivation and a respectful, grounded attitude
Experience in any of the following is especially helpful, though not required:
- Carpentry or basic construction
- Tree care or pruning
- Trail building or outdoor maintenance
- Farming, permaculture, or ecological restoration
- Nursery or greenhouse work
Skills You May Learn While Volunteering
Volunteers often leave with practical, transferable skills, including:
- Tropical tree identification and basic forest ecology
- Tree planting and forest enrichment techniques
- Erosion control and drainage management in steep terrain
- Trail layout, construction, and maintenance
- Nursery propagation, potting, and plant care
- Safe use of hand tools in a forestry setting
- Collaborative work in a long-term ecological project
Learning happens through hands-on work, shared problem-solving, and daily engagement with the land. Volunteers gain both practical experience and a deeper understanding of how living systems are maintained over time.
- Send an email with a brief summary of why you would like to volunteer and what you hope to get out of such an experience. Detail any skills that you have to offer. Include the names and contact details of two people from whom we can seek an opinion of your suitability for volunteer work.
- Attach a Bio or CV to the email along with a recent photo to 3t
Please type: “Volunteer – your name” in the subject line. - We will get back to you within days. Thanks for taking the time, and we hope to see you here before long!
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