Vamanos Tours brought a wonderful team of 25 teens and 3 staff, from Meridian School, Boston, USA to stay for two days and help out in all areas. We cleared a bank in preparation for a future project and worked on the ethnobotanical trail. Thanks to Monique Nieves for delicious vegetarian food, and to Vanessa Acevedo for all homestead help.
Thank you to Globalworks for bringing us this enthusiastic group of teens who helped with clearing the land in preparation for a new project. We really appreciated the effort! Thank you to Ari Wildau and Randall Vargas Guido, Globalworks, trip leaders.
15-18th July 2021
Vamonos Tours have been collaborating with us for several years now and bringing groups of people from all over the world to stay for a while in the rainforest, volunteering on many fun tasks.
This team from Massachusetts stayed for three nights and helped with trails, compost management, nursery cleaning and re-organizing, putting in new weedcloth and spreading gravel on the ground. An incredible time was had by all, and thanks to Magha Garcia for the delicious, nutritious food!
If you are looking to bring a group to Puerto Rico, don’t hesistate to get in touch with Bernardo or Jorge at Vamonos.
https://www.vamonostours.com/about-us/
26-29th July 2021: Thanks to this intrepid team of teens who worked with 3t clearing the overgrowth on our main drive from the gate, and also work in the nursery. This team spent three nights with us. Thanks to Magha Garcia and Milly Santiago for the cuisine that kept the team well fed.
Big thanks also to Global Works Trip Leader, Eric Uslander, and to the staff who stayed with us: Lindsey Storm, Talia Santos, and James Palma Harrera.
Global Works provides service trips for teens and school travel programs with community service, cultural exchange, language immersion, and adventure. They make sure that teens have an unforgettable experience abroad, make friends for a lifetime, have lessons in leadership, and make impactful change!
For more on their programs: https://www.globalworkstravel.com/
We have been collaborating with Global Works since 2003, and we really value the long-term relationship with staff and the teens who return as young aduts to continue a relationship with our project.
25th July 2021: This team of 25 teenagers and three staff spent a day at Las Casas de la Selva helping with cement-work on our library roof, led by Andrés Rúa, and clearing the homestead of overgrowth with 3t, particularly behind the workshop, where the vines and bamboo had really become wild. Many hands make light work, and this team worked hard all day in rainy weather. Thank you!!! Thanks to Magha for the delicious cuisine.
Big thanks also to Global Works Trip Leader, Eric Uslander, and to the awesome staff: Jorge Flores, Fabricio Ochoa Serrano, Katie Kelly, and Penelope Benscome.
Global Works provides service trips for teens and school travel programs with community service, cultural exchange, language immersion, and adventure. They make sure that teens have an unforgettable experience abroad, make friends for a lifetime, have lessons in leadership, and make impactful change!
For more on their programs: https://www.globalworkstravel.com/
We have been collaborating with Global Works since 2003, and we really value the long-term relationship with staff and the teens who return as young aduts to continue a relationship with our project.
13th July 2021: Thank you to this wonderful team of teenagers, who helped with clearing and digging drainage ditches on our main drive and trail this July for one day.
Big thanks also to Global Works Trip Leader, Eric Uslander, and to the awesome staff: Victor Pachas, Jasmine Van Maldren, Fabricio Ochoa Serrano, and Penelope Benscome.
Global Works provides service trips for teens and school travel programs with community service, cultural exchange, language immersion, and adventure. They make sure that teens have an unforgettable experience abroad, make friends for a lifetime, have lessons in leadership, and make impactful change!
For more on their programs: https://www.globalworkstravel.com/
We have been collaborating with Global Works since 2003, and we really value the long-term relationship with staff and the teens who return as young aduts to continue a relationship with our project.
Voluntariado en Las Casas de la Selva, 2021
En el corazón de la Sierra de Cayey, en el municipio de Patillas, Puerto Rico, se encuentra nuestro proyecto y centro de investigación. Hemos abierto nuevamente el programa de voluntariado y estaremos aceptando solicitudes. Se escogerán voluntarios que deseen quedarse hasta tres meses para participar en nuestros proyectos. El programa incluye comidas y acomodo. Envíe una breve biografía, foto y CV, junto con un párrafo sobre lo que esperaría obtener de una experiencia como esta. Navegue por nuestro sitio web para comprender mejor este proyecto único de enriquecimiento de bosques y silvicultura sostenible, con 37 años de antigüedad y que ha sobrevivido a huracanes, terremotos y pandemias desde 1983. Contacto
Durante casi 40 años, nuestro proyecto ha dado la bienvenida a los huéspedes a la pintoresca granja de montaña boscosa de Las Casas de la Selva, en el sureste de la isla de Puerto Rico. Las medidas de seguridad de COVID-19 requieren que adaptemos nuestra hospitalidad, pero si bien nuestras operaciones serán diferentes, nuestra dedicación a los objetivos del proyecto y la exploración de nuestro potencial humano sigue siendo la misma. La seguridad de nuestros voluntarios, huéspedes y personal es de gran preocupación. Se requieren cubrimientos faciales en interiores. Todos debemos practicar el distanciamiento social parándonos al menos a seis pies de distancia entre nosotros y mientras nos movemos por la propiedad.
Este será un tiempo de tareas al aire libre, tranquilidad, menos gente, baños en el bosque, caminatas privadas, inmersiones en ríos, en este magnífico bosque de tabunuco, con espectaculares vistas del mar Caribe desde la montaña.
Volunteer at Las Casas de la Selva, 2021
In the heart of the Sierra de Cayey, in the municipality of Patillas, Puerto Rico, sits our research center homestead. We are re-opening our volunteer program, and accepting applications for volunteers who would like to stay for up to three months and partake in all our projects. Learning by Doing. The program includes food and accommodation. Please send a short bio, pic, and CV, along with a paragraph about what you would hope to get out of an experience like this. Please browse our website to gain some understanding of this unique 37-year-old sustainable forestry and rainforest enrichment project that has survived hurricanes, earthquakes, and pandemics, since 1983. Contact
For nearly 40 years, our project has welcomed volunteers & guests to the scenic forested mountain homestead of Las Casas de la Selva, on the south east of the island of Puerto Rico. COVID-19 safety measures require us to adapt our hospitality but while our operations will be different, our dedication to the project’s aims and exploring our human potential remains the same. The safety of our volunteers, guests, and staff is of greatest concern. Face coverings are required while indoors. We all should practice social distancing by standing at least six feet away from each other, and while moving around the property.
This will be a time of out-door tasks, tranquility, fewer people, forest-bathing, private hikes, river-dips, in this magnificent tabunuco forest, with spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea from the mountain.
Pepperdine University students spent 8 days with us in February, and for several days we cleared the homestead of vines, worked on trails, and created new nursery areas. Alex Johnson was the team leader, and Alex has already volunteered twice before at the project. Thank you team, we really value our collaboration with Pepperdine. Maria Cristina, from Cayey, cooked wholesome and hearty meals, and Ana Pagan from Patillas, held a wonderful salsa dance class.
We were joined for the final days of this team by Professor of Architecture, Seth Wachtel, who was planning a trip for students from the University of San Francisco in May 2020.
As February drew to a close, there were whispers of a virus spreading rapidly over the globe. On March 12, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic. On March 15 a severe lockdown was ordered by the Governor of Puerto Rico, as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), became a household name! The January 2020 earthquakes had already caused the cancellation of several of our regular university teams for 2020, but with the lockdowns, all our teams cancelled; our brief time with the Pepperdine students was so valuable.
A huge thank you to all our 2019 volunteer groups! We could not have done it without you!
Thank you everyone! Have a great start to 2020!
To all our 2019 volunteers. It takes a lot to keep a project alive. We salute you for all your help. Thank you!!
All volunteers worked on a variety of tasks including grass-cutting, ditch digging and erosion control all over the homestead, main-drive roadwork, forest roads & trails; pruning back the overgrowth; maintenance of the wastewater garden; compost piles; clearing out the workshop; homestead maintenance; nursery establishment, concretework, & tree-planting.
David Henebry, architect working in PR for a year, came to Las Casas de la Selva, for a day, volunteering on a garden digging project with an AmeriCorps youth team. From there, David went on to completely fund, and re-build several critical areas of the homestead facility, coming in on Sundays. In between digging holes, carrying tree saplings, planting, and digging, David also completely rebuilt the roof of El Teatro, and installed half of a new floor. He repaired a broken roof on a casita, made a new cement floor for outside the Casablanca bathroom, and built a hurricane-proof lean-to next to the workshop, for the new, improved tree nursery. We are very, very grateful. 3t lost nearly 1,500 tree seedlings and saplings in the hurricane, a devastating loss of many years’ work, so the energy into a new nursery this year was a great healing of 2019.
Chris Miller, spent three months living at Las Casas de la Selva, and he worked closely with David on all the tasks, as well has putting in heroic efforts to keep the grass cut on the homestead, which had become a huge task after the hurricane with the homestead becoming a sunny location after being a shady grove for many years as the trees grew. We are so grateful to everyone who has helped us here this year: Chris Miller, David Henebry, Sarah Dean, Alex Johnson, Dayne Taylor, George Locascio & Miho Connelly, Anna & Fred, Anna & Joy Brown, Bill Davidowski, Bruce Mobley, David Anderson, Daniel Mobley, Tial Neal, Yogani Govender and friends, Gordon Weber, Noel Moore, Clara King, Katie Tsui, Robert Lane, Harry Zubik, Jess Tabac, Shari Dee, Sönke Scheel (Muller), and Elizabeth Whitehouse.
We could not have done it without you all. We appreciate your love and support very much! Thanks also to James Beezley for a generous donation in 2019. Blessings to all as we move into the New Year 2020. Please keep in touch and drop us a note!
Thrity and Andrés extend a huge, huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers who have come to Las Casas de la Selva in 2018, and given love, labor, (mental, emotional, & physical support) to us and the project after the Hurricanes (Irma and Maria) that dealt us a devastating setback in 2017. We salute you all, please stay in touch and come back again. This sustainable forestry project only exists because people want it to.
Very, very special thanks to architect David Henebry, who personally funded and worked on several reconstruction projects at the end of 2018 and into 2019. These included: A casita roof mended; a new roof on el teatro; the lean-to structure that the new tree nursery will inhabit when finished; a cement porch floor. Trees were also planted, amongst many other tasks! Thank you so much David for all your love and support of this project. Thanks also to friends Robert Lane, Lance Strawn, & Harry Zubik who contributed funds and labor.
Special Volunteer: To mention one volunteer may seem unfair, but Chris D. Miller was an ACE volunteer for three months, 2018-2019.
George Locascio has been coming to Las Casas for several years, and we give huge thanks for all his labor in chainsaw work this last year!
In December 2017 and January 2018, Kira Kranzler, Matthew Mullinix, contributed critical funds and materials to re-roof the kitchen, as well as love and labor only a few months after Hurricane Maria, when the homestead was barely useable, and there was no electricity. Huge thanks and hugs for loving the place, the gardens, and the animals. Thanks also to Sally Richardson, & to Dan Kranzler for funding the kitchen roof!
Special mention: 3t’s two high school friends, Jane Linkson Clark and Joanne Patience Finch made social media contact with 3t several years ago…and in 2018 both were agreed that their kids needed an experience that might change their lives. Whether it did, or not, remains to be seen, (and perhaps they might testify to something, years down the line, but 3t had a wonderful and productive time with them, as solo volunteers who also got to partake in service-work with several large volunteer groups, like Horizons For Youth from Chicago, and Americorps Teams, carrying out hard labor to clear and prune the homestead. Ciaran Clark, 17 years old, and Florence Finch, 16 years old, volunteered at Las Casas de la Selva for one month with 3t as their guardian.
THANK YOU….ALL OF YOU! Please keep coming back.
Images by 3t Vakil, 2018
Movie of Hurricane Maria at Las Casas de la Selva
https://eyeontherainforest.org/?p=9841
Thank you to all the teams of volunteers in 2018 that came to help us in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
We are eternally grateful for all your hard labor on the homestead and in the forest! We salute you. Please keep coming back and forging strong relationships with this forest, and to keep the mission of sustainable forestry going.
Since June 2018 many Americorps youth in Puerto Rico, chose to come to Las Casas on their volunteer days. The tasks at the project, led by 3t, are always hard labor, but fun. The mountain breeze, along with the cold mountain water, and terrific views, make it a hard-to-resist location!
These wonderful teams have helped with all manner of tasks including clearing debris, gardening, digging out landslides, digging drainage ditches, bridge repair, general construction, and helping with main drive maintenance. We are really appreciative of the service ethic that these folks have demonstrated.
Americorps youth (who are here in Puerto Rico working with FEMA on hurricane relief), continue to volunteer at Las Casas in 2019. Thank you very much for your service!
All images by 3t Vakil
https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps/what-americorps
In January 2018, Camille Collazo and her team at Visit Rico organized donations to projects in Puerto Rico and a spectacular event help to several farms in Puerto Rico. Teams of 30 people from City Winery descended on these places for a day, along with founder Michael Dorf, and helped with debris removal from Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Las Casas was chosen as a site to build a stage to have a gourmet dining and music experience. We milled our own fallen pine, and in one day a stage was built. The day was an energetic movement that words cannot describe, bringing much needed help to devastated areas at the Las Casas homestead.
The Visit Rico initiative received support from the Foundation for Puerto Rico, the Segarra Boerman Foundation, the non-profit organization Slow Food, PRxPR and private entities such as Para La Naturaleza and Microjuris. There were fundraisers with Cape Cod Farm, Gramercy Tavern with Chef Juan José, El Boricuá Fund in Minnesota and Crazy Legs from Rock Steady for Life. In addition, Farmer’s Markets outside of Puerto Rico expressed their solidarity with the cause.
Institute of Ecotechnics directors, Marie Harding & Freddy Dempster visited and were a huge help in all areas. Freddy set-up an LED light-system in all the communal areas of the homestead, and life has been upgraded immensely. Las Casas de la Selva, in the mountains will not get electricity for many more months. (Update: It was 9 months of no electricity).
Chef Natalia Vallejo (image above by Xavier Garcia), and her team, cooked up a storm in our kitchen, and with the LED lights in the dining room, the whole house staged the catering effort to feed over 200 people at night, with a three course meal.
Here’s Michael Dorf talking about his mission to Puerto Rico: https://youtu.be/sC4d6XYyeIg Thank you!!
The City Winery event, the story, and great footage of Las Casas de la Selva a few months after Hurricane Maria: https://youtu.be/XbIN3ShGa5A
And a great write-up:
https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/puerto-rico-relief-city-winery-dinner-concert
Thank you to all the volunteers who really worked hard, in the pouring rain, to set-up the stage area and footings, including: 3t, Andrés, Andrés Rúa Senior, Ramon Rúa, Axel Rúa, Kai Griebenow, Vanessa Acevedo, and Juanita Gonzalez.
Images: 3t Vakil.
Group photo by Marie Harding.
Planting Vetiver for erosion control and bank stabilization.
Chrysopogon zizanioides, is commonly known as vetiver.
Vetiver grass has a special root system that works above and below ground, to ensure steep soil stabilization and erosion control. Vetiver’s roots grow downward, 2 metres (7 ft) to 4 metres (13 ft) in depth, deeper than some tree roots. The sturdy, hard stems create hedges, which act to protect the topsoil, dissipate wind and water energy, slow down water flow, trap sediments, and control water runoff. There are at least 11 species of vetiver and lots of cultigens and cultivars. There is one species, Chrysopogon zizanioides, that is sterile, so there is no concern about it being invasive.
This current planting project aims to protect our newly graded road, by stabilizing the banks.
Thanks to Alberto Rodriguez for the Vetiver.
And gratitude to Summer Powers, who brought her two friends, Serena Tsui and Katherine Tsui to volunteer as well, for ten days. (Summer first volunteered here in 2015 with a Globalworks Teen Team, lead by Scott Page). We love returners. Thank you ladies!
Please see this page for info about volunteering at Las Casas de la Selva, Patillas, Puerto Rico. We always appreciate the power of people who love our biosphere.
July 2017
For seven years now, March has been a time to welcome new groups and also those who have forged long-term relationships with our project. Since 2011, Appalachian State University students having been coming to offer their services in their Spring Break time.
This March 2017, group leaders were Jaycie Loud & Daniel Burwell, accompanied by seven of their adventurous peers, and one awesome chaperone, Professor of Biology, Shea Tuberty. From stacking wood in our drying shed, to re-organizing our workshop, to building a small forde on the river on the Ethnobotanical Trail, this team was a delight for the project, and all the tasks were accomplished every day, mostly through rain. Yara Soler gave an excellent Salsa Dance class, and Magha Garcia cooked up a storm in the kitchen, serving the most delicious vegetarian meals. Ricardo Valles helped Andrés Rúa with crew leadership. 3t was the random element. A great dinner at Habitarte, a community fortifying project run by Wanda Rodriguez and Ricardo Valles Perez, in the spectacular mountains of Guayama. What is so remarkable is how many things we all accomplished together. The images below tell that tale of life at Las Casas de la Selva, for a week.
Appalachian State University, Biola University, Penn State York University, (and in April, Cambridge Montessori) are the only groups that have come to Las Casas this year. Many of our other regular groups were concerned by the reports of the Zika virus on the island of Puerto Rico, and followed the best info they had for peace of mind, and made the decision not to travel to Puerto Rico.
Please be assured that Zika is NOT a life-threatening concern for us here on the island, and we feel that the concerns about the virus have been unjustly hyped.
App State Professor of Biology, Shea Tuberty: “ As a professor at Appalachian State University I understand our US colleagues’ interest in keeping our students safe during international travel. However, the Zika scare in Puerto Rico is entirely overplayed. We didn’t see a single mosquito while there this last week (March 12-18th, 2017). This is a wonderful project from A-Z focused on all things related to sustainability and deserves to continue on its long history of providing alternative spring break groups, researchers, and tourists a destination and opportunity for make a difference there. They are in serious need for help as they embark on their bridge project over a branch of Sonadora Creek to access the old coffee plantation section of the forest. Please consider reinstating your annual visits to Casas de la Selva soon.”
We welcome back next year all our friends from the various Universities and High Schools that could not come in 2017.♥
Come and experience the Alternative Service Experience!
Email: 3t @ eyeontherainforest.org
From the Appalachian Website: “Consider an Alternative Service Experience and explore a variety of social issues while working with communities across the globe. Whether a domestic program on the gulf coast or an international program south of the equator, use your time during fall, winter, and spring break to create deeper connections between your classroom work and the communities of the world.”
Buy a Tee shirt and Help Support our Road and Bridge Building Project
Images by: 3t Vakil, Mackenzie Francisco, Celeste Womack, and Josie Carder
March 2017
Comenzando el lunes 27 marzo en la mañana.
Durante los días del Paro Universitario te invitamos a que te unas como voluntarix al equipo de Las Casas de la Selva en Patillas, un proyecto de silvicultura sostenible, taller de trabajos en madera y agricultura orgánica. Aprenderás destrezas de trabajos en madera, un básico de manejo forestal y conocerás de los estudios científicos que se han llevado a cabo en nuestro proyecto entre otras cosas. El costo por estudiante es de $8.00 por día, esto incluye todas las comidas, dormitorio (bunkhouse) y duchas con agua caliente, además de vivir por unos días en uno de los lugares más hermosos de Puerto Rico, el área del Bosque de Carite, donde está localizado el proyecto.
Requisitos: Buscamos participaantes Listxs, Dispuestxs y Capaces, motivadxs, con actitud positiva y compromiso.
Solo 20 espacios disponibles. Por favor enviar un párrafo acerca de ti y porque te gustaría participar.
Correo electrónico: 3t@eyeontherainforest.org.
Puedes visitar nuestra página de internet www.eyeontherainforest.org para que conozcas más de nosotros y de nuestro proyecto.
Muchas gracias, te esperamos.
***********************************
Starts Monday 27th March 2017 in the morning.
During the days of the University strike we invite you to join as a volunteer of Las Casas de la Selva’s Team in Patillas, a sustainable forestry project, woodworking workshop and organic agricultural area. You will learn woodworking skills and the basics of forest management among other things. The cost per student is $8.00 per day. This includes all meals, bunkhouse accommodation, and showers with hot water. You will be living for a few days in one of the most beautiful places in Puerto Rico- the Carite forest area, where the project is located.
Requirements: All we ask is for Ready, Willing, and Able participants who are motivated, with a positive attitude and commitment.
Only 20 spaces available.
Please send a paragraph about yourself and why you would like to participate with us.
Email to: 3t@eyeontherainforest.org.
You can visit our website www.eyeontherainforest.org for more about us and our project.
Thank you, we look forward to seeing you here.
3t Vakil and Andres Rua
Click here for a whole bunch of fun images, with an international body of students from Penn State, York, who came through Globalworks to spend a few days helping in a grand overhaul of our workshop and wood storage. All these great images are by Penn State York chaperone, Judith Owen, and Globalworks Team Leader, Ava Murphey. Thank you all for a really wonderful time.
Freddy Dempster (Chief Engineer of Biosphere 2) joined us at Las Casas de la Selva during this period as well and made an inspiring Biosphere 2 presentation. Thank you to Magha Garcia for the fine food, Andrés Rúa, Ricardo Valle, for crew leadership and to Alfredo Lopez for being the random element help.
Google Album: https://goo.gl/photos/pHjr61hJ2gwm6XgR9
Students from Biola University, California, spent three days with us, and with them we started the BIG project of 2017. In preparation for The Bridge and Road Building Project, we cleared the lower trail of much undergrowth and built a small shed for protection of equipment and supplies whilst building the bridge. Thank you everyone for your hard work and great enthusiasm, we really enjoyed your company here at Las Casas de la Selva.
Thanks to volunteer Juan Reyes, and to Magha Garcia for her wonderful food.
This bridge and road building project is only possible through a generous grant from the Salomon Family Foundation, (Pat and Julio), and donations from Roland Pesch, (USA), Mark and Vanessa Evans, (UK), and Starrlight Augustine, (Norway). Please contact 3t if you are able to help with projects in person, in kind, or financially.
Images by 3t Vakil January 2017
These seven intrepid women from North Bay, Ontario, Canada are traveling through Puerto Rico, this October, as part of training to become Field leaders in expeditions. They stayed at Las Casas de la Selva and helped out for two days on manual labor tasks of clearing trails. Subjected to torrential rains, these ladies kept their smiles and energy high, and helped accomplish many tasks at hand.
Mackenzie Kerr said about this trip in advance: “We are a group of seven students in the Outdoor Adventure Naturalist program at Algonquin College in the Ottawa Valley. We are raising money to get us to Puerto Rico and assess the current economic crisis they are facing. We will be using the money to help support local volunteer and ecotourism businesses and better understand how members of the community are faring.”
Mackenzie’s remarks from Ontario, after the trip to explore Puerto Rico:
“Myself, and team of Outdoor Adventure Naturalist felt enlightened and welcomed during our stay in Puerto Rico. Various individuals were willing to discuss environmental and economical concerns regarding the outdoor industry. We found ourselves emerged in various ecosystems through our time on the island. We were able to see caves, kayak, hike various trails, visit the national parks, volunteer and explore all that the natural environment of Puerto Rico had to offer. We found ourselves at the Eye on the Rainforest for a nights stay. We were very intrigued by the project and learning about how it functioned. We were welcomed with open arms. Our team found ourselves, regrouping and finding relaxation from our stay. As we reflect on our trip in its entirety it is safe to say we learned about the ecology that exists on the island. But we also learned about the fantastic people and outdoor adventure that it has to offer.”
Images by 3t Oct 2016
