from 892€

Excellent 4.8rating (11)

Forest Therapies Program

location
4 - 24 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Help us catalogue medicinal plants of the forest
  • Visiting local elders to learn about their experiences with native medicinal plants;
  • Get your hands dirty by helping taking care of our medicinal plants garden
  • Help us host medicinal plants workshops for the community
  • Make your own medicinal plants products

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Iracambi is proud to present the Forest Therapies Program— where in you can discover for yourself the secrets of medicinal plants and its traditionally uses.

The Forest Therapies Program aims to promote research, conservation, and sustainable production of medicinal plants native to the Atlantic Rainforest biome. In this context, the volunteer will have different responsibilities, which will contribute to slowly creating a system of Research & ...

About the program

The Forest Therapies Program aims to promote research, conservation, and sustainable production of medicinal plants native to the Atlantic Rainforest biome. In this context, the volunteer will have different responsibilities, which will contribute to slowly creating a system of Research & Development ( R & D) of native plants in the region, keeping in mind the socio-economic empowerment of local rural communities, and more fund-raising for Iracambi, and subsequently the higher conservation of the Atlantic Rainforest. 

As a team member, you'll be involved in all sorts of activities: 

  • Maintenance of the Medicinal Plants Laboratory;
  • Maintenance of the Medicinal Plants Trail;
  • Creation and maintenance of the Medicinal Plants Garden;
  • Production of herbal medicine and herbal cosmetics in the laboratory;
  • Botanical research: cataloging of medicinal plants in the nearby forests and visiting local elders to learn about their experiences with native medicinal plants;
  • Help local community in their own Medicinal Plants project;
  • Report writing;
  • Creation and maintenance of product catalog;
  • Planning and management of medicinal plant workshops with the local community;
  • Content creation, marketing, setting up the events;
  •  Photography and Video making (with editing).

If this volunteer opportunity calls out to you, please get in touch. We'd love to hear from you! 



Typical day

A typical working day will involve the areas of Field Research, Gardening, Lab work, and Writing. 


Field Research:

We are currently conducting a medicinal plants survey and mapping stakeholders in the Serra do Brigadeiro region. Our mornings might be in spent in the middle of the woods collecting and ...

Typical day

A typical working day will involve the areas of Field Research, Gardening, Lab work, and Writing. 


Field Research:

We are currently conducting a medicinal plants survey and mapping stakeholders in the Serra do Brigadeiro region. Our mornings might be in spent in the middle of the woods collecting and photographing plants, visiting Medicinal Plant programs in local universities, or visiting medicinal plant pharmacies.  


Gardening:

Since the Forest Therapies' small garden needs to be rebuilt we will spend time maintaining it. Activities include soil preparation, sowing seeds and transplanting, plant identification, invasive species control, organic fertilizing, pruning, harvesting, and photographic and film registry. 


Laboratory:

You'll be working in our laboratory on all kind of activities, creating medicinal plant soaps and shampoos, manipulating tinctures and syrups for cough and stomach pain with local herbs, or helping conduct medicinal plant workshops. 


Writing:

You'll need to write up research findings, keep the database updated, post relevant articles on social media, or write proposals to raise funds for the laboratory.


You'll have plenty of free time to conduct your research, join other volunteering opportunities, go hiking, jump into the river, or hang out in a hammock with a good book. 


Free-time activities

On weekends you can swim in the rivers, hike in the forest, climb local mountains – no rock climbing involved and you will be rewarded with amazing views. You can interact with the local community and attend local parties and festivals, particularly in June and July during the winter festivals. ..

Free-time activities

On weekends you can swim in the rivers, hike in the forest, climb local mountains – no rock climbing involved and you will be rewarded with amazing views. You can interact with the local community and attend local parties and festivals, particularly in June and July during the winter festivals. You can also organize dinners, bonfires, barbecues or social events to be enjoyed with a glass of wine, a beer, or a caipirinha!

Could be getting up in the dark to climb a mountain and film the sun rising over the misty valleys.

At the weekends, our staff will be more than happy to help you plan trips to explore the surrounding areas. Weekend excursions might include quad biking around local communities, kayaking on the rivers, and trails to a pic, and getting a taste of local farm life.

Visiting Serra do Brigadeiro State Park is an excellent option for weekend activities. You can explore the park trails and waterfalls in the middle of Minas Gerais mountains with a very traditional and cultural local community.  

On three-day weekends you could visit Brazil’s famous historic towns Ouro Preto and Mariana, or Caraça Sanctuary - where you can stay in a former monastery and meet the local wildlife - or sun yourself on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro state. You could even attempt to climb the 2892 meters (9486 foot) Pico da Bandeira (the third highest Brazil mountain which is in a National Park area).  

We have lots of wild animals living all around, even big ones like the puma. (But we should warn you, they are mostly nocturnal.) We are an official release center for captive species and occasionally the forest police appear with animals and birds to be released after acclimatizing. 


And if you’re up for gentler pastimes, where better to hang out in a hammock and read a book, or find a quiet spot to practice yoga or meditation? 


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (fluently)

Education Requirements

at High School level

Required Documents

CV

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

The only "skill" needed is a genuine interest in medicinal plants and a willingness to learn. Desirable skills are: - Availability to use manual cutting tools such as machete, handsaw and sickle - Fluency in English or Portuguese Writing - Experience with handling laboratory equipment - Availability and energy for outdoor work - Knowledge and experience with video editing - Gardening experience - Knowledge of botany, ethnobotanical studies and anthropology

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 17:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Iracambi Research Center

  • Food (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
  • Lodging
  • Wi-Fi
  • All on site activities 

Accommodation

Volunteers will stay either in one of our five cabins (which have two bedrooms, each with bunk beds, hot shower, and study space) or in the main building, called "The Center" (an old farmhouse with four double bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and hot showers.) 

We have a good WIFI connection and a Library (no television). 

Other facilities include, our dining hall, a forest nursery, a visitor center (Forest House), an office/classroom, a medicinal plant lab, a system of forest trails, and a forest reserve. 

Three km from the Research Center we have the Pico da Graminha Reserve, where you can find our Mountain House, which can be used as a base for hikers, birders, and researchers. Don't forget to bring your hammock!

And if you love camping, you're welcome to camp - either on the grounds of the research center or in a further field into the forest!

Food & Beverages

A delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided by Larissa and Edithe, who are more than happy to accommodate special requests and will always have a vegetarian option, and vegan food on request. Please let us know in advance if you have any kind of food restrictions.

There is always fresh water, milk, coffee, and fresh juices based on the season. 

Sodas, alcoholic drinks, and delicious chocolates and candies are also for sale in the restaurant.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Airport Pickup at Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport

An airport pickup isn't included within the program fees either.

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) in Rio De Janeiro. We assist you to find cheap flights to Brazil. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Brazil provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Brazil you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Brazil. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

The weather in this part of Minas Gerais state is defined by the rainy season and the dry (less rainy) season. Normally, the rains come in October, November and last through April. Daytime temperatures will be in the range of 25C - 35C with cooler nights (22C - 26C). The rainforest is alive with activity during this time. Mornings are usually clear and if there's rain on the way it will cloud over as the day goes on, with rain and sometimes thunder in the afternoon. After a short sharp storm, the sun will often reappear, and although you may get wet you won't get too cold! Don’t forget your waterproof jacket! By contrast, the dry season is cooler - temperatures can drop to around 10C at night and you'll need a fleece. Daytime temperatures are normally around 18C-26C

You are welcome to visit year-round, since there is no lack of projects for you to join. The rainy season – October through May – is when you’ll see nature at its most exuberant, while the dry season (June through September) has cooler nights with sunny days. Every season has its charm. 

Iracambi has a Weather Station here at our Research Center, down below there's the link for you to check the forecast before your trip.

https://ambientweather.net/dashboard/c793528445ff1ad40823a5c91219e28b


Once you contact us we'll be happy to send you more details of how to get here and what to expect when you arrive!     

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 892€
8 weeks 1,785€
16 weeks 3,570€
24 weeks (max. stay) 5,354€
Average fees 223€/week

Program fees

223€ per week 4 - 24 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

4 - 24 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Iracambi Research Center during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Iracambi Research Center

Excellent 4.8 rating (11 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 1999

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Iracambi

Spoken languages: Portuguese, English

About the project

Working with local and international students and volunteers to Save Forests and Change Lives in the Brazilian rainforest.

Meet your organization

Iracambi is a community of people across the world whose vision is to see  Brazil's beautiful Atlantic Forest restored, with prosperous communities in a flourishing landscape.  Our motto is Saving Forests and Changing Lives and we invite you to join local and international students and volunteers at the Iracambi Rainforest Research Center to gain firsthand experience in reforestation, regenerative agriculture, medicinal plants, community outreach and sustainable living. We’re planting native and productive tree species to increase incomes, protect water sources and increase habitat for biodiversity. We're collecting forest seeds, preparing and caring for young seedlings, planting them out and monitoring progress. Our polyculture plots combine native trees with a variety of crops, providing green manure, healthy food, and high quality shade-grown coffee. We're cataloging medicinal plants, researching traditional uses, and experimenting with natural products incorporating plant extracts. 

That’s all about saving forests – so what about changing lives? Here’s where we work with local farmers, school kids, volunteers and visitors on outreach programs designed to raise awareness of the important issues of how to live sustainably, and how to encourage more and more people to join us exciting task of protecting one of the most important forests in the world.  

The Iracambi logo shows what we are all about. The Brazilian story goes that the forest is on fire and all the animals are fleeing to safety. All except for the humming bird who is flying towards the fire with a drop of water in her beak. “Silly little bird,” says the eagle as he looks down at her. “Don’t you realize that you’ll never put the fire out all by yourself?” “You’re right,” says the humming bird. “I know I can’t do it by myself. But I’m doing my part.”

We’ve been doing our part since 1999, and with your help we’ll be here as long as it takes. Come join us, and be part of the change!

Locations

The Atlantic Forest
One of the world’s top five biodiversity hotspots, the Atlantic Forest is a place of extraordinary beauty and a treasure house of biodiversity. Tragically, much of its immense variety of flora and fauna is severely endangered by habitat loss, and the Woolly Spíder Monkey, symbol of the forest, is the most severely threatened of all.

The Atlantic Forest lies between the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Rio Grande do Sul stretching from the coast to the inland mountains. 
Different from the better known Amazon Forest, the Atlantic Forest, although also a rainforest with an average rainfall of 2000 mm pa, is not so hot as the Amazon, with average temperatures that vary from 14 – 21 C. This contributes to the enormous variety of plants and animals that the forest shelters.

Biodiversity 
The Atlantic Forest contains an even richer variety of habitat for flora and fauna than the Amazon Forest, with the world´s largest diversity of woody plants per hectare (458 species) found in the Atlantic Forest. While in the whole of North America approximately 810 bird species have been registered, the state of Minas Gerais – with an area slightly smaller than the state of Texas – contains 750 species. In the forests around Iracambi the list, still incomplete, has already reached 260 species.
An extraordinary number of species are endemic, being found nowhere else in the world. These include
  • 80% of the primates
  • 74% of the bromeliads
  • 64% of the palm species
  • 54% of the trees
  • 40% of the mammals, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and birds.

This enormous biological richness is severely threatened. Figures published in 2003 by IBAMA, the Brazilian Environmental Protection Institute, show that a very high proportion of all endangered species in the country are found in the Atlantic Forest. Of Brazil’s 69 severely endangered mammals 38 come from the Atlantic Rainforest, as do 18 of the 160 endangered birds and 13 of the 20 endangered reptile species. There are 21 species and subspecies of monkeys found in the Atlantic Forest, of which 14 are endangered, 13 are endemic and some are on the verge of extinction. 

We hear a lot about the destruction of the Amazon Forest but the  fact is that the plight of the Atlantic Forest is far more critical. 20% of the Amazon Forest has gone, but 93% of the Atlantic Forest has vanished, together with the species that used to live there. The rate of deforestation continues to be highly alarming. In 1998 the Atlantic Forest was declared a national heritage. The government prohibited further forest clearing, but land degradation continues.


The Serra do Brigadeiro mountains
The Serra do Brigadeiro State Park shelters the most important remnant of seasonal semi-deciduous Atlantic Forest in the state of Minas Gerais, it’s part of the UN Biosphere Reserve, and better still, it’s right on Iracambi’s doorstep! The park’s craggy mountains and deep ravines protect an extraordinary range of biodiversity, including the largest known population of Brachyteles hypoxanthus, the Woolly Spider or muriqui monkey.

The forests shelter a great variety of endangered animal and plant species, some of which are still unknown to science. The Park’s ecosystem is rich in plant species such as peroba, ipê,  candeias, jequitibas, canjaranas and palms. The mists that cover the peaks and Alpine pastures for much of the year provide ideal conditions for creating an ecosystem rich in orchids, ferns, bromeliads, different varieties of grass, shrubs and cactus.

Among the variety of fauna in the State Park are puma, jaguaritica, wild pig, deer, wild dog, banded anteaters, squirrels, sloths, masked titi monkeys, and marmosets. Eleven separate groups of muriqui have been found in the area. A paradise for birders, its extensive list includes the dusky legged guan, the maroon bellied parakeet, the yellow bellied toucan and the bare-throated bellbird.

History of the park
The idea of creating a park in the Serra do Brigadeiro mountain range dates back to the 1980s. In the early 1990s a proposal was made to include all the land above 1000 m, covering an area of 33,000 ha. This met with considerable resistance from family farmers living in the region, and there began a process of debate as to the best way of preserving the forest without endangering the livelihoods of the smallholders.

As a result of these discussions the park boundaries were defined as the core conservation area of 13,000 ha, later extended to 15,000 ha. The mission of the park is to protect the natural heritage of the Atlantic Rainforest in the Serra do Brigadeiro, whilst facilitating scientific research, education and ecotourism, and contributing towards the development of communities in the area.

It’s a privilege for Iracambi to be located so close to the park, and we do all we can to support park staff in their efforts to care for the environment and win hearts and minds among the local community. For many years we have played an active role in the advisory board of the park, and we are committed to protect and expand the area of protected forest in which we are lucky enough to live.





11 reviews · rating4.8

This was an exceptional experience!! The staff is so welcoming and happy to have volunteers. There are all kinds of projects going on so there’s something for everybody. But there’s also plenty of time built in for hiking and exploring this incredibly special part of the world. Mostly you ...
I have been enjoying my time at Iracambi immensely. The group of people here doing reforestation work are truly amazing and I have great respect for what they are able to achieve. I was able to build my own project and decided to work on bioacoustics, meaning using sound recorders to detect certain ...
Maria Vitória Freitas Oliveira rating5

2021 at Restoring Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

Google Translator: Since I was a little girl, I have always loved to write...maybe because it is a habit I inherited from my grandmother and mother, or because I am very sensitive about what involves me physically and emotionally, or both. Today, I lack words. Trying to fit into the lines of this ...
Aurelio Pereira rating4.8

2021 at Restoring Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

Google Translator: For me, who works in the area and has a lot of contact with this environment, the knowledge learned and shared was of great value. Coexistence, culture, and nature experienced in a way that one can only live there. Thanks to - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ...
Reyno Abasolo rating5

2020 at Restoring Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

If you want a volunteering experience which has an impact, Iracambi is the place to be. There is a variety of activities you can do from working in the nursery, tree planting, community education and partnership, etc. Working with Iracambi is a great experience. We need more organizations doing what ...
Alex Monterrubio rating5

2019 at Restoring Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

My two months stay at Iracambi was one of the most amazing experience I had so far. I really enjoyed the location on the rainforest and the action of tree planting feels so rewarding! Also there was enough free time to explore the surroundings and go swimming at the waterfalls. The staff there is ...

Location

Americas > South America > Brazil > Rosário da Limeira

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