[Remote] Reforestation Internship

EcoSwell is a surfing-inspired sustainable development non-profit (NGO) driving the development of poor Peruvian coastal communities through a path of sustainability. We develop environmental, educational, infrastructure, and socio-economic projects working hand in hand with local communities and international interns.

Reforestation/afforestation has been categorized, by the Global Climate Agreement signed in Paris, as one of two main calls to action to help fight and mitigate the effects of climate change. Equatorial/Tropical Dry Forest ecosystems are a conservation priority due to their many unique species and because they have lost over 90% of their former extent. Our reforestation project, "Lobitos Verde" in such an ecosystem was one of our first initiatives with the community of Lobitos. Initiated in 2013, we have been planting native seedlings with local women and their families to green the neighbourhoods of Lobitos. We are also doing this in the town of Piedritas, through our "Piedritas Verde" initiative. Not only has this empowered the women as leaders of the project, but it has also raised an awareness of environmental issues. It has encouraged people to reuse and save water using permaculture techniques, whilst increasing the extent of habitat for native bird species in danger of extinction. Together, we have planted and are currently caring for thousands of seedlings propagated by EcoSwell in both Lobitos and Piedritas, working with a total of around 90 families. Over the past few years, this project has branched out into community-led ecotourism, local ecosystem restoration, ecological/environmental education campaigns, and endangered and endemic bird/wildlife conservation initiatives (Peruvian Plantcutter, Phytotoma raimondii), receiving funding from various international entities.

We need hard-working people with a strong interest, background knowledge or basic experience in reforestation, conservation, biology/ecology, and the like, to support us in these ongoing projects.

The financial contribution you make as an volunteer intern helps us plant a tree with community families in Lobitos with the volunteers at EcoSwell and the families engaging as well. 

As a reforestation virtual volunteer intern at EcoSwell, you will be given ownership of the projects, directly co-managing our conservation and reforestation initiatives. Daily activities will vary depending on the progress and stage we are at of each project. The online activities for this project may include (but are not limited to): 

• Feasibility studies 
• Research into new sustainability solutions 
• Data monitoring and/or analysis 
• Report and/or grant/fund writing 

• NGO/Social enterprise creation and management 
• Outreach and Business Development 
• Marketing (digital and promotional) 
• Sustainability perspectives from a local "on the ground" development organisation 
• International environmental and social sustainability standards 

• Reforestation sites and permaculture garden maintenance 

Our in-person volunteer interns carry out general upkeep in our community reforestation sites, the EcoSwell garden and native seedlings & plant nurseries. This is done by planting trees, collecting & germinating native seeds, using drip irrigation and updating important reforestation tracking documents.

• "Lobitos & Piedritas Verde" reforestation projects

We currently work with approx. 60 families in Lobitos and 20 in the small community of Piedritas. Volunteer interns are required to conduct house to house visits in the communities, carrying out family & plant monitoring surveys, as well as planting/maintaining native trees with the local families. Volunteer interns may also have the opportunity to take part in environmental education workshops & communications campaigns, plan, design and undertake big reforestation activities, promote conservation & restoration of local degraded priority sites and get involved with ecological/environmental research projects with associated academic partners.

• Ecotourism

Our new conservation project in the local Dry Forest of Piedritas aims to provide local people with a sustainable alternative to illegal logging through ecotourism initiatives whilst protecting their native Dry Forest habitat. Volunteer interns may be required to support the development, promotion & improvement of this project, but will also have the opportunity to learn in-depth about the unique biodiversity of the Dry Forest ecosystem and its endangered flora and fauna.