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La Hesperia Biological Reserve

Habitat and Location

The La Hesperia reserve is family owned, creating a new type of conservation management model as a role model for surrounding land owners. The reserve's activities are centred on sustainable management. La Hesperia is striving to become a model of integrated farming with the concept of preservation of the natural forest as a primary objective. This method will help to promote economic activities that are environmentally friendly, while also beneficial for the local communities.

La Hesperia is located in the western range of the Andes at an altitude of 1100 - 2040 metres above sea level. With an area of 814 hectares, it is located in the center of the Rio Toachi-Chiriboga Important Bird Area and it is part of two important bioregions: The Tropical Andes and the Choco Darien-Western Ecuador, which are considered two of the world's top five biodiversity hotspots due to the high levels of biodiversity and the number of endemic species found within these threatened ecosystems. The station works in natural conservation, combating deforestation, protecting existing forest, restoring degraded areas and searching for sustainable activities to support the reserve and to offer a better way of life for the local community as well as those who work and live at the reserve.

La Hesperia encompasses three types of forest: pre-montage evergreen, low montane and high montane (cloud forest). Currently, almost 287 bird species have been identified at La Hesperia, 40 species of mammals, and 63 genera of butterflies. The vegetation is typical of the cloud forest, which has the highest diversity of epiphyte plants. In the nursery several endangered tree species are reproduced. The reserve is the ideal place to observe the colourful Cock of the Rock, Golden-headed Quetzal, Toucan Barbet, Plate-billed Mountain Toucan, Wattled Guan, Dark-backed Wood-Quail, Red-billed Parrot, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Empress Brilliant, and Violet-tailed Sylph. Many different mammal species including agouties, White-fronted capuchin monkeys, tayra, collared peccaries, jaguarondi, ocelot, armadillos, bats, squirrels and deer, have also been observed. La Hesperia is also an extremely important area for conservation of biodiversity and the protection of local watersheds.

Accommodation

Accommodation is in shared rooms (1-5 volunteers per room), with running water, electricity and hot showers provided, and with a telephone available for emergencies. Bedding (pillow, sheets, and blankets) will be provided but a sleeping bag may be necessary if you are planning to travel to colder parts of the country. We offer a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals that include traditional Ecuadorian food.

Volunteer Activities

At La Hesperia Biological Station & Reserve there are three different programs designed for the volunteers: (A) Conservation in the Cloud Forest; (B) In the Way to Sustainability, (C) Social Development.

Volunteers are encouraged to focus their time in the activities that best suits their interests. The programs are flexible so volunteers can concentrate on one area or work in a combination of the projects offered.

Program A: Conservation in the Cloud Forest

This program has been designed for volunteers with an interest in nature, conservation, research, botany, wildlife, and outdoors life. Minimum commitment: 2 weeks.

The most important goal of La Hesperia is to protect part of this amazing ecosystem and to fight against deforestation. However, this fight is not easy and a lot of help is needed, everybody should participate in conservation efforts, because conservation is a shared responsibility.

Volunteer activities include:

• Forestry Program: Restoring Degraded Areas. The main activities of this part of the program are to cultivate plants in the nursery, to prepare the old pastures for reforestation and to open reforestation lines. Volunteers assist in collecting and planting seeds, maintaining the nursery, transplanting seedlings, and conducting forestry inventories of planted trees to evaluate their growth and survival.
• Sustainable Wood Production: It is important to plant trees for sustainable use, instead of cutting old-growth trees that belong to the natural forests. Forestry also contributes to the fight against global warming; an average of twenty tones of carbon dioxide is absorbed per year by one hectare of trees in growth. Volunteer activities could include: Collecting seeds, nursery maintenance, tree care and reforestation.
• Wildlife Program: Birds inventory, monitoring nests when found. (volunteers with expertise in bird-watching). Volunteers plant botanical species that will provide food for the wild animals.
• Research: Volunteers will collect and analyze data from the different research areas. Hard wood trees’ phenology, germination success of important species. In addition, volunteers will collect basic weather information like temperature and humidity.
• Organic Vegetable Garden: Volunteers will conduct research into plagues and manufacture insect traps when needed.
• Trail Maintenance: Volunteers will maintain or create the trails of the reserve with a machete.
• Medicinal Garden: Volunteers will maintain the medicinal garden.
• New Ideas: Volunteers with the relevant experience may contribute by helping to write grant proposals and other communications on behalf of the reserve.

Program B: In the Way to Sustainability

This program has been designed for volunteers with an interest in nature, sustainability, agriculture, animal breeding, bio-food, organic vegetable garden and outdoors life. Minimum commitment: 3 weeks.

The availability of natural resources, especially the energy resources in the world, is decreasing. Highly aware of the situation in the world today, La Hesperia is striving to become a model of sustainability. Volunteers will develop new skills learn about sustainable wood production, alternative animal production, organic agriculture, bio-food production, alternative energy and eco construction.

Volunteer activities include:

• Organic Vegetable Garden: Preparing soil, planting seeds, weeding, harvesting and general maintenance.
• Production of Organic Fertilizers and Pesticides: Maintenance of compost heaps, earth worms, manure tea, mulch, etc.
• Organic Agriculture: Maintenance of banana, coffee, sugar cane, citric fields (clearing with a machete, weeding, fertilizing, pruning, harvesting mature products).
• Alternative Animal Production: Cows, pigs, chickens, horses, and muless. Volunteers will participate in activities like: feeding these animals, planting the crops to feed them, maintenance of pastures, fencing, milking and taking the milk on the mule into the town.
• Bio-food Production: Volunteers will participate in the process of preparation of home-made cheese, butter, yogurt, chocolate, coffee, pasta, bread, pizza, dry fruits and vinegar.
• Forestry Program & Sustainable Wood Production: Volunteer activities could include: Collecting seeds, nursery maintenance, trail maintenance, tree care and reforestation.
• Medicinal Garden: Volunteers will maintain the medicinal.
• Eco-construction: Construction with COB, bamboo and wood depending on the time of the year. If there is not a current construction project, and volunteers are interested, the staff will conduct a COB workshop.
• Alternative Energy: Volunteers could assist in the sugar cane field for potential future production of ethanol as a renewable fuel to replace the use of oil. In 2011 we will continue with the evaluation of possible energy projects, consulting experts and making agreements with relevant institutions.
• New Ideas: Volunteers with the relevant experience may contribute by helping to write grant proposals and other communications on behalf of the reserve.

Program C: Social Development & Education

This program has been designed for volunteers with advance or medium level of Spanish language, with interest in education, social development, cultural exchange, practice of Spanish and working with children. Minimum commitment: 4 weeks. Volunteers for this program must have intermediate level Spanish.

One of La Hesperia's goals is to empower local communities, especially the La Esperie community located close to the station. It is a small village of 50 families with a two-room elementary school, a medical centre, two carpentry shops, a small store, and a traditional sweets factory. The La Hesperia School was established in 2010, where children learn using the Montessori Philosophy. Currently volunteers work with children aged between 3 and 6 years, but it is hoped this will increase in time to include children up to the age of 12.

Volunteer activities include:

Option 1 -Teaching special subjects.-  Volunteers will work at the school for one hour per day during their stay, and they will lead special workshops on topics which they have experience in. Fields that we encourage are: Arts (music, painting, sculpture, acting, dancing, and singing) and sports. Volunteers can combine this option with activities of program A and B. Before the acceptance on this program the volunteer should send us a letter explaining their field of interest, as well as relevant experience in this arena. (Please include this information in your application form). The minimum commitment is four weeks.

Option 2. Teaching English position. – The intern will teach English using the Montessori Methodology and other prepared curricular materials. For this, the intern will receive a short course on the Methodology upon their arrival at the reserve. However, we highly recommend, before applying to this program, that interested candidates conduct their own research about the Montessori method. In addition, the intern will teach English to the staff in the afternoons for one hour.  The minimum commitment for this position is one school year (March to December). This position is only available for one person at a time; therefore you must contact us in advance.

Free Time

You can go for hikes on trails around the reserve and there is a weekly football match between volunteers and locals on a Wednesday. On weekends you can get to several interesting local towns, including Quito, Banõs, Riobamba, and Otavalo. You can also arrange to go white-water rafting as a day trip from the reserve. The alternating long weekend system allows volunteers to travel around Ecuador and visit other ecosystems.

Number of Volunteers

You can expect to be placed with between 5 and 30 other volunteers.

Spanish Requirements

You can get by without knowing Spanish, but the more you know the more you will gain during your time on the reserve from being able to converse with the local people. If you are interested in working with the community, e.g. in the health program, you will need to be able to converse at a basic level in Spanish.

To apply for this program, click here.

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