Climate Change Mitigation, Agroforestry, and Forest Conservation
internship Overview
The Amazon rainforest is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world and has thousands of species of trees, plants, insects and animals. Also, the rainforest is a key consumer of carbon - one of the greenhouse gases - and about one-fifth of the freshwater that runs off of Earth’s surface is carried by the Amazon River. For thousands of years, Amazonian indigenous peoples have lived in the forest and dedicated themselves to agroforestry-style farming to feed their families and generate income. Today, the rainforest is a major producer of oil, lumber, and minerals [e.g. gold, copper], many of which are extracted in unsustainable ways that damage the environment.
This a unique opportunity for interns to learn about the intersection of ancestral knowledge and climate change mitigation and how they can come together to conserve the forest, preserve cultures, generate income for local communities, and combat the effects of climate change. Internship benefits:
Work with farmers, foresters, park rangers, and/or environmental engineers experienced in forest conservation, agroforestry, agronomy, participatory community development, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable farming
Learn about national and local efforts to mitigate climate change and support on-going projects to diversity local farms, implement environmental education programs, and make the region more resilient to climate change
Learn about Amazonian cultures and their connection to ethnobotany, agroforestry, and plant medicine
Accompany locals into chakras (agroforestry farms) and plant, weed, and harvest
Opportunity to support communities with eco-tourism projects, go on hikes into protected forests, and participate in reforestation projects
Research & dissertation support available with partner organizations and universities, if requested
***NOTE: Specific projects change throughout the year depending on the needs of our partner organizations. The projects interns work on during their internship are based on the organization’s immediate needs and workflow.***
daily Life
Internships begin with an orientation in the city of Tena. After, interns spend the first few weeks getting to know their host family and getting introduced to their placements. Depending on the needs of the placement, potential internship activities include:
Contribute to research on how to diversify and add value to chakras (agroforestry farms), including marketing research for up-and-coming exports such as cacao, guayusa leaf tea, and vanilla
Accompany host family members when they go to their chakras, and plant, weed, and harvest
Collect environmental data about species of flora and fauna in chakras and protected forests
Assist with the creation of plant inventories and seed banks to share with communities
Interview locals about their ancestral farming knowledge with the goal of identifying practices that help crops withstand environmental changes
Hike into protected forests with park rangers to assist with biological monitoring
Attend community meetings and workshops related to farming, tourism, and development
Design and implement workshops related to climate change, environmental education, or another topic of interest to share with community members or in schools
Participate in half-day or day-long reforestation projects
Support communities with their eco-tourism projects
Organize English lessons with locals who are eager to advance their language skills and receive Spanish and Kichwa lessons from them as well
An average day for a conservation intern looks like:
***NOTE: Schedules can differ based on the intern’s placement and projects interns collaborate on. The following sample schedule is based off of past interns’ experiences.***
Wake up and have breakfast with host family (***If you are with a very traditional indigenous family, you can wake up with them at 4 or 5am and share in the ritual of drinking guayusa tea as a family. ALSO, morning is when most families work on making artisan goods.***)
Head to the chakra (agroforestry farm), go to the office, and/or go into the forest for field work
Lunch with host family (***OR: When interns are in the field they can buy lunch or bring a packed lunch***)
Finish up daily tasks, field work, independent research
Return home around 5/6pm for dinner with the family (***We encourage interns to spend as many evenings and weekends as possible with their host families to make the most of their immersions, learn about the culture, and practice their Spanish***)
Other activities to get involved in after work and on the weekends: sports, clubs, teaching English, meeting up with other interns, going on weekend trips to nearby tourist destinations, swimming in rivers, rafting, hikes to waterfalls and swimming holes, chocolate-making