Eco-Volunteer

Audra Grady (2009 - University of Maine)

12 group members
Animals we have seen:

• Block crowned tityra-(across the river).
• Cock of the Rock, Gallito de las rocas.
• Highland motmot (wath bird) cock of the rock trail.
• Monkeys at the (waterfall) when Paulo (cupechin?) hiked with the group.
• Baseball sized spider small body, long legs (scorpion spider?) cock of the rock trail.
• Bugs-beetles, termites,ants, cockroaches spiders.
• Olopendulas-everywhere around (camp).

• Cut bamboo that we brought out from the brush; this will be used for the lower walls in the new large lodge.
• Collected rocks from the river to build a path; began path construction.
• Cleared graden area between bathrooms and lodge behind bungalows: Planted mint.
• Helped with painting, building and placing signs on the trails, and the bathrooms.
• Cleared land off the cock of the rock trail and reforestation after. Planted 50 trees.
• Bird and animal tracking.

News

14/05/2009 The new hostel was completed with a capacity of 20 people, making us one of the shelters in the greater capacity of Manu, and we began opening with a group of 12 volunteer students from the University of that joined the Maine 15705/2009; enjoyed and which helped in the final details of our new hostel, in the work of signaling pathways, restrooms, trails, etc.

Mojgan Nariman Amin (2008 - Iran)

How can you describe the captivating beauty of nature? It is very difficult for me to find the right words which justifies its beauty as it is, as my eyes have seen, as my ears have heard and as my whole body has experienced it. Being away from the everyday  "luxuries", such as electricity and hot shower, you would feel more as being part of the nature itself. How can you describe the 8 hour journey from Cusco to Manu on the winding mountain roads, through the forests, rivers, streams and waterfalls? The strength of the wild river, the stream that is joining it, the lodge that is located next to these and the constant pleasant sound of the river and the stream during the daytime and all the way throughout the night. In the hot afternoon, the sensation of letting your body dip into the cold stream. Those dark dark cloudy nights, when without a candle light you could not even see the movements of your hands. Those long and peaceful conversations and playing cards under the dim candle light in the middle of a wild, dark and enormous forest. I am incapable of describing their true beauty. I will only try to write a brief description about my voluntary experience.
 
I spent 5 days doing voluntary work at Atalaya lodge. I was the only volunteer at the time and that made me more involved with Raul and his family and the culture of the local people. I enjoyed conversations with them and watching the sweet kids playing around. I enjoyed going to the various villages with Raul. As he was a local guy, I could see and experience things from a local person´s aspect and I felt being part of the community.
 
The  project that I worked on while I was there was to renovate the roof for the look out hut (mirador) for the cock-of-the-rocks birds. It was very interesting and I manged to learn the whole process of building a roof with palm leaves.
 
First day we had to hike for about an hour through the jungle to reach the area where these types of palm trees grow. We cut the leaves and brought them all the way down. That was a strenuous task as they were quite heavy and the hike down was muddy and slippery. The next day we had to clean the bamboo sticks, removing the outer skins. The 3rd day we attached the palm leaves to the sticks and the final day we carried them up again all the way to the look-out hut and attached them to the roof. We managed to complete one side of the roof within four days. We were both proud of the job. This was a very interesting and rewarding experience for me. An experience that I will treasure forever.

Estitxu Uribeetxebarria (2008 – Pais Vasco)

Oihanean igarotako sei asteak ahaztezinak izan ziren niretzat: inguru zoragarrian galdurik, erreken soinu lasaia, animali hots etengabean...
 
Inguru hau mantentzen eta maitatzen lan egiteak guztiz asetu zituen nere barne espektatibak.
 
Bestalde, oinez ordu laurdenera dagoen herritxoko eskolan ingelesa irakazten jardun genuen. Haurrek ikaragarri eskertu zuten gure beraekiko interesa eta ardura.
 
Bihotzez eskertzen dut esperientzia hau bizitzeko aukera izana, azken fiñean jaso dudana eman dudana baino gehiego izan bait da.
 
Nerekin kontaktuan jarri nahi izanez gero idatzi helbide honetara:
 
amalurrafisio@yahoo.es