Endemic Plant Species Nursery Support

location
2 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • In the nursery, assist Galapagos National Park rangers with tasks such as transplanting of seedlings, pruning, and prepping of nursery beds.
  • Assist in the management of plagues and invasive species. 
  • Answer questions that tourists or locals may have when visiting the plant nursery- a perfect opportunity to practise your language skills!

Highlights

  • In the nursery, assist Galapagos National Park rangers with tasks such as transplanting of seedlings, pruning, and prepping of nursery beds.
  • Assist in the management of plagues and invasive species. 
  • Answer questions that tourists or locals may have when visiting the plant nursery- a perfect opportunity to practise your language skills!
  • Learn about Isabela’s endemic flora in an impactful way!
  • Gain Spanish fluency by living with a host family and sharing daily life with locals.


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups

    About the program

    Volunteers will support the Galapagos National Park conservation efforts of Isabela Island's endemic flora.

    Role Overview

    IOI plays a strategic role in supporting conservation efforts of Isabela’s endemic flora. 

    Beginning in 2024, IOI will assist the Galapagos National Park in the operation and maintenance of its plant nursery located in the highlands of Isabela. This facility plays a key role in the ...

    About the program

    Role Overview

    IOI plays a strategic role in supporting conservation efforts of Isabela’s endemic flora. 

    Beginning in 2024, IOI will assist the Galapagos National Park in the operation and maintenance of its plant nursery located in the highlands of Isabela. This facility plays a key role in the conservation of the island's endemic plant species, threatened by invasive plant species, pollution, and climate change,  through research, restoration, and education.

    IOI volunteers on this project will have the opportunity to assist in ecological restoration projects in rural and urban areas of Isabela, learn about Isabela’s ecology, and contribute to the realisation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) in a tangible way!

    Requirements:

    • Conversational+ level of Spanish is ideal.
    • Ability to work independently as well as in a team.
    • Flexible schedule that accounts for the day to day needs of working with a local institution.
    • Physical ability to work outdoors with potentially high sun, element, and temperature exposure.
    • Volunteers will be provided with materials they need.
    Accommodation

    Accommodation is provided by one of our carefully selected host families or in our volunteer housing. In both types of housing, volunteers have their own room, a fan, bed, desk, dresser, and bathroom, as well as warm water and drinking water.  In our volunteer housing, breakfast is not included, but you have access to our fully equipped kitchen facilities to cover your needs. Lunch and dinner is provided at your choice of various restaurants in town, which are usually open-air seating with local cuisine. You simply sign for your meal and we’ll pick up the bill at the end of the month. 

    Our host families have experience with outside culture and international living and provide an amazing immersion experience. All host family houses are nearby the IOI offices and the local schools in the beach town of Puerto Villamil. Homes are fairly simple, clean, and welcoming. You will have breakfast and dinner with your family. Lunch is at the above mentioned restaurants.  

    We at IOI pair you with your host family and we are available at any time to help if any issues arise with the restaurants, your host family, the volunteer site, if you get sick and need to visit the doctor, etc.

    Participation Fee

    The program fee is necessary to cover your cost of living and logistics. Our overhead is covered by other means so 100% of any funds that exceed your direct cost will go towards the project you participated in.

    To book you need to pay a Reservation Deposit.
    That deposit WILL BE DEDUCTED from your program fee.

    What’s Included          

    Cost includes food, full room and board, permits, Transient visa, local coordination and training at respective facility, local transport, full access to our facilities, etc.—everything minus personal expenses, travel insurance, and your airfare to Galápagos.


    Please contact us for more info.


    Typical day

    7am Grab the local bus from Puerto Villamil to the highlands where you'll be dropped off at the Galapagos National Park Endemic Plant Species Nursery.

    7:30am-12pm Assist the park rangers in their daily tasks to support the conservation of endemic plant species, this may include transplanting of ...

    Typical day

    7am Grab the local bus from Puerto Villamil to the highlands where you'll be dropped off at the Galapagos National Park Endemic Plant Species Nursery.

    7:30am-12pm Assist the park rangers in their daily tasks to support the conservation of endemic plant species, this may include transplanting of seedlings, pruning, and prepping of nursery beds, and assist in the management of plagues and invasive species.

    12-1pm Break for lunch in town

    1-2pm Return to the nursery for additional tasks

    2:30pm Return to Puerto Villamil on the local bus.

    Our schedules are based on 30 hrs/week. It is about a 30-minute bus ride up to the highlands at 7:00am and the bus leaves the highlands around 2:30pm. You will have lunch in the highlands.

    After you arrive back to Isabela at 3:00pm you will have the rest of the day to explore, adventure, or rest on the beach. You can enjoy food at one of the local restaurants or spend the afternoon playing volleyball, hanging out with your host family (if you choose) or watching the sunset from the beach.


    Free-time activities

    There is a lot to do in your free time!  You can definitely look up tours in Isabela - there are many snorkel tours, scuba, hiking in the volcano, etc. There are also free things to do like snorkeling at the concha de perla, walking to the muro de lagrimas, various wetlands trails, etc.   It is ...

    Free-time activities

    There is a lot to do in your free time!  You can definitely look up tours in Isabela - there are many snorkel tours, scuba, hiking in the volcano, etc. There are also free things to do like snorkeling at the concha de perla, walking to the muro de lagrimas, various wetlands trails, etc.   It is easy and inexpensive to rent bikes and surfboards. You will quickly and easily make friends here - it is a very community-driven place so people spend a lot of time with others and there is always fun stuff to do. We also have other short volunteer opportunities like environmental education days, helping clear invasive species with the National Park, and more that happen frequently but are just one day/one afternoon activities that we love to have extra help with.

    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 Spanish (intermediate level)

    Nationality Restrictions

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

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 07:30 - 14:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by IOI - Empowering Galapagos

    Cost includes food, full room and board, permits, Transient visa, local coordination and training at respective facility, local transport, full access to our facilities, etc. — everything with the exception of personal expenses, travel insurance, and your airfare to the Galápagos.

    The program fee is necessary to cover your cost of living and logistics. Our overhead is covered by other means so 100% of any funds that exceed your direct cost will go towards the projects on the ground.

    Accommodation

    Accommodation is provided by one of our carefully selected host families or in our volunteer housing. 

    Food & Beverages

    In our volunteer housing, breakfast is not included, but you have access to our fully equipped kitchen facilities to cover your needs. Lunch and dinner is provided at your choice of various restaurants in town. You simply sign for your meal and we’ll pick up the bill at the end of the month. 

    Our host families have experience with outside culture and international living and provide an amazing immersion experience. You will have breakfast and dinner with your family. Lunch is at the above mentioned restaurants.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Airport Pickup at Baltra Airport

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

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Baltra Airport (GPS) in Galapagos Islands. We assist you to find cheap flights to Ecuador. 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 Ecuador provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

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

    Details on arrival

    IOI asks all volunteers to arrive a Monday start date and depart on the final Sunday with a 2-week minimum stay. Once you have booked your project, you will be sent a Welcome Email detailing the next pre-arrival steps.

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

    Program fees

    2 weeks (min. stay) 1,796€
    3 weeks 2,344€
    4 weeks 2,893€
    5 weeks 3,441€
    6 weeks 3,990€
    7 weeks 4,539€
    12 weeks (max. stay) 7,282€
    Average fees 752€/week

    Program fees

    752€ per week 2 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    2 - 12 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 IOI - Empowering Galapagos during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    IOI - Empowering Galapagos

    Brilliant 4.7 rating (37 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 2006

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Monique

    Spoken languages: English, Spanish

    About the project

    We empower isolated communities to grow in a sustainable way. To that end, we run projects in Conservation, Education, and Social Development.

    Meet your organization

    Who we are
    IOI is a non-profit organization that designs educational adventures to empower isolated communities to grow in a sustainable way. We strive to help establish ecological sustainability and social stability in our host communities. As such, our mission is to provide international education programs that support the education, conservation, and social development of isolated communities by assisting local institutions in sustainably handling the human-environmental intersection. 


    What we do

    • We develop and implement our outreach projects with local institutions to ensure their sustainable implementation. Our projects address pressing conservation, education, and social development needs. Our partners include the Galapagos National Park, the Biodiversity Protection Agency, the local school system, and the provincial government.
    • We provide volunteer opportunities in conservation, education, and social development, providing our participants with life changing experiences, and our local partners with funding, expertise, and (wo)man power on site.
    • We immersive study abroad programs in which students spend up to 3 months studying the local environment and learn the local culture. All our programs are based on cultural integration and service learning.

    Where we work
    We work in the community of Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island in
    the Galapagos, Ecuador. Our 5k beach is right across the street and the Volcano Sierra Negra is basically in our backyard. From Marine to Mountain, snorkeling to camping, nature is at our doorstep!

    Our history
    Since embarking on our journey in 2006, IOI has evolved into a mature and recognized organization with an innovative design of merging educational travel with conservation and community development. We began in Galapagos and, after 10 years of experience, have expanded to Cuba and Costa Rica.

    Vision and Mission
    We Empower Isolated Communities to Grow in a Sustainable Way. It is our Vision to help establish ecological sustainability and social stability in our host communities.  Our mission is to provide international education programs that support the education, conservation, and social development of isolated communities by assisting local institutions in sustainably handling the human-environmental intersection.

    Who are we looking for
    We are looking for adventurous volunteers ready to travel to remote parts of the world to make an impact on conservation and education projects. Our volunteers should be flexible, understanding, and respectful of the local cultural context. Depending on the position, we ask that our volunteers are physically able to work outside, sometimes in extreme weather conditions (think the tropics!) and be able to work on a team and individually.

    Why choose us..

    • It's a unique opportunity to gain insight and firsthand experience in the the world of hands-on conservation and environmental management
    • All of our locations are unique and have exceptional beauty and biodiversity.
    • Our sites are slow lane kinds of places. If you need a break, this is your ideal escape.
    • You will learn Spanish and immerse yourself in the community--you'll finish your time volunteering feeling like a local!

    37 reviews · rating4.7

    Anouk Kaminske rating5

    2024 at Social Media Supporter

    The four weeks I spent with IOI on the Isabela island were the most enriching 4 weeks I have ever spent travelling. I gained on so many levels. Starting with the incredible place (nature, animals, community) which is really unique and magic. Living with a family gave so much more insight into how ...
    I volunteered at the tortoise centre for 3 weeks in August and really enjoyed it. I stayed with a lovely local family who gave me an insight into life on Isabela island. The work at the tortoise centre was interesting but sometimes also exhausting like distributing the food in wheelbarrows or ...
    I'd never recommend IOI to anyone. The host family were wonderful. Unless your in the university of Miami it's quite obvious all IOI only care about taking your money -------------- organization's reply------------------------ Hi Dennis, We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay with ...
    I would recommend this volunteer experience because this place is like anything else. Not that I've seen the whole world but from me and everyone else I've met here has said this is one of the favorite places that I've ever ...
    I would recommend this volunteer experience because it is a great way to see this amazing island. This experience allowed me to stay for 6 weeks on Isabela where I met people I will never forget and had a once in a lifetime ...
    Lily rating5

    2023 at Social Media Supporter

    I would recommend this volunteer experience to others because the staff and volunteers are lovely. I really got to know and love the community and the island is just such a perfect place. I am so happy that I took this leap of faith and joined the IOI team. I went in solo and came out with so many ...

    Location

    Americas > South America > Ecuador > Isabela Island

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    Contact Monique
      Very high response rate
    English, Spanish

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