Join our NGO to protect Magnolia trees, jaguars and orchids near Yarumal, Colombia

Details

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  Description

  We are an NGO combating climate change, conserving biodiversity and working with communities by conserving forests and regenerating Andean Cloud forest in Yarumal, Colombia. We run the a nature reserve, a 702 ha forest land sitting on a biodiversity hotspot at the northern end of the Andes.
  Our foundation was founded in 2016 by Christian and Angie , a german-colombian family that lives in Medellin, jointly with supporters such as Josh, an Australian sustainability entrepreneur, and his family, and other supporters. We collaborate closely with another NGO, Salvamontes, that co-owns the property. The Nature reserve is unique in terms of biodiversity: several new-to-science species have been discovered there, including several orchids, ferns and frog species. It is the "last bastion" for several native Magnolia tree species that are extremely endangered and only occur in this region. Our mission is to protect, reproduce and distribute these Magnolia species, together with all the other biodiversity found in our Nature reserve including the Jaguar, Puma, wild cat, Ocelote and many others.
  In our work we try to combine community projects, donations, payments for ecosystem services and ecotourism to generate financial sustainability for the nature reserve while creating jobs and education opportunities for our neighbors.
  The House is located right in the middle of the nature reserve. It has 5 separate rooms sleeping more than 20 visitors, has Starlink internet, COLD water showers, a kitchen, washing machine and other basic amenities. Yarumal is about 3-3.5 hours by road from Medellin and once in Yarumal there are motorcycles, public transportation or hired 4*4 cars that can bring you to the Nature Reserve in about 1 hour (at your own cost). Then you will have to walk or ride a mule for about 30-45 from the next unpaved road to get to the House. CURRENTLY THIS WALK IS LONGER DUE TO ROAD CLOSURE UNTIL APROX JAN 2026. There are other locations with accommodation across the reserve which you may be able to use depending on the tasks you would help with.
  If you love to support real conservation work in a massive biodiversity hotspot, while enjoying unique nature, if you don't mind getting muddy feet and your hands dirty, and are not afraid of having to walk or horse-ride to get around nor taking cold showers, this may be something for you!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Hospitality/Tourism

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
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  Interests

  

  Sustainability

  

  Politics / Social justice

  

  Charity work

  

  Gardening

  

  Languages

  

  Photography

  

  Plant care

  

  History

  

  Animals

  

  Camping

  

  Outdoor activities

  

  Winter sports

  

  Nature

  

  Adventure sports
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  What's this?
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  In our nature reserve, you can learn about the high biodiversity in the area including of course Magnolias, birds, ferns, orchids, and others. You can acquire skills around our seed propagation program, nursery work, monitoring and reforestation in the field. You can understand the cultural and socioeconomic context of conservation in Colombia working with our forest guard couple and the communities around. Potentially, you may learn the basics of canyoning in the canyoning routes in our reserve (at a cost and only in dry season). At the start, in-between or at the end of your stay, you can stay in Medellin appreciating the culture and music of the city of eternal spring - and helping in potential outreach or fundraising activities for the foundation. We look forward to learn from the insights and approaches to conservation from your country, and the conservation guards are happy to freshen up their english skills.

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  Registered charity

  This host is a registered charity in their country and is looking for volunteers to help with their project(s).

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  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

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  Help

  Workawayers would get involved into the day to day conservation work in the Nature Reserve, including help in the nursery, tree planting (depending on season), nature restoration work, inventory and monitoring of trees, felins, orchids and other species, maintenance of the conservation house, the rehabilitation and maintenance of the small huts and paths across the reserve, outreach work to communities and via social media, potentially further development of our ecotourism offering such as canyoning (at a cost) and birding, and other work such as social media and fundraising - depending on your capabilities and preferences.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  German: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  English: Intermediate
  French: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  Language skills apply to the Foundation's founders in Medellin. The conservation guards in our Nature Reserve speak spanish and basic english only.
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  Accommodation

  In the Nature Reserve, you would stay in one of the several rooms (some of them with multiple beds in case of visits) in the House. There are some mosquito nets, there is starlink internet, electricity, shared bathroom (COLD showers) and a large kitchen with a pizza oven. You will take turns with the conservation guard and his wife with cooking / kitchen tasks.
  
  Our Forest Guard and his partner buy the food whenever in the next town. We take turns preparing food and cleaning up the kitchen. There are a few things produced right inside the nature reserve such as lemons, guavas, sugarcane and herbs, others we purchase from within the community and neighbors such as eggs and cheese.

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  What else ...

  The Nature Reserve is about 1 hour away from the next town (Yarumal) plus 30-45 minutes on mule or one foot to get to the conservation house , there is normally daily public transportation to the city, or you contract transport by a mototaxi. CAREFUL, THERE IS CONSTRUCTION WORK CURRENTLY WITH THE ACCESS ROAD CLOSED 4 KM BEFORE THE NATURE RESERVE, ADD THAT WALK ON YOUR ARRIVAL DATE (THIS SHOULD BE OVER END OF JANUARY). It is easy and frequent to get from Yarumal to Medellin by bus. Currently there are roadworks going on on the access road to the reserve, so cars might not always be able to pass through and the hike / mule ride to get there will be longer than usual.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  We have Starlink Satellital Internet which works pretty reliably, and a power bank that helps bridging power outages that happen once in a while, considering that the location is quite remote. You can bring your dog to the area if you want to.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  My animals / pets

  

  Gato

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