Ecosystem restoration: help restore primary rainforest in the Andean Mountains, Colombia

Details

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  Description

  Hola! My name is Oscar. My siblings and I are working to restore primary rainforest in the Colombian Andean Mountains, the “Home of the Condor”. Our family have been stewards of this land for the past 200 years. Currently, we have a carbon-neutral organic farm, Finca, where we raise free-range dairy cattle and are producing granadilla to take to market. The majority of our land, however, is native grassland and untouched primary rainforest. We are a Civil Society Nature Reserve, members of OECMs (OMEC), and members of the World's Protected Areas, (Proyecto Paisajes Sostenibles).
  
  This place is located about 2000 meters above sea level in the north Tolima region — 20 minutes away from the unique town of Murillo, with its colorful bernacular architecture, and 20 minutes from the wonderful small city of Libano which is surrounded by beautiful green mountains and pleasant coffee farms.
  
  This region is home to primary forest that previously connected the Andean rainforest with the Amazon from the South to the North of Colombia and beyond. Our farm has spectacular views down to the Magdalena River Valley, up to Parque Nacional Natural de los Nevados, the wonderful Nevado del Ruiz, and the Geoparque Volcanico del Ruiz. It is such a quiet and peaceful space.
  
  In recent centuries, much of the native forest was cleared and used to grow wheat and herd cattle. Due to Colombia’s civil conflicts over the past 7 decades, the region’s development was put on hold and we even had to abandon the countryside for 20 years. Unfortunately, the war provided ideal conditions for Industrial Agriculture corporations to enter the picture, promising local farmers large profits and a better future if they bought and applied agro-chemicals.
  
  Our goal is to change this system, to heal the land — not only by educating and empowering local farmers and communities, but also by leading through example by restoring fragmented primary rainforest. In an effort with other farmers, land-owners, local universities, and NGOs, who want to move forward with peace, hope, and socio-environmental justice, we are taking on a project to restore and reconnect the ancient Andean forest to the Amazon by creating the socio-environmental corridor of the Nevados.
  
  This restoration project is in its investment stage — currently, we are building housing for workers and volunteers. Once we have more economic stability, we can not only restore many of our pasturelands to rainforest (which is heavily taxed by the government), but we can employ local people to help us with this project and pay them above-standard salaries — after all, restoration projects take time.
  
  We invite those passionate about this important socio-environmental project to join us — whether you’re a traveler, a passionate environmentalist, a landscape architect, biologist, a healer, a lover of people and animals, or someone who enjoys an amazing view — we welcome you with Colombian hospitality, and offer you a traditional homesteading experience, in addition to ecosystem restoration experience. For interested students, we are happy to serve as references or to write you Letters of Recommendation.
  
  More details:
  
  The farm is often in the clouds, which makes the ambience feel a bit mysterious. The temperature up here is mild — in the intense sun, the days can be warm and the nights cold. Clean rivers from the mountain provide us with fresh drinking water. The main building of the farm is a beautiful old, "Bahareque" house which has a lot of plants, flowers, and big terraces around it. Free range cows, horses, chickens, turkeys, ducks and rabbits roam around the property. We have a subsistence garden of vegetables and aromatic herbs, orchards (granadillas, uchuvas, avocados, guamas, lulos, sapotes, feijoa, limes, figs, blackberries) and grains.
  
  We are open-minded people who also love traveling -- half of the year I live in Japan! Please reach out with any questions. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to this special place.
  
  
  歡迎來到我們的農場,
  Willkommen,
  ようこそ
  Bienvenue
  स्वागतम्‌
  Welkom
  Bienvenidos.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Charity Work

  Art Projects

  Language practice

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Babysitting and creative play

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Most people living and working on the farm only speak Spanish, which provides the opportunity to improve your Spanish skills. But don't worry, my brothers and I (some of them used to live in the USA for years) speak English and are always around to help.
  
  During your stay, you can learn about traditional farm life in Colombia -- you have the chance to milk the cows (5 - 6 am everyday), ride horses through the pastures and foothills of the Nevado, learn about growing and harvesting native foods and herbs, learn how to make incense, natural soaps, candles, salt bath bottles, etc., work on trail-building, and even species identification. We can also teach you how to cook with fresh, local ingredients .
  
  We Colombians love to share fun time by the campfire while enjoying beautiful views, wonderful starry nights above, and sparking fireflies in the dark night... it's magical.

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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

  As I mentioned, currently we are building a house for workers and volunteers, so we are now seeking help with:
  - construction (we teach you!)
  - general farm maintenance (helping in the garden, planting new grasses, composting, etc.)
  - English and ecology teachers. You will teach local kids from age 5 to 15.
  
  In the coming months, work will be more restoration-oriented:
  - species identification
  - trail building
  - creating bird-watching sites / monitoring birds
  - seed saving and planting
  - planting and management of eucalyptus forest (for use in building projects)
  - helping with the Socio-Environmental Corridor project (coordination, art, video-editing, community outreach and education, fundraising, etc.)
  
  We call on those with specialties in landscape architecture, environmental design, art, linguistics, biology, zoology, ecology, botany, community management, etc. to join our mission and take on a project!
  
  We are flexible with the work schedule and the types of work you do, especially if you are passionate about a specific project. If you want to travel around for a couple of days we can arrange that!

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  Italian: Fluent
  Catalan: Intermediate
  Japanese: Intermediate
  Portuguese: Intermediate

  This host offers a language exchange
  This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
  You can contact them directly for more information.
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  Accommodation

  You will get a bed in a shared room (dormitory style) in our beautiful farmhouses. Bathrooms are also shared.
  
  We have hot showers but laundry is by-hand.

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  What else ...

  We have WIFI in the house.
  
  In your free time you can chill at the farm, pet animals, go bird-watching, or even ride horses (for free).
  20 minutes down the road you will find Líbano, a small city with shopping options and some day and night life.
  Beautiful is also the small town of Murillo with its bernacular houses made of colorful "Tabla Parada". It is located in front of the magnificent Nevado del Ruiz, about 20 minutes by car up the mountain.
  You can go to both of those towns by public transport for about $1.00 (US dollar).
  Near the volcano, on one of the highest roads in the world, there are two thermal hot springs with impressive features around and a rainbow river. You can also reach this destinations by bus.

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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

  This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  This host can provide space for campervans.

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  Can possibly accept pets

  This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4 hours a day, 5 days a week

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